Director, Technical Operations

STACK Infrastructure•Sterling, VA

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

STACK is looking for a Director of Technical Operations (DTO) to support the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of critical data center infrastructure across the portfolio. As a leader in STACK’s Critical Operations team, the Director of Technical Operations is accountable for an integrated Technical Operations domain focused on the operational performance, reliability, and governance of mission-critical electrical, mechanical, and supporting infrastructure. The DTO integrates capability roadmaps, governance, resources, and priorities; resolves competing priorities and risks across the domain; and translates Technical Operations strategy into coordinated execution.Lead and coach the Technical Operations team as STACK’s center of excellence for operational standards, assurance, asset reliability, risk management, and continuous improvement across the portfolio.Collaborate with the leadership team to identify opportunities to improve our Technical Operations programs; Develop and implement agreed changes.Champion a culture that’s safety-focused, candid, and transparentDrive alignment of standards, governance, and improvement initiatives across related capabilities to improve critical operations safety, reliability, productivity, and effectiveness.Work with Critical Operations leadership and capability owners to align domain roadmaps, operating priorities, and risk-based improvements with field operational needs.Demonstrate strong technical knowledge of mission-critical data center electrical and mechanical infrastructure, including utility and power distribution, emergency power generation, UPS systems, cooling systems, and fire/life-safety systems.Provide domain leadership and informed technical judgment across critical facilities operations, asset reliability, operational risk, policies, procedures, and other assigned capabilities.Ensure standards and programs developed within the domain are aligned, scalable, and effectively governed to support site operations.Ensure appropriate governance exists across the domain for development, review, implementation, and assurance of critical operations standards and procedures.Ensure assurance and performance mechanisms identify compliance, systemic risk, and opportunities to improve policies, processes, and program effectiveness across the domain.Mentor and develop capability and program leaders, strengthening execution, judgment, and accountability across the domain.Ensure capability owners coordinate appropriate field enablement, training, and change adoption for domain programs.Ensure significant events and systemic issues are evaluated across relevant capabilities and translated into coordinated corrective and preventive actions.Ensure field operations tools and processes within the domain have clear ownership, support, governance, and adoption mechanisms.Resolve cross-capability issues, competing priorities, and escalated risks that inhibit critical operations performance.Participate in departmental leadership meetings.Gather, document, and share best practices. Act as a change agent.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in data center or comparable mission-critical operations, including experience leading multi-site operational programs, teams, or capabilities.
Demonstrated experience leading critical operations programs, teams, or capabilities in data center or comparable mission-critical environments, with responsibility across multiple sites or a distributed portfolio.
Strong working knowledge of mission-critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure, including power distribution, emergency generation, UPS systems, cooling systems, and fire/life-safety systems.
Demonstrated experience establishing or governing operational standards, maintenance/reliability programs, risk-management processes, or assurance mechanisms in a critical operating environment.
Demonstrated ability to integrate multiple related programs or capabilities, prioritize competing risks and resources, and drive measurable operational outcomes.
Proven ability to influence and align Operations, Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Safety, Supply Chain, and other cross-functional stakeholders.
Experience leading and developing program, technical, or capability leaders.
Experience managing team budgets and prioritizing resources across multiple programs or capabilities.
Strong executive communication, problem-solving, and change-leadership skills.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, facilities management, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

You are a strong communicator, you are persuasive and clear, blending analytics with experience in decision-making.
You do not get flustered easily. You can juggle multiple priorities while balancing urgent requests with shifting timelines and deliverables.
You are a team builder. You take the time to understand and develop the strengths of your resources while formulating long-term plans for the growth and success of the team.
You are naturally curious and driven toward continual improvement. While you celebrate your successes, you take time to review and analyze campaigns for future learning.

Responsibilities

Lead and coach the Technical Operations team as STACK’s center of excellence for operational standards, assurance, asset reliability, risk management, and continuous improvement across the portfolio.
Collaborate with the leadership team to identify opportunities to improve our Technical Operations programs; Develop and implement agreed changes.
Champion a culture that’s safety-focused, candid, and transparent
Drive alignment of standards, governance, and improvement initiatives across related capabilities to improve critical operations safety, reliability, productivity, and effectiveness.
Work with Critical Operations leadership and capability owners to align domain roadmaps, operating priorities, and risk-based improvements with field operational needs.
Demonstrate strong technical knowledge of mission-critical data center electrical and mechanical infrastructure, including utility and power distribution, emergency power generation, UPS systems, cooling systems, and fire/life-safety systems.
Provide domain leadership and informed technical judgment across critical facilities operations, asset reliability, operational risk, policies, procedures, and other assigned capabilities.
Ensure standards and programs developed within the domain are aligned, scalable, and effectively governed to support site operations.
Ensure appropriate governance exists across the domain for development, review, implementation, and assurance of critical operations standards and procedures.
Ensure assurance and performance mechanisms identify compliance, systemic risk, and opportunities to improve policies, processes, and program effectiveness across the domain.
Mentor and develop capability and program leaders, strengthening execution, judgment, and accountability across the domain.
Ensure capability owners coordinate appropriate field enablement, training, and change adoption for domain programs.
Ensure significant events and systemic issues are evaluated across relevant capabilities and translated into coordinated corrective and preventive actions.
Ensure field operations tools and processes within the domain have clear ownership, support, governance, and adoption mechanisms.
Resolve cross-capability issues, competing priorities, and escalated risks that inhibit critical operations performance.
Participate in departmental leadership meetings.
Gather, document, and share best practices. Act as a change agent.