Director – Data Center Operations
Posted
Job Summary:
The Director of Construction PMO is an onsite leader responsible for managing all operations at one of our large data center project sites. Based full-time at the site, this role leads project delivery, field execution, governance, resource management, performance reporting, and risk management to ensure work is delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. The Director partners with the Regional Director, Project Managers, Field Leadership, Estimators, the general contractor, trade partners, and the client’s onsite team to drive operational excellence and consistent project outcomes.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead and manage all onsite operations at the data center site, serving as the senior company leader on site.
- Be present in the field daily, walking the site to monitor progress, workmanship, safety, and quality.
- Establish and enforce site-level PMO standards, governance, project controls, documentation, and closeout procedures.
- Oversee multiple project teams, scopes, and phases on site, monitoring schedule, financial health, risk exposure, and resource allocation.
- Lead daily and weekly site coordination meetings with project teams, field leadership, the general contractor, trades, and the client.
- Coordinate closely with the client’s onsite representatives, general contractor, and other trades to resolve issues and keep work moving.
- Plan and adjust onsite manpower, equipment, and materials to meet schedule demands; develop workforce and resource forecasts.
- Own site safety performance, ensuring compliance with company safety standards, site-specific requirements, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
- Drive quality through QA/QC processes, inspections, testing, and punch list and closeout management.
- Partner with Operations and Finance to manage site budgets, forecasts, earned value, change orders, cash flow, and margin.
- Manage risk, contractual compliance, claims avoidance, issue resolution, and escalations at the site.
- Lead and mentor onsite Project Managers, Senior Project Managers, Superintendents/Foremen, and PMO staff; support training and succession planning.
- Report site performance, forecasts, risks, and progress to the Regional Director and leadership through dashboards and regular reviews.
- Drive use of project management software and reporting systems across onsite teams.
- Serve as the primary onsite point of contact for the client and strengthen the relationship through consistent performance and communication.
Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Leadership: strategic planning, executive communication, organizational development, change leadership, and team building.
- Operational: portfolio management, construction operations, financial management, resource planning, project controls, scheduling, and risk management.
- Business: client relationship management, contract administration, business acumen, process improvement, and data-driven decision making.
- Strong field presence; able to lead large, multi-trade crews and influence stakeholders at all levels in an active construction environment.
- Accountable for KPIs including project gross margin, schedule performance (SPI), forecast accuracy, resource utilization, backlog conversion, client satisfaction, safety, change order cycle time, cash flow, and PMO process compliance.
- Preferred certifications: PMP, PgMP, Lean Construction, DBIA, and OSHA 30-Hour.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- 10–15+ years of progressive construction project management experience.
- 5+ years in a leadership role managing multiple project teams, programs, or regional operations.
- Experience leading onsite operations for large-scale construction projects, preferably data center or mission critical.
- Proven experience with PMO functions, project controls, and governance processes in commercial, data center, telecommunications, industrial, or infrastructure construction.
First 12 Months – Expected Outcomes:
- Establish a high-performing onsite PMO structure and governance model for the site.
- Standardize project delivery tools, processes, and reporting, including real-time executive dashboards.
- Improve forecasting accuracy, project margin performance, and schedule adherence.
- Strengthen safety performance, onsite team development, accountability, and succession planning.
Physical Requirements:
This is an onsite, field-based role. The employee must be able to:
- Stand and walk for extended periods across a large, active construction site.
- Climb stairs and ladders and access all areas of the site as needed.
- Wear required PPE and follow all site-specific safety requirements.
- Work in varying weather and temperature conditions in active construction and data center environments.
- Work extended hours, nights, or weekends when project needs require it.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list, and additional tasks may be assigned as the scope of the position may change as necessitated by business demands.