Director, Design Management, NA

Vantage Data Centers Management Company LLC; United States; On-site; USD 205,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

401k with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Vantage Data Centers seeks a Director of Design Management to lead regional design efforts for hyperscale facilities. The role combines hands‑on technical contribution with strategic partnerships across Market Development, Engineering and Delivery to optimize lifecycle design from concept through construction.

The ideal candidate will oversee design teams, drive standardization, and ensure scalable, efficient solutions while aligning with customer needs and business goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), or related field.
• 10+ years in design management focusing on mission‑critical, hyperscale data centers, or similar facilities.
• Experience in fast-paced, cross-functional environments with complex infrastructure requirements.
• Strong business acumen balancing technical performance with commercial outcomes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with a history of leading cross‑functional teams.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% as business needs evolve.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation of new tooling and automations within Design Management to drive scale.
• Act as cross-functional leader with Operational Excellence to standardize practices and templates.
• Own business continuity plans for Design Integration aligned to readiness.
• Initiate AI/ML and RPA capabilities to scale workload and design processes.
• Serve as regional advisor in site selection, customer solutioning, and conceptual design.
• Collaborate with market development and customer teams to translate requirements into scalable design solutions.
• Support site feasibility studies and due diligence from a design/engineering perspective.
• Lead Design managers across master planning, conceptual, schematic and detailed design phases.
• Coordinate internal and external design teams (architects, MEP engineers, civil consultants, partners).
• Provide feedback on design packages for accuracy, constructability, and cost‑effectiveness.
• Manage multiple projects while aligning with corporate standards and regional needs.
• Work with construction, operations, and commercial teams across the full project lifecycle.

Skills

Design leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Architecture/Engineering knowledge

Project management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Architecture/Engineering

Job description

About Vantage Vantage powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Design Integration Group

The Design Integration Group North America (NA) comprises of a skilled team of Design Managers, Design Engineers, Program Managers, Product Development roles and guides in Engineering and Architecture. Our collective expertise is harnessed to create customized adaptations of the forefront Vantage Data Center prototype that perfectly cater to the unique requirements of our customers. Throughout this process, close collaboration takes place with Sales, Operations, and management teams. The Design team also maintains a close partnership with the Construction team, working together to craft a seamlessly integrated design that ensures the efficient execution of new and existing standards and designs. At the heart of our vision is the creation of critical infrastructure that facilitates human connection, creativity, sharing, and collective aspirations. Our mission revolves around providing our Customers with consistently exceptional facilities swiftly and enjoying the process while doing so. This dedication extends to our Customers, Construction teams, and Site Operations teams. What truly sets Vantage apart is our commitment to empowering our technical staff. This team has the ability to align long-term operational sustainability with value engineering and cost metrics, ultimately delivering products that are in sync with our corporate objectives. The Design team guides the development and operation of best-in-class data centers for hyperscale customers by providing business-minding Design and Engineering expertise.

Position Overview

This role will be based on-site at one of our Phoenix, Santa Clara, or Denver offices in alignment with our flexible work policy (3 days in office, 2 days remote). We are seeking a highly capable and strategic Director of Design Management to lead regional design efforts and optimize the lifecycle of data center design across a growing portfolio. This leader will be a hands‑on technical contributor and collaborative partner to the Market Development, Engineering, and Delivery teams, supporting design strategy from concept through construction. The Director will play a key role in aligning design execution with customer and business needs while delivering scalable, efficient, and adaptable solutions.

Essential Job Functions

• Lead implementation within Design Management into adoption for new tooling and automations with a focus on driving operational measures and outcomes to drive scale.
• Serve as cross functional leader and champion for Design Management working with Operational Excellence teams to institute business practices and standard team playbooks, templates to align teams around best practices and structured Program Management.
• Own business continuity plans across Design Integration focused on best practices aligned to business readiness best practices.
• Initiate AI/ML and RPA driven capabilities and practices to the Design Management space and process focused on scaling workload and functions to meet the Data Center growth demands.
• Serve as a regional technical advisor and strategic partner in early stages of site selection, customer solutioning, and conceptual design.
• Collaborate with market development and customer teams to translate business and performance requirements into scalable, efficient design solutions.
• Support site feasibility studies and due diligence efforts from a design and engineering perspective.
• Lead a team of Design managers to manage the end‑to‑end design process for regional projects, including master planning, conceptual, schematic, and detailed design phases.
• Oversee and coordinate internal and external design teams, including architects, MEP engineers, civil consultants, and design/build partners.
• Review and provide feedback on design packages to ensure technical accuracy, constructability, scalability, and cost‑effectiveness.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects while maintaining consistency with corporate design standards and regional execution needs.
• Collaborate with construction, operations, and commercial teams to ensure alignment across the full project lifecycle.
• Participate in change management processes, ensuring design changes are properly documented, justified, and communicated.
• Adapt to evolving project scopes and customer requirements while protecting design integrity and business objectives.
• Support the development and enforcement of design standards, templates, and governance practices for regional implementation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of design management processes, tools, and frameworks to improve efficiency and quality.
• Provide regional insights and reporting on design progress, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership.
• Additional duties as assigned by management.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in design management with emphasis on mission‑critical, hyperscale data center, industrial, or high‑tech facilities.
• Experience working in fast‑paced, cross‑functional environments with complex infrastructure requirements.
• Solid technical expertise in MEP systems, critical infrastructure, and integrated building design.
• Demonstrated experience supporting early‑stage project development, preferably in owner‑operator or developer settings.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to balance technical performance with commercial outcomes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with a history of successfully leading cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and support change management initiatives.
• Travel required is expected to be up to 25% but may increase as the business evolves.

Physical Demands and Special Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop or kneel; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Additional Details

Salary Range: $205,000-225,000 Base + Bonus (this range is based on Colorado market data and may vary in other locations). This position is eligible for company benefits including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and AD&D, short and long‑term disability coverage, paid time off, employee assistance, participation in a 401k program that includes company match, and many other additional voluntary benefits. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including your qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience and may fall outside of the range shown.

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations. Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Vantage is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Vantage does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage.