Director, Development (Pre-Construction)

Quality Technology Services • Richmond, VA

9d

About The Position

QTS is a global digital infrastructure company that designs, builds, and operates data centers and is a portfolio company of Blackstone. The Development team role described in the posting coordinates preconstruction activity from initial pre-development engagement through the start of onsite construction. It supports project readiness by aligning design intent, cost, and planning with business expectations and local regulations, working with pre-development teams, schedule planners, external partners, and consultants to set projects up for timely, budget-conscious delivery to QTS standards.

The role covers preconstruction planning, cost estimation and budget oversight, client and stakeholder communication, subcontractor and supplier coordination, risk mitigation, quality and regulatory compliance, reporting, team collaboration, and technology adoption. It also contributes to sustainable construction planning, continuous process improvement, and mentorship of junior staff. The posting describes the position as bonus eligible and potentially equity eligible.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and/or professional licenses in Construction Management, Electrical or 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.
• 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 and design review expertise.
• Ability to influence cross-discipline teams while managing deadlines and supporting staff.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations at a high-growth company.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to independently manage deadlines and support staff.

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing multiple large, multifaceted projects.
• Knowledge of construction health and safety.
• Experience with customer deployment technologies and equipment.
• RCDD is a plus.

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 with 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 materials, systems, or methods that maintain quality while reducing costs.
• Serve as a client contact during preconstruction and communicate progress and changes.
• Lead preconstruction meetings with architects, consultants, subcontractors, and other stakeholders to align on scope, budget, and timelines.
• Keep clients informed about risks, changes, and cost implications during planning.
• 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 strategies 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 compliance.
• Coordinate with compliance and legal teams on applicable health, safety, and environmental requirements.
• Promote sustainable construction practices in early-stage planning.
• Prepare 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 efficient workflow and quality deliverables.
• Guide junior staff and support their development in preconstruction planning and project coordination.
• Contribute to preconstruction 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.
• Support digital tools that improve collaboration, schedule accuracy, and document control.
• Travel up to 50% of the time.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with Roth and Traditional matching contributions and immediate vesting
• Flexible spending and HSA accounts
• Paid holidays, including 11 paid holidays annually
• Paid time off
• Paid volunteer days
• Employee assistance program
• Tuition assistance and tuition reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Military leave assistance and military benefits package
• QTS scholarship for employee dependents
• Wellness program
• Bonus eligibility
• Potential equity eligibility
• Stock Purchase Plan (SPP)
• Holiday compensation when working holidays
• Pet insurance
• Legal insurance
• Q-Rest Sabbatical Program
• Q-Anniversary Service Award Program
• QTS Charitable Matching Gift Program
• QTS Crisis Fund
• Every employee is bonus or commission eligible

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director