Chief Development Officer

Job Description:

Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:

Strategic Planning & Execution:

• Develop and lead Flexentials long-term development strategy across site acquisition design construction and engineering.
• Drive alignment between infrastructure investments commercial strategy and technological trends in the data center sector to enable rapid market entry and capacity scaling.
• Partner closely with Sales Finance and Operations to prioritize development initiatives based on ROI customer demand and power availability.
• Report regularly to the CEO President and Board of Directors on development progress key risks and strategic initiatives.

Site Acquisition & Real Estate Development:

• Lead end-to-end site acquisition process including market analysis feasibility studies land procurement entitlements and incentives.
• Build and maintain relationships with brokers utilities municipalities and developers.
• Manage portfolio optimization strategy including site disposition redevelopment and reuse.

Design Construction & Engineering Leadership:

• Direct in-house and third-party design construction and engineering teams to deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Establish scalable design and construction standards to support consistent delivery across core and edge markets.
• Ensure all developments adhere to internal standards for quality sustainability compliance and safety.

Team Development & Leadership:

• Build and lead a high-performing cross-functional team of real estate design construction engineering professionals and external consultants.
• Foster a culture of accountability innovation and continuous improvement across development functions.

Capital Planning & Vendor Management:

• Partner with the CFO to build and manage capital budgets aligned with the companys strategic plan.
• Lead strategic vendor partnerships and negotiate commercial terms for construction architecture engineering and equipment.

Risk Management & Governance:

• Ensure appropriate risk management frameworks are in place for development activities including regulatory environmental and financial risks.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance to ensure governance across all jurisdictions and project types.

• 15 years of experience in real estate development engineering construction or infrastructure delivery with at least 7 years in a senior leadership role within the data center mission-critical or hyperscale infrastructure sectors.
• Proven track record of delivering complex development programs across multiple U.S. or international markets ideally with scale exceeding $500M in aggregate capital projects.
• Deep understanding of electrical and mechanical systems utility interconnects permitting processes and Tier III/IV operational standards.
• Demonstrated experience in capital planning vendor negotiations and managing development budgets in excess of $100M annually.
• Strong working knowledge of entitlements incentive negotiations environmental compliance and land development lifecycle.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic Visioning Ability to see around corners and align infrastructure decisions with long-term business goals.
• Cross-Functional Influence Strong executive presence and ability to drive alignment across Finance Operations Sales Legal and Product.
• Executional Excellence Relentless focus on outcomes timelines and cost performance.
• Leadership & Team Building Builder of high-performing organizations and developer of next-generation talent.
• Commercial Acumen Strong understanding of customer needs market dynamics and deal-making.

Education:
Bachelors degree in Finance Mechanical Engineering or a related field. An MBA or advanced degree is highly preferred.

Technical Requirements:
1. Data Center Design and Infrastructure Expertise:

• Deep understanding of Tier III and Tier IV data center design principles with fluency in Uptime Institute standards and redundancy configurations (N N1 2N etc.).
• Proficiency in mechanical electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems including:
  • UPS systems switchgear PDUs generators BMS/EPMS
  • HVAC systems including CRAC/CRAH units chilled water systems and direct-to-chip/immersion cooling for HPC/AI
• Experience implementing modular and prefabricated design solutions to enable speed-to-market and scalability.

2. Power Cooling and Energy Systems:

• Advanced knowledge of utility infrastructure planning including transmission and distribution design substation integration and dual-feed resiliency.
• Familiarity with renewable energy procurement power purchase agreements (PPAs) and utility interconnects.
• Understanding of thermal management strategies such as free cooling liquid cooling and containment design for high-density deployments.

3. Real Estate and Site Acquisition:

• Strong grasp of land due diligence zoning entitlements environmental site assessments (Phase I/II) and local regulatory processes.
• Experience securing development incentives (e.g. tax abatements infrastructure grants energy rebates) and managing public/private utility negotiations.
• Proficiency with GIS and power availability mapping tools to identify viable land in target markets.

4. Construction & Project Delivery:

• Familiarity with construction delivery models including design-bid-build design-build and CM at-risk.
• Competency in managing construction schedules Gantt charts milestone tracking and earned value reporting.
• Deep experience with construction budgeting cost estimating (ROM to GMP) and value engineering.
• Proficiency in project management tools (e.g. Procore Primavera P6 MS Project).

5. Engineering & Technical Standards:

• Understanding of:
  • NFPA NEC ASHRAE IEEE ISO/IEC 27001 and other relevant regulatory codes and industry best practices
  • Structural and seismic design standards relevant to hyperscale and edge deployments
  • Fire suppression systems (pre-action clean agent) leak detection and other safety-related infrastructure
• Familiarity with commissioning standards (Level 15) and integrated systems testing (IST).

6. Sustainability & ESG Integration:

• Experience integrating LEED WELL or Energy Star standards into data center builds.
• Familiarity with Scope 1 2 and 3 emissions carbon accounting and sustainable building materials.
• Understanding of cooling efficiency metrics like PUE WUE and their optimization through design and operations.

7. Regulatory & Compliance:

• In-depth knowledge of building codes safety regulations and permitting across multiple U.S. jurisdictions and international markets (as applicable).
• Experience working with environmental agencies local utility commissions and permitting authorities to meet development timelines.
• Familiarity with public reporting requirements and compliance for infrastructure projects under private equity or REIT structures.

8. Digital Tools & Reporting Systems:

• Proficiency in construction and design software (AutoCAD Revit BIM 360).
• Comfort with dashboards and data visualization tools (Power BI Tableau) for executive and board reporting.
• Familiarity with digital twin technology and AI/ML-based predictive modeling for capacity planning and preventive maintenance.

Join an innovative and rapidly growing company at the forefront of the data center industry.
Lead strategic initiatives that drive both technological advancement and operational excellence.
Work in a collaborative and dynamic environment contributing to the long-term success of the company.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to sit for extended periods of time
Walk or stand for 25% of the time
Moderate or advanced keyboard usage
Lift 25 lbs
Limited travel may be required

Base Pay Range: Annualized salary range offered for this position is estimated to be $256000 - $384000. However the actual pay range depends on each candidates experience location and qualifications.

Variable Pay: Discretionary annual bonus based on personal and company performance.

This position has the following safety hazards:

Chemical

Electrical

Ergonomics

Climb ladders

Mechanical lift

Noise

Temperature Extremes

Trip/Fall

Driving (must possess valid drivers license and insurance)

Other:

Not meeting every single requirement No problem! We are looking for candidates who possess unique skills that set them apart from the rest. If youre enthusiastic about this role and believe you have the skills and abilities that would make you successful dont hesitate to apply today!

Benefits of working at Flexential:
Medical Telehealth Dental and Vision
401(k)
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life and AD&D
Short Term and Long-Term disability
Flex Paid Time Off (PTO)
Leave of Absence
Employee Assistance Program
Wellness Program
Rewards and Recognition Program

Benefits are subject to change at the Companys discretion.

EEO Statement: Flexential is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity or expression pregnancy age national origin disability status genetic information protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.