Director, Intake, Planning & Handoff

Aligned Data Centers•Ashburn, VA

53d

About The Position

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing! We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business. Program Strategy & Early Planning · Lead the early planning phase for new data center builds—from concept through “Ready-to-Build (R2B)”—coordinating inputs across Platform Delivery, Commercial, Engineering, Procurement, and Commissioning & Quality. · Establish and maintain the program roadmap and integrated master schedule (IMS) with defined gate reviews (Feasibility → Design → Procurement → R2B → Handoff). · Translate business requirements and customer demand into executable deployment plans that balance schedule, cost, and risk. · Partner with Feasibility and Constructability teams to validate site readiness, design maturity, and utility timing. · Maintain and communicate program risk registers and decision logs; drive proactive mitigation and issue resolution with clear accountability. · Orchestrate stage-gate reviews (Intake → Feasibility → Concept → Funding) with crisp executive readouts and decision memos. · Partner with stakeholder teams on site feasibility, aligning with delivery teams to ensure market and infrastructure readiness. · Assist with building and maintaining cost models for new market entry and build-to-suit projects—both nationally and internationally—and provide pre-construction support to revenue teams during the RFP process. · Collaborate closely with Procurement, Platform, and Finance during the pre-con process to define production requirements and resolve challenges. · Work directly with stakeholder and Platform Delivery teams to optimize and improve project delivery schedules and efficiencies. · Publish executive one-pagers and dashboards summarizing scope, cost, schedule, risk, and gating status. · Coordinate with teams on permitting strategy and community/authority engagement plans, ensuring key requirements and due dates are reflected in planning schedules. Design Integration & Technical Readiness · Lead coordination across engineering disciplines (civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, controls) to ensure designs align with Aligned’s productized templates, DFMA/OSM standards, and modular assembly philosophy. · Partner with Engineering to coordinate design readiness reviews at key milestones (30/60/90/IFC) to confirm constructability, scope completeness, and schedule alignment. · Partner with Commissioning & Quality & Engineering teams to ensure early commissioning readiness (L1–L5/IST) is embedded into design deliverables to support factory-first testing and accelerated start-up. · Partner with Platform Engineering to integrate lessons learned, value engineering, and reliability improvements into future design iterations. · Conduct technical review of construction and architectural plans to ensure alignment with Aligned’s design standards and customer requirements; communicate conceptual designs and documentation to internal teams prior to and during construction. · Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessments across all active programs. · Provide expertise in data center infrastructure to guide customers through base build and fit-out phases, ensuring facilities meet both operational and technical requirements. Schedule, Cost, & Risk Governance · Lead efforts creating Level 2/3 preliminary schedules and key milestones (permits, utilities, long-lead PO dates). · Lead efforts to build and maintain integrated master schedules in Primavera P6 or MS Project, capturing all dependencies—design, procurement, permitting, and long-lead manufacturing. · Maintain cost models and variance logs; partner with Commercial/Pre-Construction and Finance to ensure estimates reflect scope evolution and current market conditions. · Lead efforts to quantify and manage schedule, cost, and delivery risks; provide leadership with actionable mitigation plans. · Lead R2B readiness reviews confirming closure of all open items before construction mobilization. · Provide weekly and monthly executive dashboards summarizing schedule health, cost performance, and risk exposure. · Lead cost/design/schedule validation workshops; document outcomes and actions. · Assist in setup and management of project budgets according to senior leadership’s project controls procedures; maintain accuracy through Aligned’s cost tracking system. · Ownership of communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessment, ensuring alignment across all internal and external stakeholders. · Identify potential project risks early, partner with stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes throughout the project lifecycle. Procurement, Logistics, & Supply Chain Alignment · Collaborate with ADC Procurement and the Director of Delivery Planning to identify long-lead materials, factory capacity, and shipping constraints to protect schedule. · Develop and coordinate make/buy/mix strategies for skidded and modular assemblies; confirm supplier capacity and slotting align with the master plan. · Support pre-purchase and early-release packages for long-lead equipment (switchgear, transformers, UPS, chillers, busway, controls). · Partner with ADC Procurement & Director of Delivery Planning to validate vendor logistics, packaging, and environmental controls (shock/tilt/temp/humidity) to preserve warranties and ensure smooth delivery to site. · Support day-to-day program activities and initiatives, engaging with architects, consultants, and equipment providers to ensure material readiness and supplier coordination. · Align with PD and Procurement teams to ensure contractual dates and vendor requirements are accurately communicated and reflected in program schedules. Permitting, Utilities, & Site Readiness · Track and assist in managing permitting, utility interconnection, and entitlement milestones; as required, engage directly with AHJs and utility partners to ensure transparency and pace. · Validate site readiness—including access, temporary works, and safety planning—prior to handoff to Construction Delivery. · Ensure all enabling works, procurement activities, and long-lead items are synchronized with the construction start plan. · Coordinate efforts ensuring permit matrices are created, maintained, and socialized with all stakeholders throughout the planning phase. Transition to Construction Delivery · Lead the formal Ready-to-Build (R2B) process, ensuring every element of the project is validated and approved before construction start. · Deliver a complete handoff package including: o Final IFC design set and revision log o Baseline schedule and cost model o Risk register and mitigation plan o Commissioning & quality plan o Logistics & warranty documentation o Governance and lessons-learned summary · Conduct a structured handoff meeting with Construction Delivery to confirm scope continuity, accountability, and execution readiness. · Partner with stakeholder teams to align on contractual and technical requirements prior to construction start to ensure seamless transition. Continuous Improvement & Leadership · Capture and document lessons learned post-handoff and incorporate them into Aligned’s Platform Delivery Playbooks. · Drive continuous improvement in planning & pre-construction governance, process efficiency, and documentation consistency. · Mentor Construction Managers and Project Controls staff in early-phase integration, schedule management, and stakeholder communication. · Own all administrative duties associated with Aligned technical programs, ensuring consistent documentation, reporting accuracy, and internal transparency.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Experience: 10+ years in mission-critical/industrial delivery (data centers strongly preferred), including 5+ years leading design and/or project management and multi-site/program portfolios.
Technical depth: Strong knowledge of MEP systems (MV/LV powertrain, UPS/energy storage, switchgear/transformers, busway, cooling/CRAH/CRAC/liquid-cooling, BMS/EPMS) and constructability; ability to interpret drawings/specifications.
Commissioning: Proficiency across L1–L5 with IST; defect tracking, and CAPA close-out.
Financial acumen: Budget setup and management, variance analysis, and TCO/ROI business-case development.
Tools: Advanced Excel; Smartsheet, Bluebeam, AutoCAD; project controls (P6 or MS Project); Procore/BIM 360; analytics (Power BI/Tableau); ERP/PLM familiarity.
Soft skills: Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, written/verbal communication, and cross-functional collaboration; strong time-management and organizational skills; discretion and confidentiality at all times.
Contracting: Expertise with various project delivery models (IPD, Design-Build, Design-Assist, EPC, CM at Risk).
Travel: Up to 50% to manufacturers, integrators, sites, and construction sites.
Change Management: Track record of building programs from the ground up and driving organizational change.
Proven ability to integrate cost, schedule, and design data into a cohesive, risk-managed program plan.
Experience leading complex cross-functional teams and influencing decisions at the executive level.
Proficiency with Primavera P6, MS Project, Procore, Bluebeam, and analytics tools (Power BI/Tableau).
Demonstrated success implementing governance frameworks and driving early risk elimination.
Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and presentation skills
Ability to interpret construction drawings and specifications
Travel up to 50%
Knowledge of construction cost estimating methods and development of scopes of work

Nice To Haves

Supply chain & vendors: Make/buy/mix strategy, multi-sourcing, vendor scorecards, capacity management, and commercial negotiation.
Logistics: Heavy-haul/multimodal planning, OS/OW permitting, and packaging/preservation standards (shock/tilt/temp); familiarity with Incoterms and customs processes.
Productization/OSM: Demonstrated success with OSM/prefab, DFMA, and modular skids/assemblies that drive measurable schedule and quality gains.
Certifications: PMP, PE, CxA, Six Sigma; advanced degree (MS/MBA) a plus.
Deep relationships across regional data-center GC/trade/design communities.
Expertise with project delivery models (IPD, Design-Build, CM at Risk).
Experience with regional zoning, permitting strategies, and AHJ coordination.

Responsibilities

Lead the early planning phase for new data center builds—from concept through “Ready-to-Build (R2B)”—coordinating inputs across Platform Delivery, Commercial, Engineering, Procurement, and Commissioning & Quality.
Establish and maintain the program roadmap and integrated master schedule (IMS) with defined gate reviews (Feasibility → Design → Procurement → R2B → Handoff).
Translate business requirements and customer demand into executable deployment plans that balance schedule, cost, and risk.
Partner with Feasibility and Constructability teams to validate site readiness, design maturity, and utility timing.
Maintain and communicate program risk registers and decision logs; drive proactive mitigation and issue resolution with clear accountability.
Orchestrate stage-gate reviews (Intake → Feasibility → Concept → Funding) with crisp executive readouts and decision memos.
Partner with stakeholder teams on site feasibility, aligning with delivery teams to ensure market and infrastructure readiness.
Assist with building and maintaining cost models for new market entry and build-to-suit projects—both nationally and internationally—and provide pre-construction support to revenue teams during the RFP process.
Collaborate closely with Procurement, Platform, and Finance during the pre-con process to define production requirements and resolve challenges.
Work directly with stakeholder and Platform Delivery teams to optimize and improve project delivery schedules and efficiencies.
Publish executive one-pagers and dashboards summarizing scope, cost, schedule, risk, and gating status.
Coordinate with teams on permitting strategy and community/authority engagement plans, ensuring key requirements and due dates are reflected in planning schedules.
Lead coordination across engineering disciplines (civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, controls) to ensure designs align with Aligned’s productized templates, DFMA/OSM standards, and modular assembly philosophy.
Partner with Engineering to coordinate design readiness reviews at key milestones (30/60/90/IFC) to confirm constructability, scope completeness, and schedule alignment.
Partner with Commissioning & Quality & Engineering teams to ensure early commissioning readiness (L1–L5/IST) is embedded into design deliverables to support factory-first testing and accelerated start-up.
Partner with Platform Engineering to integrate lessons learned, value engineering, and reliability improvements into future design iterations.
Conduct technical review of construction and architectural plans to ensure alignment with Aligned’s design standards and customer requirements; communicate conceptual designs and documentation to internal teams prior to and during construction.
Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessments across all active programs.
Provide expertise in data center infrastructure to guide customers through base build and fit-out phases, ensuring facilities meet both operational and technical requirements.
Lead efforts creating Level 2/3 preliminary schedules and key milestones (permits, utilities, long-lead PO dates).
Lead efforts to build and maintain integrated master schedules in Primavera P6 or MS Project, capturing all dependencies—design, procurement, permitting, and long-lead manufacturing.
Maintain cost models and variance logs; partner with Commercial/Pre-Construction and Finance to ensure estimates reflect scope evolution and current market conditions.
Lead efforts to quantify and manage schedule, cost, and delivery risks; provide leadership with actionable mitigation plans.
Lead R2B readiness reviews confirming closure of all open items before construction mobilization.
Provide weekly and monthly executive dashboards summarizing schedule health, cost performance, and risk exposure.
Lead cost/design/schedule validation workshops; document outcomes and actions.
Assist in setup and management of project budgets according to senior leadership’s project controls procedures; maintain accuracy through Aligned’s cost tracking system.
Ownership of communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessment, ensuring alignment across all internal and external stakeholders.
Identify potential project risks early, partner with stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.
Collaborate with ADC Procurement and the Director of Delivery Planning to identify long-lead materials, factory capacity, and shipping constraints to protect schedule.
Develop and coordinate make/buy/mix strategies for skidded and modular assemblies; confirm supplier capacity and slotting align with the master plan.
Support pre-purchase and early-release packages for long-lead equipment (switchgear, transformers, UPS, chillers, busway, controls).
Partner with ADC Procurement & Director of Delivery Planning to validate vendor logistics, packaging, and environmental controls (shock/tilt/temp/humidity) to preserve warranties and ensure smooth delivery to site.
Support day-to-day program activities and initiatives, engaging with architects, consultants, and equipment providers to ensure material readiness and supplier coordination.
Align with PD and Procurement teams to ensure contractual dates and vendor requirements are accurately communicated and reflected in program schedules.
Track and assist in managing permitting, utility interconnection, and entitlement milestones; as required, engage directly with AHJs and utility partners to ensure transparency and pace.
Validate site readiness—including access, temporary works, and safety planning—prior to handoff to Construction Delivery.
Ensure all enabling works, procurement activities, and long-lead items are synchronized with the construction start plan.
Coordinate efforts ensuring permit matrices are created, maintained, and socialized with all stakeholders throughout the planning phase.
Lead the formal Ready-to-Build (R2B) process, ensuring every element of the project is validated and approved before construction start.
Deliver a complete handoff package including: o Final IFC design set and revision log o Baseline schedule and cost model o Risk register and mitigation plan o Commissioning & quality plan o Logistics & warranty documentation o Governance and lessons-learned summary
Conduct a structured handoff meeting with Construction Delivery to confirm scope continuity, accountability, and execution readiness.
Partner with stakeholder teams to align on contractual and technical requirements prior to construction start to ensure seamless transition.
Capture and document lessons learned post-handoff and incorporate them into Aligned’s Platform Delivery Playbooks.
Drive continuous improvement in planning & pre-construction governance, process efficiency, and documentation consistency.
Mentor Construction Managers and Project Controls staff in early-phase integration, schedule management, and stakeholder communication.
Own all administrative duties associated with Aligned technical programs, ensuring consistent documentation, reporting accuracy, and internal transparency.