Director, Data Center Contracts & Commercial Strategy

Lambda; United States; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Lambda, The Superintelligence Cloud, is seeking a seasoned contracts leader to own data center capacity agreements in the United States. The role demands leadership across leases, colocation and owned-builds, with close collaboration with Legal, Finance, and Engineering to drive favorable terms and on-time delivery.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in data center contracting, a proven track record closing large, complex agreements (typically $100M+), and a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Qualifications

• 10+ years in data center contracting or related fields.
• Proven record closing large, complex agreements ($100M+).
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the contracting and commercial strategy for data center capacity from leases to greenfield builds.
• Lead negotiations on leases, colocation, and master/service agreements with Legal and Finance.
• Manage lease portfolios including renewals, expansions and restructurings.
• Drive delivery schedules with landlords and contractors and ensure performance.
• Set standards for contract execution and governance to scale operations.

Skills

Contract negotiations

Commercial strategy

Lease & real estate agreements

Vendor & stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Real Estate, Engineering, or related field

Job description

Lambda, The Superintelligence Cloud, is a leader in AI cloud infrastructure serving tens of thousands of customers. Our customers range from AI researchers to enterprises and hyperscalers. Lambda's mission is to make compute as ubiquitous as electricity and give everyone the power of superintelligence. One person, one GPU.If you'd like to build the world's best AI cloud, join us.*Note: This position requires presence in our San Francisco, San Jose, or Bellevue office location 4 days per week; Lambda’s designated work from home day is currently Tuesday.

What You'll Do

Own the contracting and commercial strategy for how Lambda secures data center capacity — from leased and colocation sites today to owned, greenfield builds as the portfolio grows

Serve as Lambda's lead negotiator on the highest-value capacity agreements — leases, colocation and service agreements, master agreements, design, equipment, and construction contracts — setting negotiation strategy and partnering with Legal and Finance on terms

Lead lease and colocation negotiations with landlords, providers, and developers from LOI through definitive agreements and service orders — balancing rent, power pricing, delivery dates, expansion rights, and performance obligations

Manage the existing lease portfolio — renewals, expansions, amendments, restructurings, exits, and landlord performance — and keep obligations, milestones, and critical dates current

Protect delivery schedules through ready-for-service dates, delay credits, step-in rights, milestones, and SLAs, and hold landlords, suppliers, and contractors accountable for performance

Build the contracting strategy for owned capacity — design firms and Engineers of Record, long-lead equipment (owner- vs. contractor-furnished), and GC, EPC, or EPCM delivery models and cost types (lump sum, GMP, cost-plus)

Run competitive bids and RFPs, evaluate proposals, and recommend awards across leases, equipment, and construction

Negotiate and execute master agreements with key providers, OEMs, design firms, and contractors that secure capacity and favorable terms across sites

Drive change order, claims, and dispute discipline alongside Construction, Legal, and Finance

Set standards for contract execution — term sheets, negotiation guardrails, templates, contract abstraction, approval workflows, and governance — that build the foundation for scale

Partner across Data Center Development, Construction, Design, Capacity Planning, Finance, Legal, and Operations, and deliver executive-level briefings on deal strategy, risks, and contingency plans

YouHave 10+ years of experience in data center or complex infrastructure contracting, commercial real estate or capacity leasing, strategic sourcing, or procurement

Hold a Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Real Estate, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field, or have equivalent experience

Are recognized as a lead negotiator — you have personally closed large, complex agreements (typically $100M+), not di