Head of Operations (Data Centre)

My client is looking for a senior Data Centre Operations leader to take full ownership of the delivery, commissioning, and operational readiness of the new data centre development. You will bridge the gap between construction and operations. Your role is to ensure the facility is built to Tier III standards, commissioned flawlessly, and ready for 24/7 mission-critical service. This is a high-profile role requiring deep expertise in MEP, power, cooling, and uptime management.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Project Delivery & Construction

• Lead the end-to-end delivery roadmap, coordinating architects, MEP consultants, civil contractors, and technology partners.
• Oversee all MEP systems, including electrical distribution, UPS, generators, cooling, BMS/DCIM, fire protection, and security systems.
• Manage project schedules, procurement, and site risks while reviewing contractor claims, technical submissions, and commissioning plans.
• Ensure construction and fit-out align with redundancy, scalability, and uptime requirements.

2. Testing, Commissioning & Operational Readiness

• Spearhead the testing and commissioning of all electrical, mechanical, ICT, and fire systems.
• Develop a comprehensive operational readiness plan to ensure a seamless tenant handover.
• Establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), emergency response plans, and preventive maintenance schedules.
• Design the 24/7 operations model, including staffing, shift rosters, and vendor support contracts.

3. Facility Operations & Uptime

• Own operational performance post-handover, including uptime, incident response, and SLA adherence.
• Drive energy efficiency initiatives (PUE improvement) and support renewable energy integration.
• Manage physical security, business continuity, and risk registers to ensure compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.

4. Commercial & Stakeholder Support

• Support the Group CEO in discussions with hyperscale customers, enterprise tenants, and investors.
• Partner with Business Development to ensure technical readiness for new sales.
• Collaborate with Finance, Legal, and Engineering to align operational strategy with business goals.

Requirements:

• 12–20 years in data centres, mission-critical facilities, MEP, or critical infrastructure.
• Deep knowledge of data centre power, cooling, redundancy, commissioning, and BMS/DCIM systems.
• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, cloud, telecoms, or banking environments is highly preferred.
• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Facilities Management, or ICT.
• Familiarity with Tier III standards, Uptime Institute concepts, ISO 27001, and ITIL is an advantage.
• Fluency in Bahasa Malaysia and English is required. Mandarin is an added advantage.