Director, Operational Excellence & Assurance

RELATED; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Related Digital seeks a seasoned Director of Operational Excellence & Assurance to drive continuous improvement for data center operations and oversee internal audits for EHS, quality, and compliance. The role partners with site and regional leadership to translate audit findings into lasting process improvements and will exercise Stop Work Authority when needed.

Responsibilities include designing annual audit plans, coordinating with engineering, facilities, and EHS, and supporting SOC 2 Type

Qualifications

• Minimum 7–10 years in operations, quality assurance, EHS, or internal audit.
• Experience in data center or critical facility environments is required.
• CIA, CQA, or similar certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead CI initiatives across multiple data center sites to improve safety, reliability, quality, and efficiency.
• Establish SOPs, playbooks, and best practices across sites.
• Define and report KPIs for operations, safety, and compliance; identify trends and improvements.
• Facilitate CAPA processes for operational, safety, and quality events.

Skills

Continuous Improvement

Operational Excellence

Auditing

EHS

SOC 2

ISO 27001

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Eng./related

Equivalent experience accepted

Tools

EPMS

BMS

CMMS

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Responsibilities

Position Summary

The Director of Operational Excellence & Assurance owns two closely linked functions at Related Digital: driving continuous improvement across data center operations, and independently assessing and auditing operational, safety, and quality performance against the Related Digital EHS Program Manual, site standard operating procedures, and applicable regulatory and industry standards. This includes auditing facility management partner performance against contractual SLAs and KPIs, and supporting Related Digital’s SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certification programs. This role designs and executes the internal audit and assessment program, verifies that field practice matches documented procedure, drives corrective action to closure, and partners with site and regional leadership to convert audit findings into lasting process improvement. The role carries Stop Work Authority and reports significant findings directly to site and operations leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Lead site and portfolio level continuous improvement initiatives to improve the safety, reliability, quality, and efficiency of data center operations.
• Establish and maintain standardized operating procedures, playbooks, and best-practice sharing across sites.
• Define, track, and report key performance indicators (KPIs) for operational performance, safety, and compliance; identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes for operational, safety, and quality events, consistent with the Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis Program.
• Partner with Engineering, Facilities, and EHS teams to standardize processes across the portfolio and support new site commissioning and operational readiness.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, change management, and operational discipline among site teams.
• Monitor energy performance, including PUE, against site design targets and drive corrective action for deviations.

Operational Assessment & Internal Audit

• Design, own, and execute the annual internal audit and operational assessment plan across all Related Digital sites, covering all EHS programs, life-safety systems, critical facility operations, and quality/process compliance.
• Conduct on-site operational assessments and compliance audits against the Program Manuals, site SOPs, inspection/checklist templates, and applicable regulatory or industry standards (OSHA, NFPA, ANSI, Uptime Institute Tier Standards, SOC2, ISO 9001/45001/14001).
• Evaluate the completeness and currency of site-level checklists, inspection logs, JHAs/AHAs, and training records against the EHS Training Requirements Matrix.
• Document audit findings, assign risk ratings, and issue formal assessment reports to site and regional leadership.
• Track corrective action plans (CAPs) to closure, verifying effectiveness through follow-up audits.
• Maintain audit program documentation, evidence, and records consistent with the Records Management & Retention Program.
• Support external audits, customer/tenant due-diligence assessments, and regulatory inspections as the internal subject matter expert.
• Audit physical security programs, covering access control, credentialing, and key management.
• Audit commissioning and construction documentation, such as MOPs, RCAs, and general contractor turnover packages, for completeness before closeout.

Facility Management Partner & Vendor Oversight

• Audit facility management partner performance against contractual SLAs and KPIs, covering maintenance completion, staffing, and site inspections; validate SLA credits using EPMS, BMS, CMMS, and incident log data.
• Audit facility management partner Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery programs, and verify adherence to change management and work notification protocols.
• Support evaluation of facility management partner RFP responses and subcontractor compliance.
• Review partner markups, pricing transparency, and preferred vendor compliance.
• Support transition and exit audits when facility management partners change.

Governance, Training & Reporting

• Maintain and continuously improve the internal audit methodology, scoring rubrics, and assessment tools.
• Deliver periodic (e.g., quarterly) operational excellence and audit performance reporting to executive leadership, including site scorecards and trend analysis.
• Partner with the Site EHS Manager and Safety Training Program owners to close training and competency gaps identified during assessments.
• Provide coaching and calibration to site leadership on self-assessment practices, audit readiness, and continuous improvement tools.
• Participate in incident investigation reviews where root causes point to systemic operational or procedural gaps.
• Lead Related Digital’s SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 audit cycles, including evidence collection and coordination with external auditors.
• Review facility management partner SOC 2 and ISO 27001 attestation reports where relevant to Related Digital’s compliance obligations.

Qualifications

Educational and Certifications

Minimum Education (Required):

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Occupational Safety & Health, Business Administration, Operations Management, Quality Management, or another related technical or business discipline.
• Equivalent experience in lieu of degree: an Associate's degree plus a minimum of four (4) additional years of directly relevant operational excellence, quality assurance, or internal audit experience, or a high school diploma/GED plus eight (8) years of directly relevant experience, may be considered in place of the bachelor's degree requirement.

Preferred Education:

• Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA), Engineering Management, Occupational Safety, Quality Systems, or a related field.
• Formal coursework or certificate training in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or internal audit methodology.

Required and Preferred Certifications:

• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or Construction certification.
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), or CISA.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), or Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).
• Data center industry certification (e.g., CDCP/CDCS/CDCE, CDCAP, or Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Specialist).

Experience

• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive experience in operations, quality assurance, EHS, or internal audit roles.
• At least 3 years of that experience in a data center, other critical facility, manufacturing, or industrial operating environment.
• Minimum 3 years leading or managing an internal audit, quality assurance, or operational assessment program.
• Demonstrated track record designing and executing continuous improvement initiatives with measurable, documented results.
• Experience auditing against OSHA/ANSI/NFPA standards, SOC, ISO 9001/45001/14001, IATF 16949, or Uptime Institute Tier Standards is strongly preferred given the mission-critical facility environment.
• Supervisory or project leadership experience, including leading cross-functional teams without direct authority.

Skills & Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and root-cause problem-solving skills; able to synthesize audit data into clear, actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to present findings to site staff, peers, and executive leadership with equal clarity.
• High attention to detail balanced with pragmatic judgment on risk prioritization.
• Proficiency with audit/GRC software, statistical and process tools (e.g., Minitab, Excel), and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is a plus.
• Comfortable exercising Stop Work Authority and holding site teams accountable with professionalism and tact.
• Working knowledge of critical facility systems (electrical, mechanical, fire/life safety) is preferred.
• Self-directed, able to plan and manage a multi-site audit calendar with minimal oversight.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Ability to walk extended distances across large facility footprints, climb stairs and ladders, and work in mechanical/electrical rooms with variable noise and temperature.
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods when preparing audit reports and analysis.

Travel Requirements

• Up to 40-50% domestic travel across the Related Digital site portfolio can be required, including occasional multi-day site visits. A valid driver's license is required; ability to travel by air and a US passport is required.

Overview

Related Digital is a leading vertically integrated data center development and investment platform. We deliver digital infrastructure solutions to hyperscale technology companies so they can accelerate artificial intelligence and cloud computing ambitions.

Founded by Related Companies, one of the most prominent, private-owned real estate development firms in the United States, Related Digital uniquely combines Related's 50-year+ history of executing complex real estate and infrastructure projects with its track record in real estate investing and clean energy solutions. With a multi-billion-dollar, near-termdevelopment pipelinein the U.S., Related Digital has the expert capabilities, depth of expertise and national scaleto help hyperscale companiessignificantly grow their data center capacity on a rapid timeframe.

Strategic Advantage: Related Digital harnesses expertise across real estate development and investment, data center development, complex infrastructure construction and clean energy development to bring differentiated solutions to hyperscale technology companies.

National Footprint:

Related Digital is based in New York and Dallas with operations across the United States. Related Companies has offices in gateway cities across the U.S. and London, and developments in 28 states and the District of Columbia, and boasts 4,000 employees.

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