Energy & Water Operations Manager

Rowan Digital Infrastructure • Denver, CO

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Rowan Digital Infrastructure is redefining how data centers are delivered—faster, smarter, and at scale. We partner with hyperscale customers to provide tailored, high-performance infrastructure with a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and flexibility.
Our experienced, end-to-end team delivers custom solutions across a growing portfolio of strategic sites in key markets across the United States. Backed by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, Rowan is committed to enabling the next generation of digital infrastructure—and building a more sustainable future in the process.
Ready to help transform how the world’s most important technologies are powered? Join us.

Role Summary
The Energy & Water Operations Manager is responsible for integrating strategy, execution, and cross-functional coordination for the Energy & Water (E&W) team across the full lifecycle of data center development and operations. This role ensures that power, water, wastewater, energy, and sustainability initiatives are planned, sequenced, and executed in a dependency-aware and execution-ready manner, aligned with Finance, Legal, Development, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Business Development teams.
Serving as the operational backbone of the E&W function, the Operations Manager translates complex technical, commercial, and regulatory strategies into executable plans; manages interdependencies across teams; and provides leadership with clear, timely visibility into progress, risks, and decision points. The role is not a technical owner of energy or water systems, but a systems integrator and execution orchestrator—ensuring the right work happens at the right time, by the right teams, with clear ownership and minimal friction.
This position is critical to achieving power-first delivery, water security, schedule acceleration, cost discipline, and long-term operational reliability as the platform scales across markets. Success in this role is defined by Energy & Water initiatives progressing with clarity and predictability, cross-team dependencies being visible and actively managed, execution risks being surfaced early, and leadership having confidence in delivery timelines, cost posture, and readiness at each major milestone—from development through commercial operation and into steady-state operations.

Requirements

• 7–10 years of experience in operations, program management, or portfolio delivery for large-scale infrastructure, energy, or industrial programs
• Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional dependencies across finance, legal, engineering, construction, and operations in capital-intensive environments
• Direct exposure to energy and/or water infrastructure delivery, such as power generation, grid interconnection, utility coordination, water/wastewater systems, energy procurement, or sustainability programs
• Proven ability to translate high-level strategy into execution plans, integrated schedules, and governance structures
• Experience developing and maintaining risk registers, dependency tracking, and executive reporting tied to critical milestones
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving environments without direct authority over all contributors
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex technical and commercial issues for senior leadership

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting data center, hyperscale, or other mission-critical infrastructure platforms
• Familiarity with utility agreements, PPAs, fuel contracts, water rights, permitting processes, and environmental or air compliance
• Experience interfacing with investment committees, customers, or executive leadership on delivery readiness, risk posture, and tradeoffs
• Background in PMO, portfolio management, or operational excellence functions
• Advanced proficiency with planning, scheduling, and reporting tools (e.g. Smartsheet, MS Project, Primavera, Power BI, or equivalent)

Responsibilities

• Own and represent the integrated execution plan for Energy & Water initiatives, translating strategy into milestones, dependencies, and delivery timelines aligned with development and customer commitments
• Actively manage intra-team dependencies across E&W sub-functions (power origination, utility engagement, water strategy, energy procurement, sustainability, commercialization, and project delivery)
• Manage inter-team interfaces with Finance, Legal, Development, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Business Development to ensure clean handoffs, sequencing, and accountability
• Establish and run the Energy & Water operating cadence, including weekly execution reviews, portfolio tracking, and structured escalation of risks and decisions
• Maintain integrated schedules, dependencies, and action items tied to team, department and company activities requiring E&W team participation, such as project financing, compliance, and executive reporting.
• Surface and drive resolution of team risks, near misses, and lessons learned, ensuring issues are identified early and clearly owned
• Standardize and continuously improve Energy & Water operating processes, tools, and governance to increase speed, predictability, and scalability

Benefits

• Hybrid working environment
• Team building and educational opportunities
• Generous benefits package including robust health benefits and a 401(k) company contribution
• Unlimited PTO
• Competitive compensation and bonus plan

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed