Manager, Site Due Diligence & Pre-Development

Description

The Manager, Site Due Diligence & Pre-Development will lead the development due diligence process for prospective data center sites following execution of a letter of intent or purchase and sale agreement. Working closely with Land Acquisition, Legal, Engineering, Design, Construction, Utilities and external consultants, this position will evaluate site feasibility, identify and mitigate development risks, manage contractual due diligence activities and critical dates, and prepare projects for acquisition approval and closing.

Essential Duties

• Oversee and execute multi-disciplinary due diligence programs, including title review, environmental and ecological studies, geotechnical reports, zoning analysis, and permitting risk assessments.
• Identify, assess, mitigate, and communicate risks to the permitting and development strategy.
• Develop proactive mitigation plans to maintain project timelines and budgets.
• Develop and manage the pre-closing entitlement and permitting strategy, including zoning verification, rezoning, special-use approvals, annexation, development agreements, preliminary permits and other land-use approvals required to establish site viability.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with utility providers, economic development authorities, government agencies, and local communities to accelerate land entitlement and address potential public concerns.
• Capture and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders for preliminary evaluation of electric utility capacity, transmission and distribution access, substation requirements, interconnection timing, water and wastewater availability, fiber diversity, and other infrastructure required for data center development.
• Create, forecast, and monitor project budgets and capital planning.
• Establish due diligence and permit schedules, managing internal and external teams to ensure on-time completion.
• Synthesize complex due diligence findings and project statuses into clear, actionable executive-level presentations and reports to support investment and development decisions.
• Support master planning efforts to ensure land use efficiency, scalability, and alignment with data center design standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience in data center site selection, due diligence, and development.
• Extensive experience in large-scale, complex development projects across multiple jurisdictions.
• MBA, Master of Engineering, Real Estate, Land Planning, or relevant certifications.