Data Center Project Manager

EdgeConneX; Elk Grove Village (IL); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

EdgeConneX is seeking a Data Center Project Manager to lead planning, reporting and deployment of data center construction projects in Chicago, IL and across North America. The role requires onsite presence with hybrid flexibility and up to 20% travel.

You will partner with construction teams to meet customer requirements, manage budgets, and provide executive-level status updates from the PMO.

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field with project management focus.
• 5+ years of external client-facing project management experience on large-scale mission-critical projects.
• Proven ability to lead customer-facing processes, with strong presentations.
• PM certifications and safety training are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with construction mgmt firms and contractors to deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Serve as primary contact for internal/external stakeholders and customers.
• Provide regular project updates, dashboards, and executive-level reporting.
• Coordinate multi-disciplinary teams and lead weekly progress meetings.
• Identify and mitigate project risks, interdependencies, and cost impacts.
• Ensure adherence to design specs, quality standards, and safety protocols.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Budget management

MEP knowledge

Communication

Leadership

Risk management

Onsite coordination

MS Project

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical or Mechanical)

5+ years in client-facing project management

PM certification (PMP, CCM, AC, CPC, CST, PE)

OSHA 30 / VCA-VOL or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Project

Primavera

Job description

Led by an experienced management team and supported by a strong investor group, including large and experienced institutions and strategic partners, EdgeConneX offers a dynamic, fast-paced work environment where we are bringing flexibility, proximity, power, and connectivity to some of the world’s key businesses. With major offices in Herndon, Denver, Amsterdam, Singapore and Malaysia, we have a global footprint and a unified team of employees committed to providing a premier customer experience and delivering the full spectrum of data center solutions, from core to edge, like no other data center provider can do.

Focused on driving innovation and helping our customers define and deliver their own unique vision for the Edge, at any scale, in any market worldwide, for any requirement, we are building tomorrow’s data center infrastructure, today for some of the world’s most demanding Network, Content, and Cloud customers.

Job Description

EdgeConneX is looking for a Data Center Project Manager to provide hands-on support and oversight for the planning, reporting, design, and deployment of Data Center construction projects in Chicago, IL and across North America. We are seeking a technically savvy self-starter who can support multi-disciplinary teams in delivering projects on time, on budget, and within specifications. This position reports to the Vice President, Americas working within our PMO. This is a hybrid based role that requires onsite presence and project management leadership in Chicago, IL to start, but could require travel up to 20% domestically to support other projects, attend training, and other company initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate with construction management firms and general contractors to deliver assigned projects on time and within budget.
• Understand customer requirements and ensure they are met in accordance with the lease agreement/contract.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all internal and external stakeholders, construction deliverables, communicating directly with customers to foster and maintain a high level of customer service.
• Provide regular project updates, dashboards, and executive-level reporting on project and schedule progress with site photos. Interface with project stakeholders at both working team and executive levels.
• Coordinate with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure company goals are met, including hosting weekly progress meetings.
• Utilize technical expertise to identify, mitigate, and resolve project-related issues.
• Proactively identify and mitigate project risks, interdependencies, and potential schedule or cost impacts.
• Monitor construction activities to verify adherence to design specifications, quality standards, and safety protocols

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to manage complex, multi-million-dollar projects/programs that require detailed planning, execution, and front-line support to both vendors and high-profile clients.
• Ability to engage clients onsite and virtually at highest level, leading discussions that have an emphasis on setting expectations that can be difficult at times
• Serve as a versatile leader managing many stakeholder relationship in efforts to put out fires and not start new ones
• Distinct ability to read the room, understanding when to take charge or refocus the team
• Strong technical skills in areas such as electrical and mechanical engineering, data center infrastructure, and networking. For example, direct ability to interpret MEP drawings.
• Familiarity with installation of critical infrastructure (MEP, IT, security, power, cooling) and data center products and services.
• Proficient in Microsoft applications such as Microsoft Project/Primavera, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Ability to establish and maintain budget, working with various stakeholders to get ahead of risks to it.
• Self-starter with a positive attitude and strong emotional intelligence.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, globally diverse environment.
• Strong and effective team player in working with various disciplines and peer groups.
• Strong attention to detail, excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong commitment to and knowledge of construction safety.

Experience/Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical or Mechanical), Construction Management, Architecture, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant consulting and/or external client-facing experience with a distinct focus on large-scale project management within mission-critical industries, providing extensive reporting, as well as leading customer-facing processes and procedures.
• Mastery of written and live customer-facing presentations.
• A project management-related certification such as PMP, CCM, AC, CPC, CST, PE.
• OSHA 30 / VCA-VOL or equivalent certification is preferable but can be acquired through training once hired.
• Any direct MEP Engineering skills or expertise would truly make a candidate stand out
• Direct experience in the Data Center industry, Construction, and/or Real Estate environments

Travel

• Ability to travel up to 20% (assuming local to Chicago) with the flexibility to travel on short notice. Each project managed will require site visits.