Cluster Director

VIRTUS Data Centres; Slough; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic leader to oversee operations at their data centres. This pivotal role involves ensuring safety, reliability, and operational excellence while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You will champion innovative practices and collaborate across departments to elevate service delivery. With a focus on customer satisfaction and performance, you will lead a high-performing team to achieve ambitious goals. If you thrive in fast-paced environments and are committed to making a significant impact, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Private healthcare

Pension contribution scheme

Eye and dental care benefit

Discretionary bonus

Income Protection

Life Assurance

Cycle to work scheme

Annual travel card loan

Tech Scheme

Electric car scheme

Qualifications

• 10+ years of management experience in facilities engineering or data centre operations.
• Proven track record in leading large, complex facilities operations.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence and ensure 100% uptime SLAs.
• Lead and develop the operations team to align with business needs.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Problem-solving Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is the UK’s fastest growing data centre provider which owns, designs, builds and operates the country’s most efficient and flexible data centres.

In May 2023 we announced our plans to expand into continental Europe, with our first data centre due to open in Berlin in 2026, to be quickly followed by two full campuses and expansion into other countries in the pipeline.

Our purpose is to serve humanity by being an active, positive participant in the 4th industrial revolution. When we talk about our purpose, we refer to our customers’ customers; the child playing a computer game, the person watching their favourite movie, booking a medical appointment, a plane ticket, a hotel or doing their online banking; those things can’t be done if we don’t do our job.

Our mission is to consistently exceed the expectations of customers through innovative, high-quality solutions and services. We employ intelligent thinkers – people with positive attitudes, who add to the quality of our customer proposition and business.

We value individual endeavour and initiative and encourage teamwork and togetherness because collective experience and expertise is VIRTUS’ greatest strength.

Job Summary

Reporting to Senior Director of Operations, the primary function of the role is to provide leadership, direction, management and oversight on the day-to-day operations of the VIRTUS Data Centres facilities operations. This includes ensuring the safety, reliability, efficiency, and operational excellence of data centres facilities operations. You will be driving performance improvements, innovation, best practices and championing collaborative efforts across various departments to elevate our service delivery while maintaining alignment with business objectives and delivering on 100% uptime SLAs. This is a key role in the operations leadership team; the ability to work collaboratively across the business and to lead by example, will be instrumental in success.

Overall, you are expected to be a role model of the VIRTUS values and Leadership Behaviours.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership Excellence: Cultivate a high-performance culture that places emphasis on customer satisfaction, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Operational Excellence: Oversee and enhance day-to-day operations, driving performance improvements, reliability, efficiency and the highest standards of safety and security.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Champion the implementation of innovative practices, processes, and technologies to drive improvements in service delivery, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Strategic Financial Management: Manage operational and capital expenditure, collaborating closely with the Finance Department to establish budgetary goals.
• Capacity and Infrastructure Optimisation: Proactively manage and forecast data centre capacity needs, ensuring scalability and flexibility.
• Performance & SLA Management: Ensure that all data centres facilities operations consistently meet or exceed their 100% uptime SLA and operations goals.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and support for operational goals.
• People Management & Development: Lead and develop the operations team, ensuring that skills are aligned with business needs and operational requirements.
• Incident Management and Continuous Learning: Ensure that incident response times are minimised, with clear processes for resolving issues rapidly and effectively.

This role comes with an on-call element, which will require the Cluster Director to participate in an out-of-hours on-call escalation rota.

What success looks like in 12 months’ time:

• Forge and strengthen relationships with key clients and stakeholders.
• Maintain a flawless operational record with zero downtime.
• Champion technological advancements to streamline operations.
• Set and achieve ambitious, measurable goals that align with our strategic objectives.

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, related engineering field or any other relevant industry experience.

Experience:

• 10+ years of relevant management experience in facilities engineering operations, data centre operations, or similar.
• Proven experience in leading operations at a senior level.
• Proven track record of managing large, complex facilities operations.
• Experience with budget management, cost control, and vendor management.
• Experience in managing large, complex projects.
• Experience with energy management and sustainability initiatives.

Skills:

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Exceptional skills in identifying potential risks and implementing mitigation strategies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

This role is designed for a leader who thrives in fast-paced environments, embraces challenges, and is committed to setting new benchmarks in operational excellence. If you're driven to make a significant impact, fostering an inclusive and innovative workspace, we encourage you to apply.

In line with VIRTUS’ Vetting Policy, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.

Remuneration package and benefits:

• Private healthcare
• Pension contribution scheme
• Eye and dental care benefit
• Discretionary bonus
• Income Protection
• Life Assurance
• Cycle to work scheme
• Annual travel card loan
• Tech Scheme
• Electric car scheme
• Workplace extras - Byond card and Extras discount

VIRTUS is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

We reserve the right to close this post for applications should sufficient applications be received.