Head of Data Center Operations, Perimeter Compute

Montauk Capital • New York, NY

21h • Remote

About The Position

Perimeter Compute is seeking a Head of Data Center Operations to build and lead the operating model for a rapidly expanding network of distributed AI infrastructure sites. The role owns deployment and ongoing support for each site, ensuring safe, reliable, consistent operations, and works with the real estate team to move locations from qualification to deployment-ready facilities.

The position begins as a hands-on operating role and is expected to evolve into multi-site, multi-metro leadership. The Head of Data Center Operations will drive early deployments, define contractor and vendor models, establish operating standards, and document operating playbooks. As the network expands, this leader will build and manage direct employees and contract teams across North America and help shape the international operating model. Significant travel is expected for site launches and critical operating periods.

Requirements

• Experience managing operations across at least three data centers simultaneously.
• Strong operational background in data centers, colocation, neo-cloud infrastructure, hyperscale environments, or other mission-critical facilities.
• Demonstrated experience bringing new data center capacity online, including site readiness, commissioning, operational handoff, and steady-state support.
• Working knowledge of critical data center systems, including electrical distribution, backup power, cooling, network connectivity, fire and life safety, and physical security.
• Experience managing third-party operators, contractors, field-service teams, maintenance providers, and equipment vendors against clear service expectations.
• Ability to build operating procedures, maintenance standards, documentation, metrics, and escalation processes from scratch.
• Track record of managing incidents, diagnosing operational failures, and improving reliability across multiple facilities.
• Ability to lead through influence initially and build a high-performing distributed team as the company scales.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently for new deployments, site launches, vendor oversight, and critical incidents.

Nice To Haves

• Experience operating GPU clusters, AI infrastructure, high-density compute, HPC environments, or liquid-cooled systems.
• Background at a neo-cloud provider, colocation operator, hyperscaler data center organization, or rapidly scaling digital-infrastructure platform.
• Experience launching operations in multiple North American metros or building an international data center operating model.
• Customer-facing experience supporting enterprise infrastructure deployments, service reviews, or SLA commitments.
• Experience managing a hybrid workforce of internal employees, contractors, and outsourced site operators.

Responsibilities

• Translate site requirements into detailed launch plans covering power, cooling, connectivity, physical security, equipment installation, testing, commissioning, and handoff.
• Lead site activation from construction and fit-out through commissioning, production launch, and steady-state operation.
• Define contract workforce models for each market, including staffing levels, scopes of work, training, escalation paths, and performance expectations.
• Select, onboard, and manage outsourced operators, field-service providers, maintenance partners, and other critical vendors.
• Create and maintain operating procedures, runbooks, preventive-maintenance programs, incident-response processes, and site-level documentation.
• Establish operational KPIs and reporting for availability, safety, maintenance, capacity, incident response, and vendor performance.
• Coordinate with infrastructure engineering, networking, real estate, construction, and commercial teams to resolve launch and operating risks.
• Lead incident response and root-cause analysis for site-level failures and apply lessons learned across the network.
• Build and lead a distributed organization of direct hires and contract labor to operate multiple sites and metro launches simultaneously.
• Build and lead a distributed customer support organization of direct hires and contract labor to support a variety of customers across the fleet.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and equity.
• Opportunity to build the operations function for distributed AI infrastructure.
• High-impact leadership and ownership of the execution layer converting real-estate opportunities into production capacity.
• Support from Montauk Capital’s resources, network, and operating expertise.

What This Job Offers

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