Head of Infrastructure Operations (US)

About the role

Nscale is the GPU cloud engineered for AI. We provide cost-effective, high-performance infrastructure for AI start-ups and large enterprise customers. The Head of Infrastructure Operations will lead the end-to-end operational management of Nscale's data center portfolio across a defined region (EMEA, APAC, Americas).

Responsibilities

• Own the strategic vision and execution of data center infrastructure operations across the region, ensuring alignment with Nscale's business objectives and growth plans.
• Establish and maintain operational standards, processes, and procedures that drive efficiency, safety, and reliability across all sites.
• Lead the development and implementation of operational roadmaps that support capacity planning, infrastructure scaling, and service delivery milestones.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize costs, reduce downtime, and enhance operational maturity.
• Build, mentor, and lead high-performing teams across multiple data center sites, specifically operations staff.
• Establish clear accountability structures, performance metrics, and development pathways for direct reports and broader teams.
• Foster a culture of ownership, safety, and excellence where team members are empowered to make decisions and drive impact.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and support career progression.
• Oversee Datacenter Leads in their execution of day-to-day Infrastructure Operational procedures, from routine inspections to the handling of ITSM tickets ensuring all SLAs are met.
• Support the Datacenter provider (Nscale or Colo) to ensure optimum performance of the facility, including physical infrastructure, power distribution, cooling systems, security, and environmental controls.
• Maintain accurate asset inventory for all AI Infrastructure and supporting hardware and tooling.
• Support the physical security programme, maintaining audit trails, incident documentation and physical security protocols across all sites.
• Coordinate with the wider Nscale teams to ensure infrastructure layouts, rack elevations, and reference architectures are implemented correctly and optimised for efficient operations.
• Establish SLOs/SLIs for data center availability, performance, and incident response.
• Lead incident response and root-cause analysis for operational failures; own remediation and prevention strategies.
• Ensure full compliance with health and safety regulations, environmental standards, and industry best practices.
• Support ongoing certifications and audits (ISO 27001, ISO 22237, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 22301).
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for compliance, audit readiness, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage relationships with critical vendors, contractors, and service providers.
• Oversee vendor performance, SLAs, and contract compliance; escalate issues and drive resolution.
• Conduct procurement activities for equipment, services, and maintenance contracts with cost and quality discipline.
• Coordinate with the Supply Chain team to ensure smooth hardware deployment and logistics flow.
• Partner closely with Infrastructure Engineering, Network Engineering, and Security teams to ensure operational readiness and alignment.
• Work with the Deployment Supply Chain team to support hardware intake, staging, and deployment timelines.
• Collaborate with Finance and Commercial teams on capacity planning, cost optimization, and customer commitments.
• Support project delivery teams in commissioning new sites and scaling existing facilities.
• Engage with senior leadership on operational metrics, risk management, and strategic initiatives.
• Establish KPIs and KRIs for operational health (uptime, energy efficiency, cost per rack, incident rates, etc.).
• Implement monitoring and alerting systems to track infrastructure performance and environmental conditions.
• Produce regular operational reports for senior leadership, including performance metrics, risks, and improvement initiatives.
• Use data-driven insights to identify optimization opportunities and inform decision-making.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in data center operations, infrastructure management, or facilities management at scale.
• Proven track record leading regional or multi-site operations in a high-growth, fast-paced environment.
• Experience managing teams across multiple locations and coordinating complex operational initiatives.
• Demonstrated success in scaling operations, improving efficiency, and maintaining high reliability standards.
• Background in hyperscale, cloud, or HPC data center environments (preferred).
• Deep understanding of data center infrastructure, including power systems, cooling, networking, and security.
• Familiarity with ISO 22237 (data center design and operations) and ISO 27001 Annex A.11 (physical security).
• Knowledge of monitoring systems, environmental controls, and infrastructure automation.
• Understanding of GPU/HPC infrastructure and the unique operational requirements of AI cloud platforms.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 22301).

Skills

• Exceptional leadership capability with the ability to inspire, develop, and hold teams accountable.
• Strong stakeholder management skills; comfortable influencing senior leaders and cross-functional partners.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to translate complex operational concepts for diverse audiences.
• Problem-solving mindset with the ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
• Bias toward ownership, pragmatism, and delivering results with urgency.
• Disciplined, organized, and methodical approach to operational management and compliance.
• Proven ability to establish processes, standards, and controls that scale with business growth.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in documentation and reporting.
• Proactive approach to risk management, safety, and continuous improvement.