Senior Associate, Data Center Development, North America

Ares Management Corporation; Bellevue (KY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) with company match

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Wellness programs

commuter benefits

Job summary

Ada Infrastructure, part of Ares Management Corporation, seeks a Senior Associate to lead North American data center development from LOI through entitlements. You will coordinate with internal and external experts, manage budgets and timelines, and navigate multiple development pathways with a focus on value and risk mitigation.

The role requires strong leadership, project management and collaboration with legal, energy, design, sustainability and delivery teams, including travel up to 20%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, planning, development or related field.
• 7–10 years of North American data center development or similar experience.
• Demonstrated leadership across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of zoning, entitlements, CEQA/NEPA and permitting.
• Experience with BTS and Spec developments.
• Experience managing budgets, schedules and risks.
• Coordination with municipalities, utilities and regulators.
• Ability to juggle multiple development pathways and client requests.
• Proven ability to lead due diligence and site feasibility.
• Excellent project management, analytical, organizational and communication skills.
• Proficient with Excel, PowerPoint, Procore, dashboards and Outlook.
• Comfortable in fast-paced environments; willing to travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Lead site development from LOI through permitting, entitlements and approvals.
• Coordinate due diligence and support acquisitions with stakeholders.
• Track risks, budgets and schedules; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Partner with legal, energy, design, sustainability and delivery teams.
• Develop standardized North American development practices and tools.
• Prepare executive status reports and summaries for leadership.
• Guide teams through multiple development pathways for highest value.
• Maintain dashboards and release logs for regional/global oversight.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture/Engineering/Planning/Development

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

Procore

Excel

PowerPoint

Dashboards

Outlook

Job description

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values - Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy - and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

About Ada Infrastructure

Ada Infrastructure is a part of the digital infrastructure platform of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES), a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, real estate, private equity and infrastructure asset classes.

We are a global data center business grounded in sustainability, safety, and security. With a world-class team of industry leaders and the resources of Ares Management Ada Infrastructure is executing on our mission to lead the world in sustainable digital infrastructure that drives customer success and social benefit.

Summary

The Senior Associate, North American Development leads US data center sites from Letter of Intent through entitlements and permitting, preparing sites for handoff to the delivery team. This role requires strong leadership, project management, and coordination skills to guide internal and external experts, mitigate risks, manage budgets, and maintain schedules. The ideal candidate has a developer background, experience managing BTS and Spec developments, and the ability to navigate multiple customer requests and development pathways at once. They must manage projects with flexible strategies, using input from SME’s to deliver the highest and best value for each site.

Key Responsibilities

Due Diligence, Development, and Entitlement Management

• Lead site development from Letter of Intent through permitting, entitlements, and regulatory approvals.

• Lead site due diligence in both desktop and detailed formats to support site acquisitions.

• Coordinate with municipalities, permitting agencies, utilities, and consultants to secure required approvals.

• Consolidate input from technical experts and stakeholders to track project risks, recommend mitigation strategies, and maintain compliance with schedules and budgets.

• Oversee environmental assessments, land use studies, and utility interconnection requirements.

• Ensure sites meet organizational criteria for power, fiber, water, access, and constructability prior to handoff.

Site Feasibility

• Conduct initial site reviews to assess feasibility, including zoning, land use, infrastructure, and regulatory requirements.

• Provide recommendations on site viability and prioritize development opportunities.

• Support the internal site selection team in conversations with landowners, brokers, and partners during early acquisition phases, providing guidance and assistance as needed.

Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the central point of coordination, gathering information from subject matter experts to maintain alignment across teams.

• Ensure that project schedules, deliverables, budgets, and risks are actively monitored and communicated to senior leadership.

• Partner with legal, site selection, energy, design, sustainability, and delivery teams to ensure smooth project execution.

• Develop standardized processes and tools for consistent North American development practices.

Project Management and Reporting

• Maintain schedules, milestone trackers, release logs, and development summaries, and coordinate information into regional and global dashboards.

• Track permitting and entitlement progress, ensuring documentation of approvals, assumptions, and decisions.

• Prepare executive summaries, status reports, and presentations for senior leadership and investment review.

• Lead teams to make strategic decisions for projects with multiple development pathways, ensuring the highest and best value outcomes for each site based on SME input.

Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, engineering, planning, development, construction management, or a related field. Advanced degree is a plus.

• 7 to 10 years of experience in North American data center development, real estate development, or equivalent.

• Demonstrated leadership in managing multidisciplinary teams and coordinating input from multiple subject matter experts.

• Strong knowledge of zoning, entitlements, CEQA/NEPA, and permitting processes across multiple jurisdictions in North America.

• Experience with BTS and Spec developments.

• Track record of managing budgets, schedules, and risks for complex development projects.

• Experience coordinating with municipalities, utility providers, and regulatory agencies.

• Ability to manage multiple customer requests and development pathways seamlessly, prioritizing competing needs effectively.

• Ability to manage projects with fungible development strategies and lead teams to the highest and best value.

• Lead comprehensive site due diligence in both desktop and detailed formats to inform acquisition decisions.

• Excellent project management, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

• Experience project management tools, Excel, PowerPoint, Procore, Dashboards, Outlook.

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities.

• Willingness to travel domestically up to 20 percent.

Reporting Relationships

Managing Director, Head of North America & CTO, Ada

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

$180,000.00 - $210,000.00

The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.

Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.