Data Center Service Lead

CORE Group; Pascagoula (MS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

CORE Group seeks a Data Center Service Lead to oversee infrastructure service delivery for data center operations and hybrid Azure environments. You will govern governance, performance, and contractual obligations while driving strategic initiatives and security compliance.

Collaborate with security, networking, and application teams to ensure stable, scalable operations and on‑call readiness, with a focus on cost optimization and modernization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of experience in IT/infrastructure or data center operations.
• Master’s degree with 8+ years, or PhD with 5+ years in relevant fields.
• Proven experience in data center operations and third-party provider management.
• Strong knowledge of cloud servers, VM management, Azure networking, identity, storage, and governance.
• Hands-on experience with Azure security tools and IAM best practices.
• Excellent leadership, strategic planning, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily operations of the Infrastructure Service Provider for Data Center Services, including contract management, performance monitoring, invoice validation, change management, disaster recovery, SLA compliance, and regulatory adherence.
• Provide strategic guidance and oversight of data center operations, aligning with security standards and architectural principles.
• Support and manage cloud infrastructure components such as virtual machines, storage, networking, and hybrid Azure/on‑prem integrations.
• Review and monitor Azure security controls, including identity management, RBAC, governance policies, and threat protection.
• Ensure seamless integration and operational continuity between cloud services and on‑prem data centers.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts and resolve complex infrastructure issues across cloud and data center platforms.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce architectural documentation, procedures, standards, and governance frameworks.
• Collaborate with application, network, and cybersecurity teams for a stable, scalable environment.
• Serve as a senior escalation point and participate in on-call rotations.
• Drive cost optimization, automation, infrastructure modernization, and provider performance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

Contract management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

Azure

AWS

RBAC

Identity management

Cloud security tools

Job description

Data Center Service Lead

Job Summary
We are seeking a highly experienced Data Center Service Lead to oversee and govern all aspects of infrastructure service delivery. This pivotal role involves managing data center operations, ensuring high-quality service, operational excellence, and strict adherence to contractual obligations. The ideal candidate will lead governance across traditional on-premises data centers while supporting hybrid cloud environments within Microsoft Azure. This position offers an opportunity to drive strategic initiatives, optimize infrastructure performance, and ensure security compliance in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily operations of the Infrastructure Service Provider for Data Center Services, including contract management, performance monitoring, invoice validation, change management, disaster recovery, SLA compliance, and regulatory adherence.
• Provide strategic guidance and oversight of data center operations, aligning with organizational goals, security standards, and architectural principles.
• Support and manage cloud infrastructure components such as virtual machines, storage, networking, and hybrid integrations between Azure and on-premises environments.
• Review and monitor Azure security controls, including identity management, RBAC, governance policies, and threat protection, ensuring compliance with corporate security standards.
• Ensure seamless integration and operational continuity between cloud services and on-premises data centers.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts and resolve complex infrastructure issues across cloud and data center platforms, focusing on performance, connectivity, resilience, and security incidents.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce architectural documentation, operational procedures, standards, and governance frameworks related to data center and cloud operations.
• Collaborate with application, network, and cybersecurity teams to maintain a stable, scalable, and secure environment.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for infrastructure issues and participate in on-call rotations as needed.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including cost optimization, automation, infrastructure modernization, and enhancing provider performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of experience, or Master’s degree with 8+ years, or PhD with 5+ years in relevant fields.
• Proven experience in data center operations, cloud technologies (Azure or AWS), compute, security, and third-party service provider management.
• Strong knowledge of cloud servers, virtual machine management, Azure networking, identity, storage, and resource governance.
• Hands-on experience with Azure security tools, identity management, and best practices.
• Excellent leadership, strategic planning, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to support hybrid cloud environments and participate in on-call rotations.
• Certifications in cloud security or architecture are a plus.