Director, Operations

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SUMMARY

The Senior Director, Operations is the senior operational leader for a defined market or state consisting of multiple data center campuses or facilities. This position is accountable for safe, reliable, compliant, and customer-focused operations across the market, including achievement of uptime, service, financial, workforce, and operational performance expectations.

The Senior Director leads campus Directors, Facility Managers, and other market operations leaders, ensuring consistent execution of company standards across all facilities within the assigned market. This role translates regional priorities into market-level plans, manages day-to-day operating performance, allocates resources across campuses, and serves as the primary escalation point for operational and customer matters within the market.

The Senior Director partners closely with the Vice President, Operations and cross-functional teams to maintain operational readiness, develop leadership capability, support customer growth, and ensure the market can safely and effectively scale.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Market and Campus Operations

• Lead all critical facility operations across multiple campuses or facilities within the assigned state or market.
• Ensure consistent execution of company standards related to:
  • 24x7 operations
  • Preventive and corrective maintenance
  • Infrastructure reliability
  • Safety and security
  • Service delivery
  • Incident and change management
  • Logistics
  • Emergency preparedness
  • Business continuity
• Establish clear operating expectations for campus leaders and monitor performance against defined standards and objectives.
• Conduct routine operational reviews across campuses and ensure identified gaps are assigned, tracked, and resolved.
• Balance staffing, technical support, equipment, and other resources across campuses based on operational priorities and risk.
• Maintain visibility into facility conditions, capacity, maintenance performance, customer commitments, and emerging risks.
• Serve as the market escalation point for significant infrastructure events, operational concerns, customer matters, and personnel issues.
• Respond to emergency situations and ensure appropriate escalation, communication, documentation, and corrective action.

Reliability and Technical Oversight

• Ensure the reliability and availability of critical electrical and mechanical systems across the market.
• Provide leadership and escalation support involving infrastructure such as UPS systems, generators, electrical distribution, cooling systems, fire protection systems, BMS, and other critical equipment.
• Ensure maintenance programs are properly planned, documented, executed, and reviewed.
• Verify that operational procedures, MOPs, SOPs, EOPs, and other controlled documents are current, accurate, and consistently followed.
• Review incidents, alarms, equipment failures, and operational abnormalities to identify root causes and prevent recurrence.
• Ensure corrective actions and lessons learned are implemented across all applicable campuses.
• Escalate systemic or material risks to the Vice President, Operations and appropriate corporate partners.

Market Performance and Financial Management

• Own market performance against established operational, financial, safety, workforce, and customer objectives.
• Monitor performance indicators including:
  • Uptime and availability
  • SLA achievement
  • Preventive maintenance completion
  • Incident and alarm trends
  • Safety performance
  • Capacity and inventory
  • Staffing and overtime
  • Training and qualifications
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Budget performance
• Develop and manage market operating budgets and forecasts in partnership with campus leaders, the Vice President, and Finance.
• Review spending, purchase requests, vendor activity, and resource utilization to ensure appropriate financial control.
• Identify operational efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities while maintaining reliability, safety, and service expectations.
• Provide accurate market reporting, performance updates, risk assessments, and recommended actions to regional leadership.

Leadership and Workforce Development

• Lead, coach, and develop campus Directors, Facility Managers, and other operations leaders.
• Set clear performance expectations and hold leaders accountable for operational execution, team development, communication, and compliance.
• Ensure campus leaders maintain appropriate visibility and engagement with all shifts and teams.
• Lead market-level succession planning, talent reviews, and identification of high-potential employees.
• Partner with People & Culture and regional leadership to address performance concerns, staffing risks, retention, and leadership development.
• Support recruiting, selection, onboarding, qualification, and development of market operations employees.
• Promote consistent leadership practices across campuses and address gaps in management effectiveness.
• Foster a culture grounded in safety, ownership, teamwork, problem solving, continuous improvement, and customer service.

Customer Relationships and Service Delivery

• Serve as the primary senior operations contact for customers within the assigned market.
• Participate in customer service reviews, operational meetings, audits, site visits, and escalation discussions.
• Ensure customer requirements and service commitments are understood and consistently executed across campuses.
• Coordinate with campus leaders and cross-functional partners to resolve customer concerns promptly and effectively.
• Maintain visibility into upcoming customer activity, deployments, maintenance events, and capacity requirements that may affect operations.
• Escalate significant customer risks or concerns to the Vice President, Operations.

Growth, Commissioning, and Operational Readiness

• Support the expansion of existing campuses and the activation of new facilities within the assigned market.
• Partner with Platform Delivery, Commissioning, Engineering, Security, EHS, and other teams to prepare new capacity for operations.
• Ensure staffing, training, documentation, systems, spare parts, vendor support, and operational procedures are in place before turnover.
• Participate in readiness reviews and identify operational gaps that must be resolved before facility acceptance.
• Ensure new facilities and customer deployments are effectively integrated into the existing market operating model.
• Provide market-level input regarding future headcount, leadership, equipment, and operational support needs.

Safety, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement

• Reinforce a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all company safety requirements and use of required PPE.
• Ensure adherence to applicable laws, codes, regulations, customer requirements, and company policies.
• Partner with EHS, Security, ISMS, Corporate Operations, and other stakeholders to address audits, findings, and compliance obligations.
• Ensure employees are appropriately trained and qualified to perform assigned work.
• Promote reporting and escalation of unsafe or unreliable conditions without fear of retaliation.
• Lead market-level process improvement efforts and ensure regional or enterprise initiatives are effectively implemented across campuses.
• Share effective practices and lessons learned with other markets and corporate stakeholders.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Directly supervises campus Directors, Facility Managers, and other assigned operations leaders.
• Provides indirect leadership to critical facility technicians, maintenance personnel, and other operations employees across the market.
• Responsible for market-level performance management, leadership development, staffing, succession planning, and employee accountability.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in mission-critical, data center, industrial, utility, or critical facility operations.
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience, including responsibility for multiple facilities, campuses, or operational teams.
• Strong working knowledge of critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure, including UPS systems, generators, electrical distribution, cooling systems, fire protection systems, and BMS.
• Demonstrated experience managing operational performance, maintenance programs, incident response, change management, and customer service.
• Experience developing and managing operating budgets, forecasts, staffing plans, and vendor relationships.
• Ability to interpret technical documentation, procedures, drawings, and operational performance data.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively during critical incidents and high-pressure situations.
• Ability to travel between campuses and other company locations approximately 20%–35%, depending on market structure and business needs.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Drives Results
• Ownership
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Growth Mindset
• Leadership Mindset
• Operational Excellence
• Customer Focus
• Managing and Developing People
• Planning and Organization
• Financial Accountability
• Safety and Risk Awareness
• Adaptability

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Frequently required to sit, stand, walk, and move throughout operational facilities.
• Frequently required to bend or climb and occasionally lift or move 25–50 pounds.
• May work near moving mechanical equipment and within active critical environments.
• May be exposed to varying temperatures, weather conditions, and elevated noise levels.
• Must be able to respond to significant operational events outside normal business hours.

BENEFITS & PERKS:

Aligned Data Centers is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our team members. Eligible employees have access to:

• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts:  HSA with employer contribution for eligible participants.  FSA's offered for health and dependent care to increase tax savings.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company match

• Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay

• Company-Sponsored Insurance: Short-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability (with medical election)

• Optional Benefits: Voluntary life, critical illness, legal, and additional disability coverage

• Wellness Programs: Employee assistance program (EAP), Wellhub gym membership, and other wellness initiatives

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job.  It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or physical requirements.  Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Aligned Data Centers is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity and is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.  All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs.