Director, Development (Pre-Construction)

QTS Data Centers•Irving, TX

10d

About The Position

The role is part of QTS’s Development team and coordinates preconstruction activities from initial pre-development engagement through the start of onsite construction. It supports project readiness by aligning design intent, costs, schedules, and planning with business expectations and local regulations, working with internal teams, external partners, and consultants to prepare projects for delivery on time, within budget, and to QTS standards. The position covers scope and schedule coordination, cost estimation and budget oversight, client and stakeholder communication, subcontractor and supplier coordination, early risk identification, quality and regulatory compliance, sustainability review, reporting and documentation, team collaboration and development, and use of project management and estimating software. The posting describes the role as “Director, Development (Pre-Construction),” while the role overview refers to a Pre-Construction Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and/or professional licenses in Construction Management, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, or Architecture.
Ten or more years of progressive responsibility in the development of mission-critical facilities.
Five or more years of responsibility for data center project construction with large-scale data centers or data center lease providers.
Ability to influence cross-discipline teams while managing deadlines and support staff.
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations at a high-growth company.
Data center development and construction experience.
Master site planning and site due diligence experience.
Deep cost management and estimation background.
Site logistics and planning experience.
Constructability design review expertise.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with clients and internal teams to confirm project scope, milestones, and deliverables.
Create and manage preconstruction schedules aligned with client timelines and internal targets.
Coordinate design, procurement, and construction teams to align preconstruction inputs.
Coordinate early-stage approvals, permits, and documentation in accordance with local and national regulations.
Collaborate with estimators on accurate, competitive cost estimates reflecting market rates and project conditions.
Monitor preconstruction budgets and flag potential overruns or savings opportunities.
Participate in cost review meetings and suggest ways to reduce costs while maintaining quality.
Serve as a client point of contact during preconstruction, communicating progress and changes.
Lead preconstruction meetings with architects, consultants, subcontractors, and other stakeholders to align scope, budget, and timelines.
Keep clients informed of risks, changes, and cost implications.
Support subcontractor selection and onboarding, and coordinate review and comparison of subcontractor bids.
Monitor subcontractor participation and ensure deliverables and commitments are met.
Identify budget, design feasibility, procurement, and schedule risks and assist with mitigation and contingency planning.
Provide input into contract terms to allocate and reduce QTS risk exposure.
Review design, scope, and tender documents for quality and regulatory standards.
Coordinate with compliance and legal teams on applicable health, safety, and environmental requirements.
Promote sustainable construction practices in early-stage planning.
Produce reports on budget updates, preconstruction milestones, and risk status for internal and client reporting.
Maintain current records of estimates, schedules, approvals, and preconstruction decisions, and ensure documentation is audit-ready.
Coordinate with estimators, planners, and bid managers to support workflow and deliverable quality.
Guide junior staff and support their development in preconstruction planning and project coordination.
Contribute to process improvements by sharing lessons learned and adopting best practices.
Use project management and estimating software such as Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Procore, Primavera P6, or equivalent.