Director, Site Acquisition & Location Strategy

CyrusOne; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

CyrusOne is seeking a Director, Site Acquisition & Location Strategy to lead multiple site opportunities from market evaluation to acquisition approval and transition to development teams. You will coordinate internal stakeholders and external consultants, assess entitlement risks, power & network readiness, and prepare business cases for executive review.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and 8+ years in site selection or real estate development, with strong PM, analytical, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years in site selection, land acquisition, real estate development, infrastructure development, or related field.
• Experience managing complex site acquisition or development projects from evaluation through approval and execution.
• Working knowledge of zoning, permitting, entitlement, land use planning, environmental due diligence, and infrastructure development processes.
• Experience evaluating commercial, technical, and financial considerations of development opportunities.
• Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Experience presenting recommendations, risks, and project updates to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple concurrent site acquisition and structured land development opportunities in various stages of the development lifecycle.
• Lead site selection activities, including evaluation of market opportunities, site suitability, development constraints, and strategic fit.
• Coordinate and drive due diligence activities to identify risks, development requirements, and project feasibility.
• Evaluate sites for civil, planning, zoning, permitting, environmental, infrastructure, and development considerations.
• Assess power and network availability in partnership with internal technical teams and external service providers.
• Serve as the primary project interface for assigned opportunities, providing project updates, status reporting, and executive-level communications.
• Facilitate collaboration among internal departments including Power & Energy, Development, Construction, Design, Legal, Finance, Tax, Procurement, and Operations.
• Maintain project schedules, action items, milestones, and critical path activities to support timely decision-making and execution.
• Manage development budgets, consultant engagements, vendor agreements, and change orders related to project development activities.
• Conduct site due diligence reviews and evaluate consultant deliverables, studies, reports, and recommendations.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies for entitlement, infrastructure, commercial, regulatory, and execution-related issues.
• Develop site shortlists and provide recommendations regarding acquisition opportunities and investment priorities.
• Support preliminary underwriting activities and financial analysis in partnership with Finance and FP&A teams.
• Assist with review of commercial terms and business provisions associated with purchase agreements, letters of intent, easements, consultant agreements, and related transaction documents.
• Support negotiation and evaluation of tax incentives, economic development incentives, and other development-related programs.
• Build and maintain relationships with brokers, developers, landowners, municipalities, economic development organizations, utilities, and other key stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, business cases, and recommendations to executive leadership and investment decision-makers.
• Ensure project information, documentation, and institutional knowledge are maintained to support seamless transition into development and construction execution.

Skills

Site acquisition

Land development

Project management

Stakeholder management

Financial analysis

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Engineering, Urban Planning, Construction Management, Business, Finance, Geography, or related field

PMP

CCIM

SIOR

AICP

Job description

The Director, Site Acquisition & Location Strategy is responsible for leading and managing multiple concurrent site acquisition and structured land development opportunities that support CyrusOne's growth strategy. Reporting to the SVP, Chief Development Officer this role actively participates in site selection activities, evaluates development opportunities, coordinates due diligence efforts, and drives projects from initial market evaluation through acquisition approval and transition to the development and construction teams. The Director serves as the primary project lead for assigned opportunities, coordinating internal stakeholders and external consultants while evaluating site suitability, entitlement requirements, infrastructure availability, development risks, and commercial considerations. This role supports executive decision-making through analysis, recommendations, and presentations related to strategic land acquisition opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple concurrent site acquisition and structured land development opportunities in various stages of the development lifecycle.
• Lead site selection activities, including evaluation of market opportunities, site suitability, development constraints, and strategic fit.
• Coordinate and drive due diligence activities to identify risks, development requirements, and project feasibility.
• Evaluate sites for civil, planning, zoning, permitting, environmental, infrastructure, and development considerations.
• Assess power and network availability in partnership with internal technical teams and external service providers.
• Serve as the primary project interface for assigned opportunities, providing project updates, status reporting, and executive-level communications.
• Facilitate collaboration among internal departments including Power & Energy, Development, Construction, Design, Legal, Finance, Tax, Procurement, and Operations.
• Maintain project schedules, action items, milestones, and critical path activities to support timely decision-making and execution.
• Manage development budgets, consultant engagements, vendor agreements, and change orders related to project development activities.
• Conduct site due diligence reviews and evaluate consultant deliverables, studies, reports, and recommendations.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies for entitlement, infrastructure, commercial, regulatory, and execution-related issues.
• Develop site shortlists and provide recommendations regarding acquisition opportunities and investment priorities.
• Support preliminary underwriting activities and financial analysis in partnership with Finance and FP&A teams.
• Assist with review of commercial terms and business provisions associated with purchase agreements, letters of intent, easements, consultant agreements, and related transaction documents.
• Support negotiation and evaluation of tax incentives, economic development incentives, and other development-related programs.
• Build and maintain relationships with brokers, developers, landowners, municipalities, economic development organizations, utilities, and other key stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, business cases, and recommendations to executive leadership and investment decision-makers.
• Ensure project information, documentation, and institutional knowledge are maintained to support seamless transition into development and construction execution.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Engineering, Urban Planning, Construction Management, Business, Finance, Geography, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in site selection, land acquisition, real estate development, infrastructure development, project development, or a related field.
• Experience managing complex site acquisition or development projects from evaluation through approval and execution.
• Working knowledge of zoning, permitting, entitlement, land use planning, environmental due diligence, and infrastructure development processes.
• Experience evaluating commercial, technical, and financial considerations associated with development opportunities.
• Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Experience presenting recommendations, risks, and project updates to senior leadership.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and project management tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting data center, industrial, utility, infrastructure, telecommunications, or large-scale commercial development projects.
• Knowledge of utility power infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and site readiness requirements.
• Experience supporting underwriting, financial modeling, or investment approval processes.
• Familiarity with economic development incentives, tax abatements, and development agreements.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, CCIM, SIOR, AICP, or similar credentials are preferred.

Travel

Ability to travel up to 30-40% domestically to evaluate sites, conduct due diligence activities, attend stakeholder meetings, and support acquisition initiatives.

CyrusOne is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status. CyrusOne provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any other state or local laws. We will respond to requests for reasonable accommodations to assist you in applying for positions at CyrusOne, or to submit a resume.

CyrusOne may use artificial intelligence to assess how your application matches the job requirements. The final hiring decision is always made by our team. You may opt out of AI screening without affecting your candidacy. For additional details on opting out, or our AI Recruiting Policy click here.

CyrusOne is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you need special assistance or an accommodation while seeking employment, please email [e-mail] or call: 806-589-0141. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

CyrusOne is proud to be recognized as a Top Work Place by USA Today. Celebrated for our company culture, CyrusOne stands out for its commitment to core values such as community, agility, respect, an enjoyable workplace, ethics, and exceptional service. This accolade reflects CyrusOne’s dedication to creating an engaging, respectful, and growth-oriented environment, underpinned by integrity, which not only enhances customer satisfaction but also contributes to the company’s overall success.

CyrusOne is a leading global data center developer and operator specializing in delivering state-of-the-art digital infrastructure solutions. With more than 50 high-performance mission-critical facilities worldwide, the Company ensures the continued operation of digital infrastructure for nearly 1,000 customers, including approximately 200 Fortune 1000 companies. CyrusOne’s leading global platform of hybrid-cloud and multi-cloud deployments offers customers colocation, hyperscale, and build-to-suit environments, which help enhance the strategic connections of their essential data infrastructures and support the achievement of sustainability goals. CyrusOne data centers offer world-class flexibility, enabling clients to modernize, simplify, and rapidly respond to changing demands. Combining exceptional financial strength, a broad global footprint, and continued investment in key digital gateway markets, CyrusOne provides the world’s largest companies with long‑term stability and strategic advantage at scale. For more information, please visit cyrusone.com.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

The law requires CyrusOne to post a notice describing the Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination. For information regarding your legal rights and protections, please click on the following link: Know Your Rights CyrusOne will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay. Please see the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision for more information.

As a Federal Contractor, CyrusOne is required to participate in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. For information please click on the following link: E-Verify.