Director, Business Operations, EMEA

Vantage Data Centers; Dublin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid leave

Job summary

Vantage Data Centers seeks a Director of Operational Excellence to define scalable end-to-end workflows across EMEA, partnering with Site Operations, IT, and Architecture to align processes with enterprise standards.

You will lead governance, modernization, and portfolio initiatives, ensuring harmonized execution across multiple sites and regions, while driving data-informed decisions and reliable delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; Master’s degree a benefit.
• 10+ years leading enterprise-scale operational transformation and governance.
• Experience harmonizing workflows across multi-site, complex environments; data center context preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise process strategy and portfolio governance for EMEA operations.
• Define end-to-end workflows and establish clear ownership and escalation paths.
• Partner with IT, Architecture and regional teams to align standards and roadmaps.
• Drive process modernization, automation, and governance improvements across sites.
• Ensure scalable operating models that reduce friction and enable growth.

Skills

Enterprise systems thinking

Workflow architecture

Portfolio governance

ITIL-aligned service management

Executive influence

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

ServiceNow

Job description

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers 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.

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers 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.

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers 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.

Operational Excellence Department

The Operational Excellence team establishes the systems, governance, and capabilities that enable Vantage to operate at scale across EMEA with reliability, consistency, and speed. We strengthen the scalability and performance of EMEA Operations: Site Operations, Business Systems, Reliability Engineering, Project Execution, and Customer Experience, by partnering with leaders and global functions to execute the Operations Plan of Record, standardize operating models, drive process excellence, enable data-informed decisions, and embed disciplined transformation and continuous improvement.

Operational Excellence at Vantage is hands‑on and outcome‑driven. We combine portfolio governance, systems thinking, operational rigor, and human‑centered enablement to reduce friction, increase predictability, and accelerate performance. Our team members lead high‑impact initiatives, shape cross‑functional execution, and directly influence how Vantage delivers on its growth, operational reliability, and customer commitments.

Position Overview

Reporting to the VP Infrastructure Operations, the Direction Operational Excellence Scale defines and leads the EMEA Operations Process System to enable disciplined, scalable execution across Vantage’s growing data center portfolio.

This role establishes the architectural blueprint for how work flows across Site Operations, Business Systems, Reliability Engineering, Project Execution, and Customer Experience, and related EMEA functions. The leader owns the design, governance, and enterprise alignment of critical end‑to‑end workflows, ensuring clarity of standards, decision rights, and performance controls as EMEA continues to scale.

The Director maintains accountability for harmonizing processes and systems across the global ecosystem while anchoring execution discipline within EMEA.

Operating globally and across regions, this leader evaluates and optimizes end‑to‑end processes enterprise‑wide to ensure alignment with a unified, scalable operating model. The role partners closely with Portfolio Management, Enterprise Architecture, Global IT, Global Process Owners, and regional business stakeholders to drive coherence, reduce operational friction, and support efficient growth.

Essential Job Functions

Enterprise Process Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Serve as primary EMEA business leader for the ServiceNow enterprise portfolio roadmap as it relates to operational process excellence
• Evaluate and optimize end‑to‑end operational processes across EMEA in alignment with enterprise standards while also partnering with other regions to ensure Global alignment
• Harmonize workflows and enabling systems across regions to reduce operational fragmentation
• Partner with Portfolio Management and Enterprise Architecture to align operational process roadmaps with long‑term technology strategy
• Identify modernization opportunities including application rationalization, workflow automation, and governance improvements
• Advance EMEA‑developed standards globally when they demonstrate scalability and measurable value
• Result: A unified, scalable operating model that supports rapid portfolio expansion while reducing complexity and friction.

Workflow Architecture & Process Standards

• Define and steward critical end‑to‑end workflows across EMEA Operations
• Establish clear process standards, execution requirements, and ownership boundaries
• Clarify decision rights, handoffs, and escalation paths across sites and functions
• Design workflows that reflect real operational conditions within data center environments
• Embed structured improvement mechanisms within operational workflows
• Establish scale‑readiness criteria for workflows as portfolio complexity increases
• Result: Clear, standardized workflows consistently executed across EMEA Operations.

Process Governance & Operational Scale

• Design and lead governance mechanisms for material process changes impacting operational performance
• Define where enterprise consistency is required versus where local flexibility is appropriate
• Establish structured forums and controls for workflow modification and validation
• Ensure new or modified workflows are executable in live operational environments prior to scaling
• Reduce recurring breakdowns by strengthening governance discipline
• Result: Growth reinforces alignment and reduces operational risk.

Systems Alignment & Enterprise Integration

• Define EMEA workflow requirements that inform configuration of enterprise systems, including ServiceNow (Incident, Problem, Event, Change Management, Case Management)
• Partner with Service Support, Enterprise Architecture, and Global IT to ensure system workflows align with EMEA standards
• Identify and resolve misalignment between process design and system behavior
• Collaborate with Global Process Owners to align regional standards with enterprise frameworks where value is created
• Support reduction of technical debt and total cost of ownership through disciplined process and system harmonization
• Result: Operational systems reinforce standardized workflows and enable reliable execution across sites.

Reporting Process & Performance Alignment

• Define measurable control points within critical workflows
• Develop Strategies to align workflow standards with performance visibility
• Ensure process governance is supported by appropriate KPIs and operational insight
• Validate that performance metrics reflect how work is executed in EMEA Operations
• Strengthen the linkage between workflow discipline, operational reliability and reporting
• Result: Workflow standards, governance mechanisms, and performance visibility (KPIs) operate in structural alignment.

Additional Duties

• Handle additional duties as assigned by management

Job Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field a benefit
• Lean, Six Sigma, ITIL, or equivalent process certification preferred

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in enterprise‑scale operational transformation, process governance, or technology‑enabled operations
• Experience architecting and harmonizing workflows across multi‑site, complex operational environments
• Direct experience within data center operations, mission critical environments, or similarly high‑reliability operational settings strongly preferred
• Experience leading or partnering on enterprise workflow platforms such as ServiceNow
• Background in application modernization, ITIL‑aligned service management, systems rationalization, or enterprise portfolio governance
• Experience operating within structured portfolio delivery models
• Demonstrated success influencing executive stakeholders and leading cross‑functional, matrixed organizations
• Deep familiarity Data Center Operations workflows, systems, governance mechanisms, and operating rhythms strongly preferred

Skills

• Enterprise systems thinking and workflow architecture
• Portfolio governance and modernization strategy
• Ability to align process design with enabling technology platforms
• Strong understanding of ITIL‑aligned service management principles
• Governance design and scale‑readiness evaluation
• Executive presence with the ability to influence without direct authority
• Ability to build and empower matrixed process ownership structures
• Strong collaboration across Operations, Technology, Architecture, and Data teams
• Ability to balance operational urgency with disciplined execution standards
• Clear communication, decision‑right clarity, and structured problem solving

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 Data Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Vantage Data Centers 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 Data Centers.