Manager - Data Center Site Selection
About The Position
Core42, a leader in AI-powered cloud and digital infrastructure, is driving transformative technology solutions globally. Leveraging advanced resources and partnerships, Core42 empowers clients to harness sovereign AI infrastructure, especially in sectors with stringent regulatory needs. With a mission to redefine digital transformation, we combine sovereign capabilities with scalable, high-performance compute infrastructure, positioning itself at the forefront of AI innovation in the Middle East and beyond. We are seeking an experienced Data Center Site Selector to identify, evaluate, and secure strategic locations for GPU compute infrastructure. As Core42 scales to meet growing AI and HPC demand, this role is critical to enabling global capacity expansion by sourcing and securing high-quality sites capable of supporting high-density deployments.
Requirements
- 5–10 years of experience in data center site selection, real estate, or infrastructure planning
- Proven experience executing colocation or wholesale data center agreements
- Strong understanding of data center power and cooling systems
- Experience evaluating sites for high-density compute environments (AI/HPC preferred)
- Strong commercial negotiation and contract management skills
- Experience with financial modelling (TCO, NPV, IRR)
- Ability to manage multiple deals across geographies
- A commercially astute and technically informed professional who can operate in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
- Strong negotiation skills, a data-driven mindset, and the ability to build relationships across the data center and real estate ecosystem.
- Comfortable working independently while influencing senior stakeholders and driving strategic infrastructure decisions.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with major colocation providers (e.g., Equinix, Digital Realty, NTT, QTS, CyrusOne)
- Experience in hyperscale, neocloud, or AI infrastructure environments
- Familiarity with renewable energy procurement (PPAs, RECs)
- Understanding of permitting, zoning, and data center development processes
- Experience with build-to-suit or greenfield data center projects
Responsibilities
- Identify and evaluate colocation, wholesale, and build-to-suit data center opportunities globally
- Build and maintain a pipeline of prospective sites across key markets
- Develop relationships with colocation providers, brokers, developers, and landlords
- Monitor market conditions, power availability, and development activity
- Assess sites for power capacity, cooling infrastructure, and suitability for high-density GPU deployments
- Evaluate network connectivity, redundancy, and proximity to key infrastructure
- Partner with engineering teams to validate technical requirements
- Review utility agreements, power options, and grid reliability
- Lead negotiations for leases, LOIs, and service agreements
- Work with legal teams to finalize contracts, ensuring strong SLAs and scalability provisions
- Structure deals to balance cost efficiency with flexibility for growth
- Develop financial models comparing site options (TCO, power costs, capex/opex)
- Partner with Finance on capital planning and investment alignment
- Track and report on capacity across the portfolio
- Work with network engineering, sales, and solutions teams on location and latency requirements
- Coordinate with procurement on deployment timelines
- Provide regular updates and recommendations to senior leadership
Benefits
- bonus
- benefits
- health insurance
- dental insurance
- vision insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
