Manager, Chief Engineer, EMEA

Vantage; Newport; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vantage is seeking a Manager, Chief Engineer to lead a team of Critical Facilities Engineers within the Site Operations Department. You will guide maintenance strategy, lifecycle planning and risk mitigation to protect customer data center operations.

The role emphasizes hands-on leadership, with a focus on reliability, safety and stakeholder communication. An above-market compensation package is offered alongside comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Hands-on maintenance/repair/installation/commissioning experience in mission-critical facilities.
• Experience in facility/plant engineering and maintenance supervision.
• Direct managerial experience and interpersonal skills.
• Universal CFC certification required, or obtained within first year of employment.
• Evaluate system performance and propose cost-effective improvements to service and operating efficiency.
• Ensure the availability of an adequate inventory of tools and other supplies to operate the building.
• Organize administrative functions related to site operations, such as work orders and budgets.
• Assist with the preparation of operational and capital portions of the budget.
• Ensure major projects are planned, executed and closed out per best current practices.
• Oversee contractors working within the building.
• Proven record of excellent internal and external customer service.
• Ability to communicate well in both oral and written reports.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Word, Excel and building automation system.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all assigned personnel, including performance appraisals, training plans, counselling and mentoring.
• Daily management of engineering and operations functions for safe and effective operation.
• Coordinate maintenance and service repairs on all critical facility systems including electrical, generators, UPS, HVAC, and BMS.
• Hold employees accountable for preventive and corrective maintenance.
• Recognize and respond to system performance deficiencies and emergencies.
• Foster a team-oriented environment with positive feedback.
• Manage contracted service work: scope, bidding, awarding and contracting.
• Train CFEs in new processes and procedures.
• Direct and maintain site preventive maintenance and work order programs.

Skills

Leadership

Management

Interpersonal skills

Customer service

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

Excel

Building Automation System

Job description

About Vantage

Vantage powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Site Operations Department

The Site Operations Department is responsible for the overall health of all mechanical and electrical systems, building maintenance, and performance of all data modules in our data centers. This Site Operations team is the face of Vantage to our customers and the guarantee of business continuity and excellence of Operations of our campus as well as the performance of our customer installations. Our culture expects and rewards team performance that engages directly with the customers and the facility infrastructure.

Position Overview

The Manager, Chief Engineer will manage a team of Critical Facilities Engineers (CFEs) with direction from the Site Manager & Director, Operations. This position will oversee workflow/work order management, training plans, event management, customer communications, hiring and performance management of their assigned CFE team. Our CFEs are respected, well-trained, customer-focused and some of the best facilities engineers you will find in the industry.

This position will leverage your extensive experience to help guide the team in some of the more challenging aspects of maintenance in areas such as: critical MOP development, testing plans, sparing approaches, capital planning, end-of-life replacement and expansion of existing facilities while eliminating risk to our customers and their businesses.

While this position is leadership focused, the intent is to be a Chief Engineer first and a people manager second. And while this role is not a ‘regular’ Critical Facilities Engineer position, if you are not someone who could pick up the tools and do the job yourself, if needed, then this position is probably not for you. Our intent is to elevate our team with a Chief Engineer who has ‘been there, done that’ and can show others how it should be done as well.

Essential Job Functions

• Leadership and management of all assigned personnel, to include developing/conducting performance appraisals, training plans, counselling and mentoring.
• Daily management and administration of the engineering & operations functions at the facility with the objectives of safely and effectively operating machinery and building systems
• Coordination, oversight and quality assurance supervision of maintenance and service repairs on all critical facility and building engineering systems to include (but not limited to); electrical distribution (12kv and lower), emergency diesel generators, UPS/Battery back-up systems, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems (Chillers, CRACs, Cooling Towers, Package Units, etc.), BMS infrastructure, fire prevention as well as other electro-mechanical and control equipment throughout the data center campus.
• Hold employees accountable on preventive/corrective maintenance of facility equipment Duties
• Understand the engineering and operational aspects of the building systems and recognize system performance deficiencies immediately and respond to operational and emergency situations
• Encourage and foster a team-oriented environment through positive feedback
• Manage contracted service work at the facility, including understanding and developing the scope of: service, bidding, awarding and administering any contracts
• Train CFEs, as appropriate, in new processes and procedures
• Direct and maintain the site-specific preventive maintenance and work order program

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business or related field, or equivalent work experience required
• Experience of “hands on” maintenance/repair/installation/commissioning level experience in mission-critical facilities (mechanical and/or electrical), including experience with missioncritical infrastructure, or in a related industrial/engineering, required
• Experience in facility/plant engineering and maintenance supervision, strongly preferred
• Direct managerial experience and interpersonal skills, strongly preferred
• Universal CFC certification required, or obtained within first year of employment
• Using your knowledge of the systems in place, coupled with performance data collected, evaluate the performance of systems and suggest cost-effective improvements to service and operating efficiency.
• Ensure the availability of an adequate inventory of tools and other supplies to operate the building
• Protect and improve the value of our assets and ensure that building machinery and systems meet or exceed their expected life.
• Organize administrative functions related to site operations, such as a work orders and maintenance activities, budgets, etc.
• Assist with the preparation of operational and capital portions of the budget
• Ensure that major projects performed at the building are properly planned, executed and closed out in accordance with best current practices in our industry
• Oversee the activities of contractors working within the building
• Proven record of excellent internal and external customer service
• Ability to communicate well in both oral and written reports
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Word, Excel and building automation system

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations.

Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Vantage is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Vantage does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage.