Director, Site Operations, NA

Vantage Data Centers•Santa Clara, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Site Operations is based on-site at Vantage’s data center in Santa Clara, California, and is accountable for operational performance, reliability, and leadership across two data center campuses in a 24x7x365 mission-critical environment. The role oversees power, cooling, building control systems, facility spaces, maintenance strategy, system readiness, and the disciplined execution of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance. It prioritizes safety, reliability, risk management, compliance, and operational excellence while setting site standards and aligning personnel, processes, and priorities to deliver consistent performance and customer confidence. The Director leads senior operations staff and shift teams, including Operations Managers and Critical Facilities Engineers, and oversees contracted service partners. The role ensures teams are trained, resourced, and prepared for daily operations and long-term site objectives. It partners with Engineering, Construction, Security, IT, and Customer Success on design, commissioning, and expansion, while supporting customers and senior leaders through tours, audits, technical discussions, and executive reporting. The Director also manages budgets and vendor arrangements, tracks operational KPIs, reduces risk, and drives continuous improvement, automation, monitoring improvements, and sustainability practices.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in mission-critical facilities, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
Demonstrated success managing large-scale data center or critical infrastructure operations.
Strong knowledge of electrical distribution systems, including UPS, switchgear, generators, and ATS.
Strong knowledge of mechanical systems, including CRAC/CRAH units and chillers, and BMS/EPMS controls.
Expertise in incident management, root cause analysis, and reliability engineering practices.
Familiarity with CMMS, monitoring platforms, and data-driven reporting tools.
Excellent leadership, communication, and team-building skills.
Strong financial acumen and experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets.
Ability to partner with clients, vendors, and executive leadership in a high-stakes environment.
Ability to work in a 24x7 environment and respond to critical events as needed.
Strong decision-making ability under pressure.
Commitment to safety, compliance, and operational excellence.
Ability to travel as business needs require.
Occasionally stand, walk, sit, handle or feel objects, reach, climb stairs, balance, stoop or kneel, talk, and hear; occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Facilities Management, or a related technical discipline preferred.
PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
CFM (Certified Facility Manager) certification.
OSHA 30 / NFPA 70E Safety Training.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and accountability for day-to-day operations of two data center campuses.
Align site operations with corporate objectives, industry standards, and client SLAs; establish long-term strategies to optimize uptime, safety, and efficiency.
Maintain 24x7x365 operational readiness of critical infrastructure, including power, cooling, building automation, and life-safety systems.
Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs for mechanical, electrical, and controls systems.
Lead incident management, root cause analysis, and post-incident reviews to improve operations.
Help develop and manage annual site operating budgets, capital improvement budgets, and cost-control initiatives; track OPEX and CAPEX against targets.
Ensure vendor contracts, procurement, and service agreements are cost-effective and meet performance expectations.
Directly manage senior operations staff and shift teams; ensure staffing supports reliability, maintenance, and incident response.
Lead training, employee development, and performance management programs.
Ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA, ISO, and other applicable regulatory and industry standards; enforce EH&S policies, safe work practices, and MOP/SOP/EOP standards.
Manage audits, certifications, and corporate compliance requirements.
Serve as the primary point of contact for customers, senior leadership, and external stakeholders; support client tours, audits, and technical discussions.
Provide executive-level reporting on facility status, incidents, risks, and performance metrics.
Track and report KPIs for uptime, incident response, safety compliance, and operational efficiency; establish benchmarking metrics and deliver monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
Use KPI data to drive accountability, informed decision-making, and continuous improvement.
Partner with Engineering, Construction, Security, IT, and Customer Success to incorporate operational considerations into design, commissioning, and expansion.
Drive operational excellence initiatives, including automation, monitoring improvements, and sustainability practices; benchmark against industry best practices and foster innovation and accountability.
Respond to critical events as needed and travel as business needs require.