Senior Manager, Critical Operations

QTS Data Centers; York (SC); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid holidays

Job summary

QTS Data Centers is seeking a Senior Manager, Critical Operations to lead the data center facility strategy and continuous improvement. You will work on electrical/mechanical systems, FLS, and DCIM platforms, coordinating with Engineering for daily needs and major projects.

This on-site role requires 24x7x365 coverage; remote work is not available. You will oversee maintenance teams, budgets, safety compliance, and energy efficiency initiatives to ensure peak facility performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, architecture, military schooling, or equivalent.
• Extensive leadership experience in data-center operations.
• Experience with mechanical and electrical infrastructure and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Maintain facility policies and procedures aligned with corporate standards.
• Develop and maintain efficient maintenance operations ensuring 100% uptime.
• Develop emergency response planning and incident reporting.
• Manage operating and capital budgets in partnership with other teams.
• Oversee cleaning, site upkeep, and vendor coordination.

Skills

Customer service

Systems analysis

Team leadership

Communication skills

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/engineering/architecture

Tools

DCIM platforms

Building management systems

Job description

The Senior Manager, Critical Operations is responsible for the Data Center facility technical strategy, continuous improvement, and development support. This role will support the electrical, mechanical, FLS (Fire, Life, Safety), and DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure management) platforms, and building and housekeeping items from a site operations standpoint. This role will collaborate with the Engineering Manager on technical operations and daily facility needs. This role will own the strategic projects and continuous improvement site items. This leader should have experience with mechanical and electrical data center infrastructure, codes, regulations, required and applied safety standards and practices, as well as data center remote hands and customer support. This role will oversee the teams who perform preventative and corrective maintenance on critical mechanical and electrical equipment. This role will suggest, plan, and implement measures that increase the energy efficiency of the facility.

This role requires on‑site work hours to support a 24X7X365 data center environment and is not eligible for remote and/or hybrid work.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Other duties may be assigned.

• Maintain, establish, and implement facility policies, procedures and organizational structure within the boundaries established by senior management team and corporate policy while ensuring no contradiction in federal, state, and local operating regulations or laws.
• Develop and maintain efficient maintenance matrixed operations utilizing maintenance governance, standards utilizing in‑house staffing and vendor support to provide 100% up‑time of all mechanical, electrical, life safety, monitoring, and control systems. This includes, but is not limited to, developing, and coordinating maintenance agreements, maintenance procedures, testing procedures, inspections, reporting, and accounting practices.
• Development of emergency response planning, response management and reporting of incident and emergency situations for all mechanical, electrical, associated controls and plumbing systems.
• Develop, direct, and monitor short‑term and long‑range business plans consistent with overall profit and growth objectives of the company that establishes operations standards for cost control, waste reduction, quality, safety, and an environmentally friendly community partner.
• Manage and oversee the execution of building and site cleanliness and preservation operations.
• Development and management of an effective operating and capital budget.
• Oversee operations budget to ensure compliance with organizational expenditure requirements. Partner with Development, Sales, Implementation, and Solutions Engineers to deploy and maintain customer environments.
• Conduct Sales and Customer tours and audits.
• Ensure the pro‑active delivery of corporate services support, power services, COT (Critical Operations Technicians) headcount projections, planning, budgeting, capital projects, maintenance, and business continuity/disaster recovery.
• Help negotiate improvement project contracts as needed on leased and owned real estate.
• Confer with professional operations staff subject matter experts (SME’s) to find resolution to operational problems, develop and authorize operational procedures and approve all major estimates.
• Utilize comparative evaluations between mechanical, electrical, and controls systems performance and key performance indicators to monitor the effectiveness of operational programs through benchmarking and the utilization of best practices.
• Ensure facilities’ mechanical, electrical, controls, monitoring, and fire‑life safety systems compliance with all governmental regulatory operating guidelines.
• Obtain and keep current all necessary licenses, permits and certifications as required.
• Supervise, train, develop and coach employees.
• Works with direct reports to establish performance goals, monitors progress, and advises on ways to enhance their professional development and success.
• Facilitate Data Center space and cable plant design, implementation, and maintenance.
• Ensure teams performing equipment installs, managing tickets, communicating, completing tasks pertaining to computer hardware and/or software, and all incidents are resolved in a timely manner.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

Five or more years workplace or professional equivalent experience. Five or more years people leadership experience. Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, Architecture, Military Schooling, or professional equivalent experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Ten or more years data center environment or professional equivalent experience. Five or more years people leadership experience in a data center environment.

Master's degree in business, Engineering, Architecture, Military Schooling, or professional equivalent experience

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Exceptional customer service
• Ability to analyze the operation of various systems, determine the cause of any problems or malfunctions and take corrective action as required.
• Ability to manage complex situations during off management hours - single point of contact.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to effectively lead a team environment.
• The ability to acquire and apply job‑related knowledge within set guidelines and expectations.
• Position may involve frequent typing, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, bending, reaching, and lifting.
• Lifting requirements may range from 10 lbs. - 50 lbs. on a regular basis, with heavier weights done in conjunction with other individuals or lifting aids.

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 role may be bonus and equity eligible.

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.

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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.