Director of Operations (Datacenter)

Position Summary:

The Director of Data Center Operations is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and strategic direction of all data center facilities and operations. This role ensures the continuous availability, performance, scalability, and security of critical infrastructure while driving operational efficiency, reliability, and compliance with industry standards and organizational goals.

This is a key hire for a seasoned professional that will report directly into the VP/Exec team.

The role is based in TX with 25% travel to office/site as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the operation, maintenance, and performance of data center facilities, including power, cooling, physical security, and network infrastructure.
• Lead a team of operations managers, engineers, and technicians to ensure 24/7 availability and support.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures, disaster recovery plans, and maintenance schedules.
• Establish performance benchmarks and service level agreements (SLAs) to monitor operational excellence and uptime.
• Collaborate with IT, security, and facilities leadership to align data center strategies with broader business goals.
• Drive capacity planning and infrastructure scaling to support current and future workloads.
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and service agreements related to data center operations and infrastructure.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations, certifications (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001), and internal security policies.
• Prepare and manage operational budgets, capital expenditures, and forecasting.
• Identify opportunities for automation, energy efficiency, and cost savings within data center environments.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10 years of experience in data center operations or critical infrastructure management, with 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong understanding of data center design, infrastructure systems (power, cooling, fire suppression), and IT/network operations.
• Proven experience with operational frameworks such as ITIL, Uptime Institute standards, and Tier classifications.
• Strong leadership and team development skills with the ability to manage high-performing technical teams.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills.

Preferred Certifications (not required):

• Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD)
• Data Center Certified Associate (CDCA) or Professional (CDCP/CDCS)
• ITIL Foundation or higher
• PMP (Project Management Professional)