Senior Director Operations - Data Centre

Edison Smart®; Johor Bahru; On-site; MYR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Edison Smart® is seeking a Senior Director, Data Centre Operations to lead Malaysia operations. You will oversee a 24/7 operations function with emphasis on safety, reliability and customer experience, managing a 25+ person team across multiple assets.

You will work with regional and global leadership and partner with customers, construction, asset management and technical teams to uphold SLAs and drive operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in data centre operations or similar mission-critical environment.
• Proven leadership of sizeable operational teams within Malaysia or APAC.
• Strong knowledge of critical MEP infrastructure in 24/7 data centre environments.
• Experience managing customer SLAs and senior customer relationships.
• Experience managing OPEX and CAPEX budgets.

Responsibilities

• Take overall ownership for Data Centre Operations across Malaysia.
• Lead a 24/7 operations function with focus on safety, availability and customer experience.
• Ensure adherence to customer SLAs and operational standards.
• Oversee critical MEP infrastructure, engineering operations, maintenance and commissioning.
• Drive continuous improvement in efficiency and sustainability, including PUE.
• Manage budgets (OPEX and CAPEX) and vendor relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Data centre operations

APAC regional experience

Safety management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, IT or related discipline

Tools

ISO frameworks

Regulatory compliance

Job description

Location: Malaysia

Sector: Data Centres / Critical Infrastructure

Level: Senior Director

The Opportunity

We are currently working with a leading global data centre operator that is looking to appoint a Senior Director, Data Centre Operations to lead its Malaysia operations function.

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for the operational performance of multiple data centre assets, customer satisfaction, operational excellence and the development of a 25+ person operations team.

The successful candidate will work closely with regional and global leadership while partnering with customers, construction, asset management, commercial and technical teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Take overall ownership and accountability for Data Centre Operations across Malaysia.
• Lead a 24/7 operations function with a strong focus on safety, availability, reliability and customer experience.
• Ensure 100% adherence to customer SLAs and operational standards.
• Lead operational excellence initiatives across multiple data centre facilities.
• Oversee critical MEP infrastructure, engineering operations, maintenance and commissioning activities.
• Establish and maintain operational procedures including SOPs, EOPs, incident management and change management processes.
• Lead major incident, crisis, risk and business continuity responses.
• Drive continuous improvement across operational performance, efficiency and sustainability, including PUE improvement.
• Lead operational readiness and transition of new data centres from construction into operations.
• Manage operational budgets, including OPEX and CAPEX.
• Oversee vendors, procurement and external service partners.
• Maintain strong relationships with key customers and lead QBRs, operational reviews and audits.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders across construction, asset management, sales, finance and HR.
• Lead, develop and retain a sizeable Data Centre Operations team across multiple operational functions.
• Support wider regional and global initiatives around operational standards, digital transformation, safety and sustainability.

About You

We are looking for an experienced Data Centre Operations leader with:

• 10+ years of experience within data centre operations or a similar mission-critical environment.
• Proven experience leading sizeable operational teams across Malaysia or the wider APAC region.
• Strong understanding of critical MEP infrastructure within 24/7 data centre environments.
• Experience across engineering, maintenance, commissioning and operational management.
• Strong knowledge of incident, problem, change, risk and business continuity management.
• Experience managing customer SLAs and senior customer relationships.
• Proven OPEX and CAPEX budget management experience.
• Experience managing vendors, procurement and external partners.
• Strong people leadership and team development skills.
• A hands‑on approach to operational leadership and major incident response.
• Familiarity with relevant data centre standards, ISO frameworks and local regulatory requirements.
• A relevant Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, IT or a related discipline.

Why This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a significant Data Centre Operations function in Malaysia, working within a global platform and having direct influence over operational strategy, customer experience, team development and the delivery of new capacity.

If you're an experienced Data Centre Operations leader looking for your next senior leadership opportunity, we'd be interested in speaking with you.