Operations Construction Project Manager, East Region

About Coresite

Coresite empowers a more connected future through high-performance data centers and interconnection solutions. Recognized as a trusted partner in digital transformation, our strategically located facilities and innovative services enable businesses to connect, collaborate, and grow in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

Their culture is defined by operational excellence and a relentless drive for innovation. They foster a collaborative environment where every team member is valued, wins are celebrated as a team, and ownership is part of their DNA. At Coresite, they're not just building state-of-the-art infrastructure—they're creating a community of forward-thinkers committed to solving complex challenges and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Coresite is Committed to Excellence, Builds Connections, Owns It, Does the Right Thing, Has Fun, and Wins as a Team. Join them and be part of a team that is shaping the future of digital infrastructure while nurturing your professional growth and success.

Role Summary

The Operations Construction Project Manager is a member of the Data Center Operations organization and is responsible for the end-to-end management of capital and operational construction projects performed within active, mission-critical data centers. The role leads projects from business case and scope development through design, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, operational turnover, and financial closeout. Success requires disciplined project management, strong technical judgment, and close coordination with site operations to execute work safely, protect customer environments, and maintain facility reliability throughout construction.

Project Portfolio

• Critical electrical, mechanical, controls, life-safety, and building equipment end-of-life replacements.
• Single-point-of-failure remediation, resiliency improvements, and risk-reduction projects.
• Energy optimization, efficiency improvements, controls upgrades, and sustainability initiatives.
• Technology and infrastructure upgrades within operating data centers.
• Customer requested modifications, fit-outs, retrofits, and capacity enablement projects.
• General upkeep, renovations, repairs, code-compliance work, and special or atypical projects.

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning and Governance

• Manage multiple concurrent projects and be accountable for scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, risk, and operational readiness.
• Partner with Regional and Site Operations, Engineering, Design & Construction, Finance, Procurement, Legal, Sales, Customer Experience, and other stakeholders to define project requirements and develop business cases for approval.
• Establish project execution plans, milestone schedules, cost estimates, cash flow forecasts, risk registers, communication plans, and clear decision and escalation paths.
• Identify long lead equipment, labor constraints, outage dependencies, customer impacts, and operational risks early enough to support effective mitigation.

Design, Permitting, and Procurement

• Coordinate design development and review drawings and specifications for completeness, constructability, maintainability, adherence to Coresite standards, and compatibility with live site operating requirements.
• Act as the primary liaison between design teams and Data Center Operations, ensuring operational requirements are incorporated before construction begins.
• Manage permitting and inspection activities, including coordination with Authorities Having Jurisdiction and timely resolution of plan review comments.
• Develop and issue Requests for Proposals, provide complete bid documentation, evaluate proposals, level bids, recommend vendor selections, and support contract and purchase order execution.
• Carefully coordinate with Procurement, Legal, Finance, and internal stakeholders to finalize scope, schedule, commercial terms, budget, and cash management requirements.

Construction in Active Data Centers

• Lead project kickoffs, owner-architect-contractor meetings, vendor coordination, readiness reviews, and field execution activities.
• Ensure construction plans account for continuous data center operations, customer commitments, redundancy state, maintenance windows, access controls, site logistics, noise, dust, cleanliness, and other live environment constraints.
• Oversee the creation, review, approval, and implementation of Methods of Procedure and related critical work controls in coordination with Operations and Engineering.
• Validate contractor safety plans, site logistics, outage sequencing, temporary conditions, and restoration plans before work begins.
• Coordinate designers, contractors, commissioning agents, equipment vendors, controls providers, and site teams to prevent conflicts and minimize operational disruption.
• Conduct frequent site walks, confirm progress and quality, track owner furnished equipment, manage deficiencies and punch lists, and verify contractor milestones before approving billings.

Controls, Reporting, and Change Management

• Maintain accurate project records, including meeting minutes, schedules, look-ahead plans, progress reports, photographs, submittals, RFIs, issue logs, change order logs, deficiency logs, and commissioning records.
• Provide routine executive and stakeholder reporting on project status, risks, budget, schedule milestones, variances, decisions, and required support.
• Control scope creep and evaluate all change requests for technical need, cost, schedule, contract compliance, operational impact, and stakeholder authorization.
• Review invoices and contractor billings for accuracy, required supporting detail, contract compliance, and verified field progress; support timely payment and forecast updates.
• Develop and apply lessons learned, process improvements, and cost and schedule optimization practices across the portfolio.

Commissioning, Training, and Turnover

• Develop and manage the commissioning scope, schedule, budget, and testing sequence in partnership with Engineering, Operations, contractors, vendors, and commissioning agents.
• Participate in testing and validation to confirm safe system operation, performance, redundancy, alarms, controls integration, and compliance with project requirements.
• Coincide operating procedures, preventive maintenance requirements, spare parts, warranties, and technical training before turnover.
• Collect, audit, and deliver as-built drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, test reports, warranties, keys, spare parts, and all required closeout documentation.
• Lead final operational readiness reviews and ensure open items are resolved or formally transferred with clear ownership, risk assessment, and completion dates.
• Complete contract, purchase order, invoice, accounting, and final cost reconciliation activities in a timely manner.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of mission critical data center operations and the risks associated with construction in live environments.
• Working knowledge of large and complex electrical, mechanical, plumbing, controls, life safety, civil, structural, and architectural systems.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, technical specifications, one-line diagrams, sequence of operations documents, schedules, and commissioning plans.
• Knowledge of design and construction administration, permitting and inspections, contract structures, equipment purchasing agreements, and contractor management.
• Demonstrated capability in budgeting, cost tracking, forecasting, CPM scheduling, progress reporting, change order management, and vendor procurement.
• Ability to manage several projects across multiple markets while prioritizing urgent operational needs and maintaining disciplined follow through.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, problem solving, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• High level of judgment, ownership, adaptability, and composure when coordinating critical work or responding to changing field conditions.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam, Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and standard project/document control tools; AutoCAD familiarity is beneficial.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field is preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Minimum of five years of commercial construction project management experience with increasing responsibility and complexity; five to seven years is preferred.
• Experience managing construction in operating, mission critical facilities is required; data center experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing both MEP and CSA scopes, including critical equipment replacements and infrastructure upgrades, is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with project budgets, schedules, procurement, contracting, change management, commissioning, and closeout is required.

Travel and Work Environment

This role requires 50% or greater travel, including frequent overnight travel and extended periods supporting projects in Coresite markets. The selected candidate must be able to work regularly in active data center and construction environments and remain flexible as project priorities and travel requirements evolve. Preferred home-base locations are New Jersey, Northern Virginia, Los Angeles, or the Bay Area.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, talk, and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

CoreSite Culture

Employees are encouraged to promote and demonstrate behaviors consistent with Coresite's culture, values, and guiding principles. Perform other projects and duties as assigned.

Compensation

Compensation for this role includes a base salary between $170,000 and $185,000. This role is also eligible for an annual bonus and equity, based upon individual and company performance.

Benefits

• First-day medical insurance through Cigna with generous premium cost coverage
• Dental insurance through Delta Dental
• Vision insurance through VSPTelemedicine through MDLive for Cigna
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) plans for employees participating in the High Deductible Health Plan
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance fully paid by the company
• Discretionary annual bonus and equity incentive plan
• Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) with a 15% discount
• 16 days of paid time off (PTO)
• 11 paid company holidays and additional floating holidays
• Additional paid time off for school events, elder care, volunteering, bereavement, jury duty, voting, parental leave and disability leave
• Free parking or a company contribution toward a public transit pass
• Additional paid time off for school events, elder care, volunteering, bereavement, jury duty, voting, parental leave and disability leave
• Additional Perks-Wellness Reimbursement Program: Yearly stipend of $500 for employees and $300 for dependents, up to $800 total for the family
• Wellness Incentive Program: Participate in various wellbeing activities to earn up to $450 per year in cash incentives
• Technology Stipend: $100 monthly stipend
• Education and Reimbursement Program: Work-related learning and development with reimbursement on qualifying degree programs, up to $5,250