Data Centre / Critical Facilities Operations Manager

PRS (Phoenix Resourcing Services); Groningen; On-site; EUR 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leave 25 days

Training bursary

Company car

Pension Allianz

Disability allowance

Private health insurance

Pet insurance

Bonus eligible

Equity eligible

Development opportunities

Job summary

PRS (Phoenix Resourcing Services) is seeking an experienced Data Centre Engineering Manager / Critical Operations Leader to own the technical performance of a mission-critical data centre in Northern Holland. You will lead electrical, mechanical, controls and safety systems, and manage vendor relationships to ensure 24/7 uptime.

The role combines technical depth with people leadership, budget responsibility and continuous improvement across maintenance strategies, governance and incident

Qualifications

• Experience leading data centre operations and teams.
• Proven ability to manage maintenance programmes and safety standards.
• Strong understanding of electrical and mechanical infrastructure in critical environments.
• Budget ownership and vendor management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day technical operations of a mission-critical data centre.
• Oversee electrical, mechanical, controls, DCIM and Life Safety systems.
• Develop and coach engineering teams and contractors.
• Own maintenance strategies across infrastructure.
• Maintain governance, SOPs, MOPs and emergency response processes.
• Drive continuous improvement and energy efficiency.

Skills

Data Centre Leadership

People Management

Operational Excellence

Regulatory Compliance

Stakeholder Management

Education

Engineering degree

Management training

Tools

DCIM

BMS/Controls

Energy Management Tools

Job description

Amazing Career Opportunity for ONE of the leading, most progressive Data centre owner-operators in Europe, UK and USA

Data Centre Engineering Manager – Critical Operations Manager – Data Centre- Holland – professional level of Dutch and English; we will consider candidates relocating within the EU
Netherlands | Critical Infrastructure | Senior Technical Leadership | 24/7 Operations

Do you want to be the next technical operations leader within one of the most rapidly expanding, high-performance data centre environments in Northern Holland?

This is an opportunity for an experienced Critical Operations Manager / Data Centre Engineering Manager to own the technical performance, reliability, and continuous improvement of a major data centre operation.

The role sits at the heart of the facility, leading critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure, controls, DCIM, Fire & Life Safety, maintenance, operational resilience, and customer support.

You will work closely with senior engineering and operational stakeholders, leading teams and specialist vendors to ensure the facility operates safely, efficiently and reliably 24/7/365.

The Opportunity

As Critical Operations Manager / Data Centre Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing the site’s technical operations strategy while driving a culture of operational excellence, continuous improvement and engineering best practice.

You will lead the teams responsible for preventative and corrective maintenance across critical infrastructure, ensuring maintenance programmes, operational procedures and emergency response processes are robust, compliant and consistently delivered.

This is a highly visible leadership position combining technical depth, people leadership, customer engagement, operational governance and strategic project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day technical operations of a mission-critical data centre environment.
• Provide leadership across electrical, mechanical, controls, DCIM and Fire & Life Safety systems.
• Lead, develop and coach Critical Operations / Engineering teams and specialist contractors.
• Own preventative and corrective maintenance strategies across critical infrastructure.
• Develop and maintain robust maintenance governance, SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, testing procedures and inspection regimes.
• Ensure maximum availability and resilience of critical infrastructure.
• Lead emergency response planning, incident management and post-incident reporting.
• Drive continuous improvement, operational efficiency and engineering best practice.
• Analyse system performance and operational KPIs to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and manage operational and capital expenditure budgets.
• Support capital projects, infrastructure improvements and strategic engineering initiatives.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve energy efficiency and facility performance.
• Ensure mechanical, electrical, controls, monitoring, and life-safety systems remain compliant with relevant regulations and standards.
• Work closely with Development, Sales, Solutions Engineering and Implementation teams to deliver customer environments.
• Support customer installations, technical requirements and remote-hands activities.
• Lead customer tours, technical audits and operational reviews.
• Manage maintenance partners, vendors and service agreements.
• Support space, infrastructure and cable-plant planning and implementation.
• Maintain a strong focus on operational readiness, business continuity and disaster recovery.
• Establish performance objectives for direct reports and actively develop future engineering talent.

Technical Environment

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of mission-critical infrastructure and be comfortable operating across both the technical and operational sides of a data centre; must be experience in both Electrical and Mechanical Data Centre plant and systems.

Experience across areas such as:

HV / MV / LV Electrical Infrastructure | UPS | Generators | Switchgear | Distribution | Cooling & Chilled Water | Mechanical Systems | BMS / Controls | DCIM | Fire & Life Safety | Critical Maintenance | Emergency Response | Energy Efficiency | Business Continuity

You don’t need to be the technical SME for every system, but you must be capable of challenging, directing, and making informed decisions across complex critical infrastructure.

What My Client Is Looking For

We’re looking for an established Data Centre Engineering / Critical Operations leader who combines technical credibility with strong people and operational management skills.

You’ll ideally bring:

• 7+ years’ experience within a data centre or comparable critical environment.
• 5+ years’ proven people-management experience.
• Strong understanding of critical mechanical and electrical infrastructure.
• Experience managing preventative and corrective maintenance programmes.
• Proven experience leading engineering teams and third-party contractors.
• Strong knowledge of operational procedures, safety standards and regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing operational and capital budgets.
• A track record of driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Strong customer-facing and stakeholder-management capability.
• Experience dealing with complex operational incidents and emergency situations.
• The ability to make sound technical and commercial decisions under pressure.

A degree in Engineering, Business, Architecture, Military Engineering or an equivalent professional background would be advantageous.

The Opportunity

This isn’t simply a facilities management position it’s a fantastic career move It’s an opportunity to take ownership of a mission-critical technical operation, lead experienced engineering teams and influence how a major data centre environment performs, develops and scales.

You’ll have the authority to identify improvements, influence investment decisions, develop people and drive the engineering standards required to deliver safe, resilient and highly available infrastructure.

Package & Benefits

• €95,000 to €120,000
• 25 days annual leave
• €5,250 annual training/development bursary
• Company car scheme – eligibility applies
• Allianz pension scheme
• Occupational disability allowance
• Voluntary private health insurance
• Voluntary pet insurance
• Bonus eligible %
• Equity eligible %
• Strong opportunities for professional development and progression

Ready to Lead.

If you’re an experienced Critical Operations Manager, Data Centre Engineering Manager, Critical Facilities Manager, Engineering Operations Manager, or senior Data Centre Operations professional looking for a role where your technical leadership genuinely makes a difference, this could be an excellent next step.

Lead the people. Own the operation. Improve the infrastructure. Protect the uptime and build an amazing Career!!!
Mark Evans