Position Objective:
The Data Center Program Manager is accountable for end-to-end delivery of the data center program from land identification and acquisition support through permitting, design, construction, commissioning, readiness, go-live, and steady-state operations. This role ensures the facility and all supporting subsystems are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, compliant with regulations, and ready for resilient 24/7 service.
The role leads cross-functional planning and execution across real estate, legal, design, construction, utilities, IT, security, operations, HSE, procurement, and finance. It also drives risk management, contractor performance, change control, operational acceptance, and continuous improvement across electrical, mechanical, cooling, fire detection/suppression, network, security, BMS/DCIM, and building infrastructure domains
Job Description & Responsibilities:
- Lead
the full data center program lifecycle, starting with land due diligence,
acquisition support, zoning review, utility availability assessment,
environmental constraints, access/logistics analysis, and development
feasibility evaluation.
- Define
the integrated master program covering business case, schedule, budget,
procurement plan, contracting strategy, risk register, and governance
structure from pre-development through operations.
- Manage
design development across all critical subsystems, including HV/MV/LV
electrical distribution, transformers, generators, UPS, battery systems,
grounding, precision cooling, chilled water or DX systems, fire alarm,
fire suppression, ELV, structured cabling, access control, CCTV, BMS,
EPMS, and DCIM platforms.
- Coordinate
utility providers, authorities, and permitting bodies to secure land
approvals, building permits, environmental clearances, power
interconnection, water access, telecom connectivity, and occupancy
approvals.
- Oversee
RFP/RFQ packaging, scope definition, bid evaluation, contract award, and
commercial alignment for consultants, EPC contractors, specialist vendors,
OEMs, and facility management providers.
- Monitor
contractor and vendor performance against safety, quality, schedule, cost,
and technical compliance requirements, and escalate underperformance
through formal governance channels.
- Establish
and control program baselines for cost, schedule, and scope, including
change request review, variation assessment, contingency usage, invoice
validation, and executive reporting.
- Lead
site mobilization and construction coordination covering civil works,
structural works, white space build-out, MEP installation, fuel systems,
security systems, ICT pathways, and integration of all owner-furnished and
contractor-furnished equipment.
- Ensure
testing and commissioning plans are developed and executed for all
systems, including FAT, SAT, pre-functional checks, integrated systems
testing, failover scenarios, black-building testing, and operational
acceptance sign-off.
- Drive
readiness for operations by confirming spare parts strategy, asset registers,
CMMS/DCIM data population, SOP/MOP/EOP documentation, training,
warranties, service contracts, and maintenance regimes.
- Manage
transition to live operations, including incident escalation paths,
service availability targets, cluster-wide maintenance coordination,
operational risk controls, and post-occupancy stabilization.
- Build
strong working relationships with internal stakeholders across operations,
finance, procurement, safety, security, legal, engineering, and leadership
teams, while maintaining effective communication with regulators, utility
companies, landlords, and external partners.
- Identify
design and execution improvement opportunities using lessons learned,
operational data, and reliability findings to enhance future phases and
reduce lifecycle risk.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor’s
degree in electrical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil
Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or a related
discipline is required. A master’s degree in engineering, construction, or
business is preferred.
- Minimum
10 years of experience in large-scale mission-critical facilities,
industrial infrastructure, or data centre programs, with at least 5 years
in a lead program or project management role across multi-contractor
environments.
- Proven
experience delivering at least one full lifecycle data centre, critical
facility, or equivalent mission-critical infrastructure program from site
selection or pre-development through commissioning and operational
handover.
- Strong
knowledge of data centre critical infrastructure, including electrical
systems, cooling systems, fire/life safety, BMS/EPMS/DCIM, security
systems, structured cabling, and facility maintenance planning.
- Demonstrated
experience in contract strategy, vendor management, contractor
supervision, RFI/RFP processes, SOW development, change control, and
commercial administration.
- Strong
working knowledge of permitting, utility coordination, authority
interfaces, HSE requirements, QA/QC controls, commissioning methodology,
and operational readiness planning.
- Ability
to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage ambiguity, enforce governance, and
communicate effectively with executives, technical specialists,
contractors, and public authorities. Current role definitions emphasise
this cross-functional coordination and stakeholder leadership as a core
requirement.
- Practical
proficiency in project controls, including master scheduling, cost
tracking, risk management, reporting dashboards, document control, and
issue escalation.
- Professional
certifications such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, CDCP, CDCS, or Uptime-related
credentials are preferred. Mechanical or electrical licensing is an
advantage for roles with strong facility engineering depth.
- Experience
in Tier III/Tier IV environments, hyperscale or colocation facilities, and
live-site expansion or brownfield upgrades is highly preferred.