Director, Operations

Aligned Data Centers•Conesville, OH

About The Position

The Director, Operations leads and executes campus operations across multiple Aligned Data Centers facilities, covering safety, security, reliability, network environment, customer relations, critical environments, and profit and loss. The role provides senior leadership for data center operations and ensures facility systems meet or exceed industry standards for critical maintenance and availability. It ensures engineering and security teams follow reporting, documentation, and standard operating procedures; meets customer service-level agreements and compliance audits; and coordinates 24/7 operational communications with executives, department heads, customers, and other stakeholders. The Director leads and develops local teams to optimize performance and support growth in existing and new markets. The role reports to the SVP of Operations or their designee. The position oversees campus operations, mission-critical infrastructure commissioning and maintenance, facility expansions and consolidations, vendor relationships and contracts, budgets, forecasts, risk, change and incident management, customer service, and operational documentation. It also drives sustainability and efficiency initiatives, continuous improvement, compliance, and service delivery across facilities. Occasional travel for training and meetings is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred with 10 years of experience, or 12–15 years of related experience in lieu of a degree.
Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret complex project documents, including AutoCAD, Visio, and PDF documents.
Ability to project and manage time effectively.
Ability to develop operational standards, project-tracking materials, and management documents.
Ability to respond effectively, verbally and in writing, to sensitive issues, complex inquiries, and complaints.
Ability to deliver presentations and respond to questions from managers, clients, customers, and the public.
Strong commitment to customer service for both coworkers and clients.
In-depth knowledge of applicable rules, laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances relevant to data/communications and MEP projects.
Ability to estimate costs for client installations and other assigned projects and track project costs.
Knowledge of purchase order request processes and invoice tracking.
Ability to develop RFP processes and operating and capital budgets.
Ability to analyze and solve problems involving several options and limited information.
Ability to interpret written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule-based instructions and work independently.
Ability to work well under pressure and proactively respond to unusual occurrences.
Good organizational skills, attention to detail, and openness to new ideas and procedures.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
Willingness to travel occasionally for training and meetings.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

Provide senior leadership and strategic direction for data center operations, including critical facilities operations, preventative maintenance, commissioning, infrastructure, service delivery, security, logistics, and safety.
Manage 24/7 campus operations and establish and monitor operational metrics for capacity, availability, budget, and inventory.
Oversee electrical and mechanical infrastructure, including UPS systems, generators, fire suppression systems, BMS, and HVAC systems, and meet established SLAs.
Ensure work in the data center is performed to a high standard without negatively affecting internal or external customers.
Oversee Operations, Security, and Safety services and drive high-quality service for clients and employees.
Oversee and support level 5 commissioning, operations, and maintenance of mission-critical infrastructure to achieve 100% availability.
Manage data center facility expansion and consolidation.
Manage, coach, and develop the management team responsible for data center operations.
Lead vendor relationships and oversee vendor contracts, services, costs, SLAs, and deliverables; work with vendor stakeholders and partners on strategic plans.
Work with strategic supply chain vendors to implement lean management strategies, innovation, and process improvements.
Evaluate and mitigate risks in new and existing programs through data center program governance.
Improve cross-team effectiveness and remove organizational barriers to collaboration and service delivery.
Drive Aligned’s sustainability strategy and create programs to improve data center operational efficiency.
Lead improvement projects from conception through completion, collaborating with support teams.
Manage budgeting, forecasting, planning, deployment, incident and problem management, and change management.
Maintain documentation and diagrams that capture essential data center operational parameters.
Define policies, procedures, and standards for performance, capacity, availability, continuity, and security.
Prepare and deliver presentations to leadership, company meetings, and conferences.
Meet customer service-level and power utilization efficiency commitments; participate in customer interactions, service reviews, and related meetings.
Manage customer service orders and remote-hands requests.
Supervise local change management, including reviewing and approving MOPs for maintenance and one-time or emergency repairs in coordination with onsite personnel, contractors, and customers.
Ensure compliance with safety procedures and use of PPE.
Respond promptly and appropriately to emergencies and customer concerns.
Maintain inventory control programs and ensure purchasing of parts and supplies.
Ensure compliance with applicable codes, requisitions, government agencies, and Aligned directives for building and critical-environment operations.
Perform operational roles as necessary.