Data Center Economic Development Manager

Meta; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 202,000 - 273,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Meta is seeking an experienced Economic Development Manager in Columbus, Ohio, to lead economic development projects for new data center sites and expansions. This role involves negotiating with state and local governments to secure economic development agreements and working cross-functionally with various teams.

The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of experience in state and local taxes and economic incentives, alongside a strong background in contract negotiation and project management. Competitive compensation includes a salary range of $202,000 to $273,000 plus bonuses and equity.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in state and local taxes and economic incentives.
• Experience negotiating with government officials and service providers.
• Experience coordinating internal staff and consultants.

Responsibilities

• Lead new data center site selection efforts and site expansions.
• Negotiate economic development agreements with local governments.
• Work with internal organizations to support economic development discussions.

Skills

Economic development project lead

Contract negotiation

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Job description

Summary

Meta designs, builds, leases, and operates high‑performance, efficient data centers. Locating, developing and managing this data center infrastructure effectively ensures high uptime, capacity availability, flexibility, and capital and operational cost efficiency. Meta is seeking an experienced, organized, and collaborative Economic Development Manager.

Required Skills

Data Center Economic Development Manager Responsibilities

1. Economic development project lead for new data center site selection efforts as well as existing site expansions.
2. Complete diligence relating to economic development programs as well as state and local taxes.
3. Partner with site selection and legal teams to negotiate economic development agreements with various state and local governments and economic development agencies.
4. Interface with internal organizations including data center design, construction, legal, finance, accounting and tax.
5. Work cross‑functionally to understand the project parameters needed to support data center economic development discussions.
6. Lead various projects related to our data centers, as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in a directly related field, or equivalent practical experience.
2. 15+ years of experience in state and local taxes and economic incentives.
3. Contract negotiation experience.
4. Financial analysis and project management experience.
5. Experience negotiating, communicating and representing the company’s interests with economic development personnel, government officials, and service providers.
6. Experience coordinating internal staff and consultants.
7. Proven precise communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews).
2. Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements).
3. Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies.

Public Compensation

$202,000/year to $273,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits

Industry

Internet

Equal Opportunity

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E‑Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.

Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations‑[e-mail].