Vice President, Data Center Operational Excellence

Ares Management Corporation; Bellevue (WA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Ada Infrastructure, part of the Areas Management Corporation family, seeks a Director of Data Center Operational Excellence to define and drive a global operating model for safe, reliable, and scalable data center operations.

You will partner with regional leaders and executive teams to harmonize processes, govern performance, and lead continuous improvement initiatives across a global portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Facilities Management, or a related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in data center operations or mission-critical facilities.
• 5+ years leading global programs or governance functions.
• Demonstrated success scaling operational processes across regions.
• Experience with executive leadership interaction and change management.
• Strong analytical, financial, and strategic planning capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the global operations governance framework.
• Develop standards and processes for scalable data center operations.
• Establish global performance metrics, scorecards, and executive reporting.
• Partner with regional leaders to drive standardization and adoption of best practices.
• Lead governance forums for decision making, risk, and resource planning.
• Manage maintenance, incident, change, and asset management processes.
• Define SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, playbooks, and escalation procedures.
• Ensure readiness for facility turnover and onboarding; drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee vendor governance and service-level accountability.

Skills

Operational governance

Process design

Change management

Executive communication

Data analytics

Vendor governance

Global program leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

CMMS

DCIM

Asset management systems

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 part of the digital infrastructure platform Areas Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES), a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across 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 safe, sustainable digital infrastructure that drives customer success and social benefit.

Summary

The Director, Data Center Operational Excellence is responsible for defining, implementing, and continuously improving the global operating model that enables Ada's data center portfolio to operate safely, reliably, efficiently, and at scale. This role serves as the strategic owner of operations governance, standards, processes, systems, operational readiness, and continuous improvement across the global operations organization. They will partner closely with regional operations leaders, security, engineering, delivery, product, finance, and executive leadership teams to establish the operational framework that supports long-term growth and operational excellence. The successful candidate is a proven leader with deep experience in mission-critical operations, organizational scaling, process design, governance, operational excellence, and change management. This individual will drive consistency across regions while enabling operational flexibility needed to support local market requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Global Operations Strategy & Governance Own and continuously evolve the global operations governance framework.
• Develop the operating standards, management systems, policies, and processes that enable scalable global data center operations.
• Establish and maintain global operational performance metrics, scorecards, reporting structures, and executive review processes.
• Partner with regional leaders to drive alignment, standardization, and adoption of operational best practices.
• Lead governance forums that support operational decision making, risk management, resource planning, and performance management.
• Operations Process Ownership Serv e as executive owner for operational processes including maintenance management, incident management, change management, asset management, operational readiness, and vendor governance.
• Establish global standards for SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, playbooks, escalation procedures, and operational controls.
• Ensure operational processes support business growth, customer commitments, regulatory requirements, and reliability objectives.
• Drive process harmonization across regions while accounting for local requirements.
• Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead global operational excellence initiatives focused on safety, reliability, efficiency, scalability, quality, and cost optimization.
• Establish continuous improvement frameworks and maturity roadmaps.
• Use operational data and performance indicators to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Sponsor major transformation efforts that improve operational effectiveness and organizational capability.
• Develop business cases and strategic recommendations for operational investments.
• Operations Systems & Data Strategy Support CMMS, DCIM, asset management, maintenance management, workflow, and reporting platforms.
• Establish global data governance standards and operational reporting requirements.
• Drive improved visibility into operational performance through dashboards, analytics, and executive reporting.
• Partner with technology and systems teams to ensure platforms effectively support operational objectives.
• Incident, Risk & Readiness Management Establish governance processes for incident management, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and organizational learning.
• Lead operational risk reviews and mitigation planning.
• Ensure readiness frameworks are in place for new facility turnover and operational onboarding.
• Drive continuous improvements based on lessons learned, audits, assessments, and operational reviews.
• Vendor & Partner Management Establish governance models and performance management frameworks for third-party operators and critical service providers.
• Drive accountability against service levels, operational standards, and contractual commitments.
• Partner with regional teams to ensure consistent vendor management practices globally.
• Leadership & Organizational Development Mentor and develop operations professionals while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Influence senior leaders across multiple functions and regions to drive alignment on strategic priorities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on operational performance, risk, readiness, and scalability.

Qualifications & Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Facilities Management, or a related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in data center operations, mission-critical facilities, engineering operations, infrastructure operations, or related environments.
• 5+ years of leadership experience with responsibility for global programs, operational governance, or operational excellence functions.
• Demonstrated success scaling operational processes across multiple regions, sites, or business units.
• Significant experience with operational governance, process design, organizational transformation, and change management.
• Experience working with executive leadership teams and influencing decisions across complex organizations.
• Strong analytical, financial, program management, and strategic planning capabilities.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and executive presentation skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in hyperscale, colocation, cloud, or large-scale mission-critical environments.
• Experience with CMMS, DCIM, asset management, maintenance management, or enterprise operational systems.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, ITIL, ISO, Quality Management Systems, or similar operational excellence methodologies.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL, CDCP, CFM, or other relevant professional certifications.
• Experience leading globally distributed teams and supporting rapidly growing organizations.

Success Profile

• Create scalable operational frameworks that support global business growth.
• Drive consistency without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Build strong partnerships across operations, engineering, delivery, and product and financial organizations.
• Translate strategy into repeatable operational execution.
• Use data to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Build organizational capability that enables best-in-class data center operations globally.

Reporting Relationships Principal, Digital Infrastructure 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.

$220,000.00 - $240,000.00

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.

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across credit, real estate, private equity and infrastructure asset classes. We seek to provide flexible capital to support businesses and create value for our stakeholders and within our communities. By collaborating across our investment groups, we aim to generate consistent and attractive investment returns throughout market cycles.

Ares Management Corporation Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Ares Management LLC (together with its related operating and administrative subsidiaries, “Ares Management”) is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, creed, sex, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, status regarding public assistance, military or veteran status, domestic violence victim status, gender identity and expression, transgender status, genetic information, status as unemployed, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Ares Management will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. (1) As of March 31, 2026. AUM amounts include funds managed by Ivy Hill Asset Management, LP., a wholly owned portfolio company of Ares Capital Corporation and registered investment adviser.