Director of Site Services

Constellation Research Center•Berkeley, CA

4d•$180,000 - $240,000•Onsite

About The Position

We're seeking an exceptional operational leader to oversee all site services for Constellation's research center. This role owns the strategic direction, planning, budgets, and performance for IT, Security & Safety, Site Operations, and Catering. These functions share a common purpose: enabling world-class AI safety research through excellence in our physical and digital environment. As Director of Site Services, you'll define priorities and allocate resources across your portfolio. ( Alternative titles for this role: Director of Workplace Services, Director of Infrastructure Operations.) You'll have high autonomy to shape how these teams work together, with direct accountability for strategic alignment with broader organizational goals. This is a leadership role that requires both strategic altitude and hands-on engagement. You’ll coach domain leads, shape organizational systems, and remain close enough to operational reality to make high-judgment decisions that scale with the mission. Your work directly influences Constellation’s ability to scale programs, host exceptional people, and create an environment where complex work can flourish. You will integrate four mission-critical operational domains into one coherent system. The systems, standards, and culture you establish now will define how Constellation grows over the next several years. You'll lead a team of ~11 (growing to ~15+ over the next 1-2 years), with four direct reports. Given our size and growth trajectory, this is a true player-coach role: you’ll set direction and standards while also engaging directly where doing so strengthens judgment, accelerates execution, or ensures quality.

Requirements

10-15 years of progressive operational leadership experience with demonstrated growth in scope and impact
3-5 years leading teams; experience coaching individual contributors into people management roles
Strategic planning and budget ownership: Multi-year direction-setting, managing significant budgets ($1M+), delivering measurable results
Cross-functional integration: Experience leading multiple operational domains (IT, security, facilities, or related functions) in high-autonomy environments
Technical depth with business judgment: Engage credibly on technical details while maintaining strategic perspective; comfortable as both strategist and hands-on operator
Deep expertise in at least two of: IT operations, information security, facilities management, or hospitality operations
Understanding of physical security, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness
Experience in high-growth, fast-paced environments (startup, scale-up, or innovation-focused organizations strongly preferred)
Familiarity with compliance frameworks and regulations for physical workplaces
Coaching and organizational design: Develop leaders, make strategic decisions about team structure and role definition, and determine where to invest in growth
Strategic communication and influence: Build alignment across the organization, influence senior leadership, and communicate complex operational topics clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
Performance management and talent development: Set high standards, deliver constructive feedback, drive accountability, and create environments where exceptional people thrive
Strategic thinker : Sees the forest and the trees; connects operational details to organizational mission
Sound judgment : Makes sound decisions with incomplete information in ambiguous, high-stakes situations
Mission alignment : Genuine connection to Constellation's work in AI safety; understands why operational excellence matters for our mission. Cares deeply about enabling an environment where ambitious, high-impact work can happen reliably and safely
Executive presence : Confident representing operations in leadership forums; credible with technical experts and non-technical stakeholders alike
Systems orientation : Naturally sees interconnections and opportunities for integration across domains
Bias to action : Balances thoughtful planning with decisive execution; doesn't get stuck in analysis
Based in Berkeley, CA with ability to work on-site five days a week (this is an in-person, leadership role)
Occasional work on evenings or weekends for urgent facility or security issues
Comfortable in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment where priorities can shift rapidly

Responsibilities

Set the strategic vision and roadmap for IT, security, facilities, and catering; own regular planning cycles to define priorities, allocate budgets, and set performance targets
Make strategic decisions on team growth (5-8 additional roles over 1-2 years) and resource allocation across competing priorities
Drive cost optimization while maintaining operational excellence; build business cases for major investments
Partner with executive leadership to ensure infrastructure and workplace services support organizational priorities and create an environment where high-impact work can flourish
Own and manage the budget across all infrastructure functions
Make strategic resource allocation decisions balancing competing priorities across IT, security, facilities, and catering
Drive cost optimization while maintaining operational excellence and mission alignment
Build business cases for major investments; communicate ROI and strategic rationale to leadership
Lead and develop four direct reports who own distinct operational domains: Site Operations Lead, IT Lead, Security & Safety Lead, and Executive Chef (who manages kitchen team of ~8 staff)
Create forums and frameworks for these domain leads to coordinate effectively and identify synergy opportunities across traditionally siloed functions (e.g., unified access control strategy, integrated emergency response, coordinated space and technology planning)
Build bridges between technical and non-technical domains, ensuring seamless collaboration across physical, digital, safety, and hospitality functions
Serve as the voice of operations in executive discussions on organizational strategy, risk, and investment priorities; translate organizational strategy into concrete operational priorities and communication
Coach individual contributors as they transition into people management roles as their teams expand; support the Executive Chef in leading and developing the catering team
Build a collaborative culture that integrates all operational functions into a coherent system
Create performance frameworks and success metrics for each function and role
Own measurable outcomes for infrastructure operations: system uptime, security posture, user satisfaction, incident response times, budget performance
Establish KPIs and reporting mechanisms; drive continuous improvement through data-driven decision making
Hold leaders accountable for execution while providing strategic guidance and removing blockers
Own enterprise-wide risk management for cybersecurity, physical security, workplace safety, food safety, and facilities compliance
Set security standards for a high-trust, high-traffic environment; ensure compliance with regulatory and best-practice requirements
Serve as organizational point of contact for security matters with external stakeholders, auditors, and emergency services