Director, Development Preconstruction & Cost Management

Quality Technology Services; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Quality Technology Services in Irving, TX is seeking a Development Preconstruction & Cost Management Leader to drive cost certainty, constructability, and schedule optimization across our data center portfolio.

You will bridge Development, Design, Procurement, Construction, Operations, and Finance to ensure proper scoping, estimating, budgeting, and readiness for execution, with emphasis on disciplined financial planning and strategic investment decisions.

Qualifications

• Experience leading ROM, conceptual, schematic, and construction estimates for large-scale data center projects.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to model cost and schedule impact.
• Ability to coordinate across Development, Design, Procurement, Construction and Finance.

Responsibilities

• Lead development planning and project strategy for campus-scale data centers.
• Develop budgets, infrastructure forecasts, and long-range capital plans.
• Monitor expenditures, forecasts, and contingencies across the lifecycle.

Skills

Cost management

Estimating

Preconstruction

Budgeting

Project strategy

Job description

Who we are:

As a global leader in digital infrastructure, QTS designs, builds and operates advanced data centers that support strategic AI, cloud and digital transformation initiatives. We are driven by a mission to connect the world for good and our people make it possible. Every single day, the creativity, dedication and genuine care for our communities are what push us forward and make this a truly special place to be.

Who We Are

At QTS, our world-class data centers support our customers' most strategic growth initiatives and position us at the forefront of today's digital transformation. As AI and cloud adoption continue to drive unprecedented demand for digital infrastructure, QTS has emerged as a global leader in the design, development, construction, and operation of hyperscale and wholesale data center campuses. QTS is a portfolio company of Blackstone and is Powered by People.

Role Overview

The Development Preconstruction & Cost Management Leader is a strategic member of the QTS Development organization responsible for driving cost certainty, constructability, schedule optimization, and delivery readiness across QTS's rapidly expanding data center portfolio. This role bridges Development, Design, Procurement, Construction, Operations, and Finance to ensure projects are properly scoped, estimated, planned, and positioned for successful execution.

The role spans the entire development lifecycle, from site due diligence and master planning through conceptual estimating, design development, procurement strategy, construction mobilization, and project closeout. The successful candidate will establish and maintain financial discipline while supporting QTS growth objectives across hyperscale campuses, build-to-suit developments, and multi-phase expansion programs.

The Impact You Will Have

This role helps drive QTS's ability to deliver world-class data center campuses by creating cost certainty, reducing delivery risk, improving schedule performance, and enabling informed investment decisions. The leader serves as a critical connection between Development, Design, Construction, Procurement, and Finance, ensuring projects are strategically positioned for successful execution and long-term operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Development Planning & Project Strategy

• Partner with Pre-Development teams during site acquisition, due diligence, entitlement, and master planning activities.
• Evaluate development opportunities and provide conceptual cost and schedule analysis to support investment decisions.
• Develop campus-level development budgets, infrastructure forecasts, and long-range capital plans.
• Collaborate with utility providers, consultants, and jurisdictional agencies to evaluate power, water, fiber, and infrastructure requirements.
• Support phased campus strategies that align customer demand, infrastructure availability, and capital deployment.

Data Center Cost Management

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve conceptual, schematic, design development, and construction-level cost estimates.
• Establish baseline project budgets for core and shell buildings, mission-critical infrastructure, utility systems, and site development.
• Monitor project expenditures, commitments, forecasts, cash flow, and contingencies throughout the development lifecycle.
• Lead budget reconciliation across Development, Design, Procurement, Construction, and Finance.
• Provide executive-level cost reporting, variance analysis, forecast updates, cost narratives, and risk assessments.
• Maintain regional and national benchmarking data for labor, materials, equipment, and subcontract trades.

Estimating & Financial Analysis

• Lead ROM, conceptual, schematic, design development, and issued-for-construction estimates for hyperscale and wholesale data center projects.
• Develop cost models using historical QTS data, market intelligence, contractor feedback, and industry benchmarks.
• Create infrastructure and campus cost forecasts for future development initiatives and funding requirements.
• Evaluate the cost impact of design alternatives, customer requirements, delivery strategies, phasing, and construction sequencing.
• Support capital planning, investment approvals, customer pricing decisions, and executive business cases.

Preconstruction Management

• Manage preconstruction activities from project initiation through commencement of construction.
• Establish project execution strategies, procurement plans, milestone schedules, and delivery roadmaps.
• Coordinate with architecture and engineering partners, consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders to ensure design completeness and budget alignment.
• Lead constructability, scope-gap, design-to-budget, and project-readiness reviews.
• Facilitate preconstruction workshops focused on schedule optimization, logistics planning, market engagement, and risk mitigation.

Procurement & Contract Management

• Support Construction Services Procurement organization (CSP) with contractor selection, bid packag