Job Description:
The Director of Data Center Operations is responsible for leading all aspects of facility performance, vendor management, and client service delivery in a Tier III colocation environment. This role ensures operational excellence across uptime, compliance, capacity planning, and SLA adherence. The director oversees cross-functional teams, manages vendor contracts, and drives strategic initiatives to support multi-tenant infrastructure and mission-critical workloads.
Key Responsibilities:
Facility Operations & Uptime:
- Oversee daily operations of Tier III data center including mechanical, electrical, and IT infrastructure.
- Ensure 100% uptime through proactive maintenance, monitoring, and incident response.
- Lead capacity planning, space/power forecasting, and infrastructure optimization.
Vendor Oversight & Contract Management
- Manage third-party vendors for security, MEP services, janitorial, and remote hands support.
- Enforce compliance with SLAs, safety protocols, and performance KPIs.
- Conduct quarterly vendor reviews and negotiate service contracts.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure adherence to ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, and internal audit frameworks.
- Lead incident response, root cause analysis, and corrective action planning.
- Maintain documentation for regulatory inspections and client audits.
Team Leadership & Client Interface
- Supervise operations staff, shift leads, and technical support teams.
- Serve as an escalation point for client issues and coordinate resolution across departments.
- Support onboarding of new tenants and ensure alignment with colocation standards.
Strategic Planning & Reporting
- Develop annual budgets, staffing plans, and capital improvement roadmaps.
- Present operational metrics and risk assessments to executive leadership.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives across safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Requirements
Recommended Qualifications
- Education- Bachelor’s in Engineering, Facilities Management, or IT-related field (electrical)
- Experience- 8–12+ years in mission-critical operations; 5+ years in leadership roles.
- Skills- Vendor management, SLA enforcement, CMMS/BCMS platforms, KPI reporting, client relations.
- Certifications- Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD), PMP, OSHA 30, ITIL, ISO Lead Auditor.