Data Center Manager

Location: Columbus, OH (Onsite). Duration: Long Term.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Data Center Manager to provide end-to-end leadership and governance for a mission-critical data center environment. The role has overall accountability for 24x7 operations, service delivery, infrastructure reliability, SLA/KPI performance, operational risk, compliance, vendor management, and customer engagement.

Responsibilities

• Operations & Service Delivery: Own overall accountability for 24x7 data center operations and service delivery. Ensure availability, reliability, resilience, and operational readiness of critical facility infrastructure. Provide leadership and direction to operations and critical facilities teams.
• Governance, SLA/KPI & Customer Management: Own and manage SLA and KPI performance across data center operations. Act as the primary operational interface for customers and key stakeholders. Lead service reviews, performance reporting, governance meetings, and escalation management.
• Incident & Operational Risk Management: Manage operational risks, critical escalations, and major incidents. Lead critical infrastructure event response, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and corrective/preventive actions.
• Maintenance, OEM & Vendor Management: Oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs. Manage OEMs, specialist vendors, contractors, and service providers against contractual, safety, and technical requirements.
• H&S, Compliance & Operational Readiness: Ensure compliance with Health & Safety (H&S), regulatory, customer, and corporate operating requirements. Maintain audit readiness, emergency preparedness, and a strong culture of operational discipline.
• Capacity, Lifecycle & Continual Improvement: Drive operational reporting, capacity forecasting, asset lifecycle planning, and infrastructure optimization. Monitor power, cooling, space, redundancy, and equipment constraints and escalate material risks.
• Projects & Change Governance: Provide operational governance for facility projects and approved infrastructure changes. Ensure changes are risk assessed, controlled, documented, and formally transitioned into operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Facilities Engineering, or a related discipline preferred.
• Typically 8+ years of experience in data center, critical facilities, or mission-critical environments, including leadership responsibility.
• Strong working knowledge of UPS, generators, switchgear, electrical distribution, cooling/HVAC, CRAC/CRAH, and fire protection systems.
• Demonstrated experience managing SLAs/KPIs, major incidents, maintenance programs, customers, OEMs, and specialist vendors.

Skills

• Data Center Operations
• Critical Facilities
• SLA/KPI Management
• Major Incident Management
• Operational Risk
• Vendor/OEM Management
• Capacity & Lifecycle Planning
• H&S & Compliance
• Change Governance
• Continuous Improvement