Pre-Development Project Manager - Data Center Portfolio

About the role

At QTS Data Centers, we are proud to stand at the forefront of today’s dynamic digital transformation. Our world-class data centers empower our customers’ most strategic growth initiatives, positioning us as a global leader in digital infrastructure. As AI and cloud technologies fuel the demand for increased speed, capacity, and innovation, QTS has emerged as the global digital infrastructure leader, committed to connecting the globe for good.

The Predevelopment Project Manager is primarily responsible for leading and managing the predevelopment activities on a given project(s). The Project Manager will interact on a daily basis with Civil & Environmental Engineers, Designers, Development Consultants, municipality and utility staff, and internal stakeholders in various departments including Corporate Real Estate, Development, Engineering, and Data Center Operations staff.

Responsibilities

• Manage the due diligence, entitlements, permitting of multiple projects on a campus(es) to facilitate new datacenter development.
• Create and communicate updates on predevelopment program & project status on a monthly basis suitable for executive level reviews.
• Effectively present information in a manner to support efficient decision making.
• Work with QTS stakeholders, design consultants, and construction teams to create a master campus development program for site(s), including a complete campus design solution and capital budget.
• Communicate due diligence, entitlement & permitting risks, and identify risk mitigation strategies to maintain project timelines & budgets.
• Oversee the development of site specific multi-phased campus development plans to achieve time, budget, and quality standards in a predictable fashion.
• Continuously update campus master plan(s) to provide predictable statistics in a dynamic environment.
• Draft scopes of work for due diligence, campus master planning, and permitting & participate in vendor screening, evaluation, price leveling, selection, and contract negotiations.
• Ensure key stakeholders are familiar and understand the entitlements & permitting strategy for each assigned project.
• Create & Monitor project budgets to achieve budget and cashflow predictability.
• Establish due diligence, entitlements, and permit schedules and manage internal & external teams to on-time completion.
• Collaborate with Sales Engineers and Product teams to aid in custom deal solutioning for prospective clients within the applicable schedule and budget for an assigned location.
• Represent QTS Interests in critical meetings with AHJs, regulatory agencies, EDCs, and the public.
• Create & build relationships that enhance QTS’s ability to be a leader in creating the World’s Most Valuable Data Center Real Estate.
• Work with the internal development team to enhance project management processes and protocols.

Requirements

• Two or more years of professional experience in commercial real estate development, property management, or land acquisition.
• Experience with Bluebeam, Smartsheet, Microsoft Office suite, specifically PowerPoint for communicating program updates to executive level, and Excel to create and maintain site program & individual project budgets.
• Be able to travel up to 25% of the time.

Nice to have

• MBA, Masters in Engineering, Real Estate, Land Planning, Management, or related field.
• Experience managing a portfolio of projects and associated work streams in multiple markets.
• Experience with delivery of mission critical data center facilities.
• Extensive experience in large scale/complex land development.

Skills

• In-depth understanding of commercial real estate development processes, including due diligence, entitlements, and permitting.
• Strong familiarity with zoning regulations, environmental assessments, and municipal approval processes.
• Knowledge of infrastructure planning, civil engineering principles, and utility coordination.
• Understanding of budget forecasting, financial modeling, and capital planning.
• Project Management – Strong ability to lead, prioritize, and execute complex development projects.
• Strategic Thinking – Ability to assess risks, identify opportunities, and develop mitigation strategies to keep projects on track.
• Technical Proficiency – Ability to utilize Bluebeam, Smartsheet, Excel, and PowerPoint for documentation and reporting.
• Negotiation & Vendor Management – Experience in negotiating with regulatory agencies, consultants, vendors, and contractors.
• Presentation & Reporting – Ability to develop and deliver clear, executive-level presentations.
• Relationship Building – Proven track record of establishing and maintaining effective relationships with government entities, external partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with multiple teams and external partners.
• Capable of handling high-pressure environments with tight deadlines.
• Adept at analyzing and interpreting complex regulatory and permitting requirements.
• Ability to quickly adapt to changes in project scope, regulations, or business priorities.
• Strong leadership and problem-solving skills to drive projects forward efficiently.

Benefits

• Roth and Traditional 401(k) matching contributions with immediate vesting.
• Every employee is bonus or commission eligible.
• Generous PTO, Paid Volunteer Days, plus Floating Holidays.
• Stock Purchase Plan (SPP).
• 11 paid Holidays Annually/Holiday compensation when worked.
• Pet and Legal Insurance.
• Q-Rest Sabbatical Program.
• Q-Anniversary Service Award Program.
• Parental Leave for primary and secondary caregivers.
• Military Benefits Package.
• QTS Charitable Matching Gift Program.
• QTS Scholarship for Employee Dependents.
• QTS Crisis Fund.
• Wellness Program.
• Tuition Reimbursement Program.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• Flexible spending and HSA accounts.
• Employee assistance program.