Director, Policy and Governance

Company Description

Ascent, LLC is a leading provider of comprehensive solutions for the planning, design, engineering, development, and operation of data centers and other mission critical facilities. Headquartered in Saint Louis, MO, Ascent specializes in powerful, efficient, and technologically advanced mission critical facilities and offers clients a broad range of delivery models spanning shell & core, build-to-suit, turnkey, and outsourced critical systems operations. Founded in 1998, Ascent provides a full spectrum of fast-track services that include project programming, design management, facility assessment, development and construction management, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance operations. Today, Ascent focuses on providing clients with innovative solutions and services yielding the highest levels of operational autonomy, efficiency, and control. Ascent’s clients include some of the most demanding mission critical organizations spanning multiple industries, Fortune 500 firms, and service providers.  Our business is growing fast, and we are currently seeking a talented Site Operations; Director of Policy and Governance

Job Description

Site Operations - Director, Policy and Governance

LOCATION: 

Position may be based in St. Louis, MO, Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX or Chicago, IL

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Site Operations – Director, Policy and Governance is responsible for establishing, implementing, and overseeing operational policies, procedures, and governance standards across all physical data center sites. This role ensures consistent, secure, and compliant site-level operations, aligning with organizational goals, industry regulations, and customer expectations. The position partners with regional site leaders, facilities teams, and compliance functions to enforce operational excellence and reduce risk across all locations.

• Policy & Procedure Leadership:
  • Develop and maintain standardized operational policies and site-level procedures across all data center facilities.
  • Ensure consistent application of physical security, maintenance protocols, access control, and critical infrastructure management.
  • Create and maintain global standards for site-level operations, including preventive maintenance, change management, and emergency procedures.
  • Ensure operational documentation (SOPs, MOPs, EOPs) is up-to-date, consistent, and enforced across all sites.
  • Establish policies that support corporate sustainability targets, including energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction.
• Governance & Compliance:
  • Establish and monitor governance frameworks for site operations, including audits, inspections, and performance reviews.
  • Drive compliance with internal standards and external regulatory requirements (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, Uptime Institute).
  • Coordinate readiness for external audits and certifications.
  • Lead internal control audits across data center sites; track findings, remediation efforts, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to interpret and implement global regulatory requirements at the site level.
  • Ensure physical and operational compliance with environmental health and safety (EHS), data privacy, and security standards.
  • Oversee governance of critical systems such as cooling, power, and fire suppression, ensuring performance thresholds and lifecycle standards are maintained.
  • Define escalation protocols and root cause analysis (RCA) procedures for site-level incidents or anomalies.
• Operational Oversight & Risk Management:
  • Lead risk assessments and incident management protocols across data center sites.
  • Ensure operational resilience, uptime, and continuity plans are documented, tested, and aligned with enterprise risk strategies.
  • Oversee reporting of key operational metrics (SLAs, MTTR, PUE, etc.) and non-compliance events.
  • Conduct regular operational assessments, including readiness drills, gap analyses, and best-practice benchmarking against industry standards.
  • Drive consistency and excellence in site operation KPIs across regions (e.g., uptime, PUE, maintenance schedule adherence).
  • Lead post-incident reviews (PIRs) for major site disruptions and ensure lessons learned are integrated into policy updates.
  • Oversee regional disaster recovery and emergency response plans, ensuring all site teams are properly trained and equipped.
• Training & Culture:
  • Implement a global training and certification program for site operations teams on standard operating procedures and emergency response.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and operational excellence at ea