Director, Design Management, NA

Vantage Data Centers•Denver, CO

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

Vantage is seeking a strategic, technically capable Director of Design Management to lead regional design efforts and optimize the lifecycle of data center design across a growing portfolio. The position is based on-site at one of the Phoenix, Santa Clara, or Denver offices under a flexible work policy of three days in the office and two days remote. The Director partners with Market Development, Engineering, and Delivery teams to shape design strategy from concept through construction, aligning execution with customer and business needs while delivering scalable, efficient, and adaptable solutions. The Director leads Design Management adoption of new tools and automation, supports operational measures and structured program management, and develops business continuity practices. The role also advances AI/ML and RPA capabilities in Design Management to scale workload and functions. As a regional technical advisor, the Director contributes to site selection, customer solutioning, conceptual design, feasibility studies, and due diligence. The role leads Design Managers and coordinates internal and external design teams through planning and design phases, ensuring technical quality, constructability, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with corporate standards and regional needs. The Director collaborates with construction, operations, commercial, customer, and market development teams across the project lifecycle; supports change management and design governance; contributes to continuous improvement of processes and tools; and provides senior leadership with regional reporting on progress, risks, and opportunities. Travel is expected to be up to 25%, but may increase as the business evolves. Vantage describes its culture as collaborative and low-ego, with a focus on supporting colleagues, finding joy in work, and delivering value to customers and the community.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), or a related field.
At least 10 years of design management experience, emphasizing mission-critical, hyperscale data center, industrial, or high-tech facilities.
Experience in fast-paced, cross-functional environments with complex infrastructure requirements.
Solid technical expertise in MEP systems, critical infrastructure, and integrated building design.
Demonstrated experience supporting early-stage project development; owner-operator or developer settings are preferred.
Strong business acumen and ability to balance technical performance with commercial outcomes.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a history of successfully leading cross-functional teams.
Ability to manage ambiguity and support change management initiatives.
Ability to travel; expected travel is up to 25% and may increase as the business evolves.
Ability to occasionally stand, walk, sit, handle or feel objects, reach, climb stairs, balance, stoop or kneel, talk, and hear.
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting early-stage project development in an owner-operator or developer setting.

Responsibilities

Lead Design Management adoption of new tooling and automation, focused on operational measures, outcomes, and scale.
Champion cross-functional Design Management practices with Operational Excellence teams, including standard playbooks, templates, best practices, and structured program management.
Own business continuity plans across Design Integration and align them with business-readiness best practices.
Initiate AI/ML- and RPA-driven capabilities and practices in Design Management to scale workload and functions.
Serve as a regional technical advisor and strategic partner during early site selection, customer solutioning, and conceptual design.
Collaborate with market development and customer teams to translate business and performance requirements into scalable, efficient design solutions.
Support site feasibility studies and due diligence from a design and engineering perspective.
Lead Design Managers in managing end-to-end regional project design, including master planning, conceptual, schematic, and detailed design phases.
Oversee and coordinate internal and external design teams, including architects, MEP engineers, civil consultants, and design/build partners.
Review design packages for technical accuracy, constructability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
Manage multiple concurrent projects while maintaining consistency with corporate design standards and regional execution needs.
Collaborate with construction, operations, and commercial teams to ensure alignment across the project lifecycle.
Participate in change management and ensure design changes are documented, justified, and communicated.
Adapt to changing project scopes and customer requirements while protecting design integrity and business objectives.
Support development and enforcement of regional design standards, templates, and governance practices.
Contribute to continuous improvement of design management processes, tools, and frameworks to improve efficiency and quality.
Provide regional reporting to senior leadership on design progress, risks, and opportunities.
Perform additional duties as assigned by management.