Director, Development Preconstruction & Cost Management

LE043 Quality Technology Services, LLC; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

QTS Realty Trust in Irving, TX seeks a Development Preconstruction & Cost Management Leader to drive cost certainty, schedule optimization, and project readiness across hyperscale data center campuses.

You will partner with Development, Design, Procurement, Construction, Operations and Finance to scope, estimate and position programs for successful execution, mentoring teams and delivering executive cost reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Cost Engineering, Real Estate Development, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in data center development, preconstruction, cost management, estimating, or construction management.
• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, or mission-critical infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop campus-level development budgets and long-range capital plans.
• Lead ROM, conceptual, schematic and construction estimates for data center projects.
• Manage preconstruction activities from initiation to construction commencement.
• Coordinate procurement plans, contracts, and change management.
• Lead risk, value engineering, and cost governance across programs.
• Present cost and schedule narratives to executive leadership.

Skills

Budgeting & forecasting

Cost management

Executive reporting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Cost Engineering, Real Estate Development, or a related field

Tools

Autodesk Construction Cloud

Procore

Primavera P6

Power BI

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 packaging, tendering, bid leveling, and award recommendations.

Support negotiation and administration of general contractor, subcontractor, supplier, and consultant agreements.

Review and evaluate change orders, claims, allowances, contingencies, escalation, and commercial impacts.

Partner with Supply Chain and Procurement teams to identify cost-saving opportunities, long-lead risks, and sourcing strategies.

Support owner-furnished contractor-installed equipment and other strategic equipment procurement initiatives.

Site Logistics & Constructability

Lead development of comprehensive site logistics plans for large-scale, active data center campuses.

Evaluate construction sequencing, crane operations, laydown areas, temporary facilities, temporary utilities, access, and workforce requirements.

Drive constructability reviews across civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, controls, and technology systems.

Collaborate with project teams to identify schedule acceleration, modularization, prefabrication, and offsite manufacturing opportunities.

Risk Management & Value Optimization

Identify, quantify, communicate, and mitigate cost, schedule, procurement, constructability, and execution risks.

Develop and maintain project contingency strategies, risk registers, and corrective-action plans.

Lead value engineering and value-management efforts that optimize capital deployment without compromising safety, reliability, scalability, quality, or operational requirements.

Monitor labor, material, equipment escalation, and supply-chain conditions that may affect project delivery.

Ensure alignment with QTS governance, documentation, audit-readiness, and investment approval requirements.

Stakeholder Leadership & Continuous Improvement

Partner with Development Directors, Design Managers, Construction Leaders, Operations, Finance, Legal, Procurement, and Executive Leadership.

Present clear cost, schedule, risk, and decision narratives to senior leadership and investment stakeholders.

Mentor and develop preconstruction, estimating, and development personnel.

Build and maintain cost governance frameworks, including work breakdown structures, cost breakdown structures, cost codes, control accounts, reporting cadence, and executive dashboards.

Drive standardization, lessons learned, benchmarking, digital integration, and continuous improvement across the portfolio.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Cost Engineering, Real Estate Development, or a related field.

10+ years of experience in data center development, preconstruction, cost management, estimating, construction management, or mission-critical infrastructure.

Demonstrated experience supporting hyperscale, colocation, mission-critical, industrial, advanced manufacturing, or large-scale infrastructure projects.

Strong understanding of data center development and construction, including sitework, utility infrastructure, core and shell, electrical systems, cooling systems, controls, and commissioning interfaces.

Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, estimating, cost control, cash flow, commercial analysis, and executive financial reporting.

Experience with site due diligence, master planning, infrastructure planning, campus phasing, and project delivery strategy.

Experience with contractor procurement, bid evaluation, contract administration, change management, and commercial negotiations.

Ability to translate complex technical and financial information into clear recommendations for executive leadership and cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting large-scale hyperscale campus developments, including multi-building and multi-phase programs.

Professional certifications such as AACE, CCP, CEP, PMP, CCM, RICS, or Professional Engineer.

Experience with modularization, prefabrication, offsite manufacturing, and alternative delivery strategies.

Proficiency with Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore, Primavera P6, Power BI, advanced Excel cost models, and estimating platforms.

Experience building enterprise cost databases, benchmarking programs, portfolio reporting standards, and governance processes.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Strong Verbal and Written Communication Skills.

Ability to independently manage deadlines and support staff.

Ability to influence cross-discipline teams.

Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations at a high growth company.

TOTAL REWARDS

This role is also eligible for a competitive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; flexible spending and HSA accounts; paid holidays; paid time off; paid volunteer days; employee assistance program; tuition assistance; parental leave; military leave assistance; QTS scholarship for dependents; wellness program, and other company benefits.

This position is Bonus eligible.

This job may be eligible for equity.

In addition to a variety of benefit packages, QTS goes above and beyond for our employees: Roth and Traditional 401(k) matching contributions with immediate vesting Every employee is bonus or commission eligible Generous PTO, Paid Volunteer Days Plus Floating Holidays Stock Purchase Plan (SPP) 11 paid Holidays Annually/Holiday compensation when worked Pet and Legal Insurance Q-Rest Sabbatical Program Q-Anniversary Service Award Program Parental Leave Military Benefits Package QTS Charitable Matching Gift Program QTS Scholarship for Employee Dependents QTS Crisis Fund Wellness Program Tuition Reimbursement Program QTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

QTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Learn more: Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or discrimination claim.

The "Know Your Rights" Poster is included here: Know Your Rights (English) Know Your Rights (Spanish) The pay transparency policy is available here: Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster-Formatted QTS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.