Data Center Operations Manager

The Data Center Operations Manager / Site Lead serves as the senior onsite leader responsible for the safe, secure, and efficient operation of a large-scale AI and accelerated computing data center. This role provides leadership across Data Center Operations, Critical Facilities, Physical Security, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Asset Management, and customer-facing operational governance activities. 

The Site Lead is accountable for overall site performance, operational readiness, service delivery execution, customer satisfaction, personnel leadership, and continuous improvement. Acting as the primary point of contact for customer stakeholders, facility partners, OEMs, and internal support organizations, the Site Lead ensures compliance with established service levels, operational procedures, security requirements, and regulatory obligations. 

This role requires a hands-on operational leader capable of managing highly technical teams supporting hyperscale compute infrastructure, liquid-cooled AI platforms, critical facility environments, and rapidly expanding data center campuses. 

How You Will Make an Impact:

Site Leadership & Operational Excellence 

• Lead all day-to-day site operations across Data Center Operations, Security, and EHS functions. 
• Establish and maintain a culture of safety, accountability, operational discipline, and customer focus. 
• Direct daily operational priorities while balancing customer requests, project activities, maintenance requirements, and incident response efforts. 
• Ensure operational readiness and adherence to established SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, and customer-directed procedures. 
• Drive operational consistency across multiple shifts and ensure proper shift handoff processes are maintained. 
• Monitor and improve key operational metrics, service levels, and performance indicators. 

Customer Engagement & Governance 

• Serve as the primary onsite representative and escalation point for customer stakeholders. 
• Build trusted relationships with customer leadership, engineering teams, facilities teams, and operational partners. 
• Conduct recurring operational reviews and present KPI, SLA, incident, capacity, and improvement reporting. 
• Participate in customer audits, business reviews, governance meetings, and operational planning sessions. 
• Ensure customer-directed priorities are effectively communicated and executed by onsite teams. 

Team Leadership & Development 

• Lead and develop Data Center Technicians, Network Technicians, Facilities personnel, Security personnel, and supporting operational staff. 
• Conduct performance management, coaching, mentoring, and career development activities. 
• Ensure staffing levels support operational requirements and growth projections. 
• Participate in workforce planning, recruiting, onboarding, and training initiatives. 
• Establish qualification programs that ensure personnel maintain proficiency on supported equipment and operational procedures. 
• Maintain positive work culture in alignment with Milestone Values. 

Incident & Escalation Management 

• Lead site response efforts for operational incidents, outages, service disruptions, and emergency events. 
• Coordinate cross-functional response activities involving customer personnel, OEMs, contractors, and internal teams. 
• Ensure timely escalation and communication of critical events. 
• Drive root cause analysis, corrective actions, and lessons-learned reviews following incidents. 
• Maintain readiness for 24x7 operational support and escalation coverage. 

Deployment, Expansion & Mobilization 

• Support new site launches, campus expansions, and operational readiness activities. 
• Coordinate commissioning support, operational acceptance testing, and turnover activities. 
• Partner with project