Regional Director of Critical Operations

About the role

The Regional Critical Operations Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for multiple data center facilities within an assigned region. This role is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, reliability, and efficiency across all sites while supporting the company's growth objectives.

This role requires candidates to be located within the West Coast or Central US regions.

What You'll Do

• Regional Operations Leadership
  • Provide strategic direction and oversight for data center operations across multiple facilities within the assigned region
  • Maintain consistent operational standards, policies, and procedures across all sites
  • Monitor facility performance metrics and drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize uptime, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness
  • Serve as the regional escalation point for critical operational issues and incidents
  • Participate in the incident management escalation path, which may require engagement outside of standard business hours
• Financial Management
  • Own P&L responsibility for regional operations, including budget development, forecasting, and variance management
  • Identify and implement cost optimization opportunities while maintaining operational integrity
  • Develop and present business cases for operational investments and improvements
• Capital Projects
  • Oversee regional capital project planning, prioritization, and execution
  • Partner with engineering and project management teams to ensure capital investments align with operational requirements and business objectives
  • Track project milestones, budgets, and deliverables to ensure successful outcomes
• Safety, Compliance & Risk Management
  • Champion a culture of safety across all regional facilities, ensuring adherence to Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) standards and regulations
  • Support compliance with industry frameworks and certifications including ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and other applicable standards
  • Partner with compliance and audit teams to ensure operational practices meet regulatory and customer requirements
  • Oversee incident investigation processes and drive corrective actions to mitigate risk
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with Sustainability teams on energy efficiency initiatives, environmental compliance, and corporate sustainability goals
  • Collaborate with Engineering and Solutions Engineering teams on capacity planning, infrastructure design, and technical standards
  • Work closely with Sales teams to support customer acquisition and retention efforts
  • Coordinate with Security teams to ensure alignment between physical security and critical operations protocols
  • Engage with other functional areas as needed to support business objectives
• Customer Engagement
  • Support customer RFP responses by providing operational expertise, facility capabilities, and service level commitments
  • Participate in customer tours, presentations, and business reviews as a subject matter expert on critical operations
  • Ensure customer requirements and SLAs are understood and incorporated into regional operational planning
• Team Leadership
  • Lead, mentor, and develop site leadership teams within the region
  • Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and operational excellence
  • Support talent acquisition and succession planning for critical roles

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience in data center operations or critical facility management
• 5+ years of management or leadership experience
• Several years of Navy nuclear background along with civilian experience is highly preferred
• Experience managing P&L and operational budgets across multiple locations
• Demonstrated knowledge of MEP-related critical infrastructure systems including electrical distribution, mechanical/cooling systems, fire and life safety, and building/electrical power management systems
• Experience with Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) programs and regulatory compliance
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA
• Proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, a technical discipline, or related experience
• Experience with capital project planning and oversight
• Familiarity with data center industry standards and best practices (Uptime Institute, TIA-942, etc.)

Benefits

Competitive salary range $175,000 - $225,000 along with an annual performance bonus & project-based bonus paid 3-4 times per year

401(k) up to a 4% employer match that is fully vested upon enrollment

100% employee premiums paid by employer for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability

4 weeks of Paid Time Off + Sick time

Applications

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

Prime is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, protected veteran or military status, disability status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.