Vice President Pre-Construction
Department: DC Operations | Location: USA | Work Arrangement: Remote | Travel: 25–50%
About the Role
The Vice President, Pre-Construction architects and builds the lean function that converts authorized data center projects into executable construction plans and documented ready-to-build (R2B) handoffs. This leader integrates constructability, construction phasing, design and permit readiness, utilities, estimates, schedules, procurement and contractor scope before mobilization. The role directs pre-construction across the portfolio, supports active projects on unresolved pre-construction obligations, and builds repeatable standards, governance and team capability.
Culture
At 5C our core values guide how we collaborate, make decisions, support one another, and serve our customers. We're looking for people who embrace them and help us build something great.
We're more than a workplace — we're a team of builders, innovators, and problem-solvers united by a shared purpose: creating infrastructure that powers the technologies transforming our world. Your voice matters here, and we encourage fresh ideas at every level.
Responsibilities
Pre-Construction Strategy & Functional Leadership
- Build the pre-construction operating model, including scope, readiness standards, work-release gates, staffing and escalation paths.
- Prioritize projects and specialist resources against construction-start dates, customer requirements, readiness risk and authorized pre-construction spend.
Project Intake & Scope Definition
- Receive approved project requirements and documented site, utility and approval constraints; confirm scope, assumptions and open conditions with the responsible upstream functions.
- Define construction scope boundaries, owner-direct interfaces and package requirements with Engineering, Construction and Procurement; return unresolved upstream items to their accountable owners.
Power, Utilities & Connectivity Readiness
- Integrate documented power, water, wastewater and fiber requirements into construction sequencing, including phased service dates, interconnection work and off-site infrastructure dependencies.
- Confirm utility scope, access, installation and energization prerequisites with responsible specialists; escalate delivery gaps without assuming ownership of utility feasibility or capacity procurement.
Construction Permitting & Release Conditions
- Coordinate construction permit packages, submissions, approval conditions and release dates with Engineering and responsible specialists; track prerequisites for authorized work packages.
- Translate existing entitlement conditions and off-site obligations into construction requirements; escalate unresolved approvals to their owners before recommending mobilization.
Constructability & Technical Coordination
- Collaborate in constructability reviews with Engineering, Construction and Technical Program Management.
- Incorporate cost and schedule implications of buildability and interface gaps involving infrastructure, equipment access, installation sequencing and operational separation; preserve Engineering's design authority.
Pre-Construction Risk & Readiness Governance
- Produce construction-release recommendations stating readiness evidence, alternatives, cost and schedule impacts, residual risks and required approvals.
- Maintain assumptions, risks, decisions and owner/date actions; revalidate material dependencies before tender, procurement release and construction authorization.
Construction Phasing, Logistics & Early Works
- Develop construction phasing, early-works, site-logistics and labor strategies with Construction; align executable work packages to documented site constraints and delivery milestones.
- Integrate equipment access, temporary services, installation sequencing, commissioning needs and modular or prefabricated delivery opportunities into execution plans.
Estimate, Schedule & Procurement Integration
- Coordinate scope-complete estimate and milestone inputs with Estimating, Cost Control and Project Controls, including assumptions, allowances, contingency and owner-direct scope.
- Partner with Procurement on packaging, market engagement and long-lead releases; surface cancellation exposure and prerequisites before commitments.