TPM – DC Operational Readiness, Maintenance & Eng Leader

Salute is a leading provider of cutting-edge Data Center Infrastructure Services dedicated to serving data center clients worldwide. We pride ourselves on delivering sustainable solutions unparalleled reliability and outstanding customer service. As we continue to grow we are seeking a dynamic and experienced Technical Program Manager - Data Center Operational Readiness Maintenance and Engineering Leaderto join our team and drive our relationships with hyperscale clients to new heights.

Hours: Monday Friday (Days)

Salary: $155k-$175k/yr 10% annual bonus

Must be located in theGreenville / Spartanburg SC area.

Technical Program Manager - Data Center Operational Readiness Maintenance and Engineering Leader

Were looking for a transformational technical leader to serve as the Owners Representative during the construction commissioning and operational readiness certification of a next-generation High-Performance Compute Center (HPCC) in the Greenville/Spartanburg region of South Carolina.

As the Principal Technical Program Manager (TPM) you will be the vital bridge between design construction commissioning and operations driving the seamless transition from build phase to full 24/7/365 live mission-critical operations. This role is not about checking boxes its about architecting the operational backbone of a state-of-the-art HPCC from the ground up.

You will recruit build and lead the operational team while developing and implementing a comprehensive suite of site-specific systems processes and governance programs. From critical systems integration and facilities readiness to maintenance strategy security frameworks environmental compliance and EHS programs youll lead with precision urgency and purpose.

If youre a disciplined servant leader who thrives in fast-paced high-stakes infrastructure environments and youre inspired by the opportunity to shape the future state of a world-class HPCC we want to meet you.

Highlights of What Youll Own:

• Act as the Owners embedded technical leader ensuring quality consistency and integrity throughout construction and commissioning.
• Define and implement a complete Operational Readiness Frameworkincluding SOPs EOPs and MOPs tailored to the HPCC environment.
• Develop and launch a full suite of maintenance staffing and training programsto support Day 1 operations and long-term resiliency.
• Oversee integration of critical facility technologies and platforms(BMS DCIM CMMS EPMS SCADA etc.) in alignment with enterprise needs.
• Enforce Tier 4 perimeter security standards and physical access controlsin collaboration with Owner security and compliance stakeholders.
• Lead EH&S governance including policy creation training compliance and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drive hyper-care and steady-state readiness ensuring seamless operational transition with no disruption to service continuity.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project Leadership and Oversight:
• Provide on-site technical leadership during construction commissioning and transition to operations.
• Develop and publish a comprehensive operations process and procedures framework (Owners Operators Manual)
• Establish the sites reference library documenting all critical systems and standards.
• Define and implement operational maintenance and physical security standards.
• Evaluate and oversee integration of mission critical facility software operating systems.
• Design the 24 x 7 staffing model to support continuous critical operations post- commissioning.

Scope of Work:

• Lead the site team to operational readiness compliance standards
• Deliver comprehensive library of site-specific processes procedures standards and best-practices tailored to HPCC operations.

1. EOPs Emergency Operations Procedures.
2. SOPs Standard Operating Procedures.
3. MOPs Method of Procedures.

• Programs aligned to industry best-practices and site-specific needs.

Facility Management:

• Develop site-specific preventative reliability-centered and predictive maintenance strategies to maximize site resiliency
• Oversee the loading of asset information critical equipment specifications and operating principles into the facility software operating system.
• Continuously oversee and maintain the facility operating system software and digital twin as the system of record and single point of truth for site operations.
• Create comprehensive corrective and emergency management protocols

Staffing and Workforce Development:

• Architect staffing models shift schedules and job description roles and responsibilities for the sites maintenance operations engineering and physical security teams.
• Ensure total team participation and completion of DCCA Program Data Center Certified Associate
• Develop the site-specific Qualification Card Program to validate teams operational readiness status.
• Drive teams towards continuous learning and professional development through on-going training and learning opportunities.
• In collaboration with owner and Owners Partners build a high-performance highly disciplined and well-prepared site team for 24 / 7 / 365 operations.
• Oversee development and implementation of onboarding and workforce development program.

Physical Security and Compliance:

• Create site-specific physical security Post Orders to compliment Owners Physical Security Standards protocol for the site.
• Implement Owner defined access control and incident management for normal operations state.
• Oversight of end-to-end Asset Management Operational protocols (i.e. Shipping Receiving and Secure Storage)
• Conduct risk assessments and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Oversight of physical security partners as necessary.

Infrastructure Monitoring Telemetry and Digital Twin:

• Collaborate with team members on the establishment of a digital twin concept as part of the overall critical facility management and compliance program.
• Evaluate vet recommend and oversee integration of the facility software operating system.
• Subject Matter Expert (SME) with sites controls and telemetry systems - BMS BAS CMMS DCIM EPMS SCADA Fire/Life Safety Systems

Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S):

• Develop and document EH&S Program protocols transition plans and escalation paths
• Conduct risk assessments and ensure environmental compliance

Transition to Operations:

• In collaboration with commissioning manager develop and oversee transition plan from build state to run state
• Provide regular post-commissioning operations updates for hyper-care period following commissioning.
• Support configuration commissioning and documentation of system integrations

Stakeholder Communication and Reporting:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with all project stakeholders including owners contractors local authorities and regulatory agencies.
• Provide regular updates and presentations on project status including risks progress and financial performance.
• Ensure all documentation reports and project records are maintained and updated accurately.

QUALITY

• Champions a zero-downtime 24 / 7 / 365 operational mindset in mission-critical environments.
• Delivers operational excellence through rigorous adherence to preventative and predictive maintenance programs.
• Leads with a safety-first culture ensuring compliance with all EH&S NFPA OSHA EPA and TIA-942 standards.
• Fosters continuous improvement through root cause analysis and actionable corrective plans.
• Maintains a culture of accountability professionalism and high reliability among multidisciplinary teams.
• Implements best-in-class engineering practices to optimize performance energy efficiency and asset lifecycle.
• Ensures complete and accurate documentation of SOPs MOPs EOPs and change management procedures.
• Builds and maintains strong vendor and contractor performance through structured oversight and SLA enforcement.
• Oversee seamless commissioning -to-operations transition for new and retrofitted systems.
• Demonstrates data-driven decision-making using KPIs risk assessments and system performance metrics

Additional Job Dynamics to Expect:

• Operates in a high-availability mission-critical environment where uptime is non-negotiable
• Leads and responds during off-hours emergencies and incident escalations as a key decision-maker
• Regularly collaborates with design construction commissioning and IT stakeholders during facility lifecycle phases.
• Navigates a blend of strategic planning and hands-on field oversight to ensure operational readiness
• Must manage evolving operational demand across legacy infrastructure brownfield upgrades and new builds.
• Balances long-term engineering strategies with real-time incident response and risk mitigation.
• Interfaces directly with clients auditors vendors and executive leadership to report on system health and performance.
• Maintains constant situational awareness of mechanical electrical controls and life safety systems.
• Works within an environment subject to regulatory audits compliance inspections and third-party certifications

Basic Requirements:

• A bachelors degree (or equivalent) in Construction Management Engineering (Mechanical Electrical Industrial) Architecture Facilities Management Or closely related technical field; Professional certification (e.g. PMP LEED AP etc.) is a plus.
• 10 years of progressive experience in mission-critical data center operations with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role managing large-scale teams and critical infrastructure systems.
• Proven expertise in electrical (UPS switchgear generators) mechanical (HVAC chillers cooling towers) and controls systems (BMS/EPMS/SCADA) within Tier III or Tier IV High Performance Compute environments.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing preventative and predictive maintenance programs including vendor and contractor management.
• Strong knowledge of TIA-942 Standards NFPA ASHRAE OSHA EPA and relevant building codes and regulations.
• Experience supporting or integrating with commissioning QA/QC and facility acceptance testing (FAT/SAT) for new builds or brownfield redevelopment upgrades.
• Skilled in incident response RCA and emergency operating procedures (EOPs) in high-availability environments.
• Proficiency in maintenance management systems - advanced CMMS Digital Twin Simulation Benchmarking Asset Management work order platforms and reporting tools such as Smartsheet FM Systems Maximo and MCIM.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to interface across executive leadership engineering teams IT stakeholders and third-party vendors.

Preferred Requirements:

• Degree in Engineering Facilities Management Business Administration or related field.
• PMP PE CFM Uptime Accredited Tier Designer Certified TIA-942 Design Consultant or equivalent professional certifications.
• Direct experience managing hyperscale HPC AI-enabled or Tier IV data center environments.
• Demonstrated success leading brownfield redevelopment facility retrofits or complex infrastructure transitions.
• Knowledge of or experience with liquid cooling technologies CDUs or emerging AI/data center cooling systems.
• Familiarity with LEAN Six Sigma or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong command of ITIL ISO 27001 SOC 2 NIST or TIA-942 compliance frameworks
• Experience establishing and managing enterprise-level CMMS systems work order workflows and performance reporting dashboards.
• Prior responsibility for multi-site or global facility portfolios and associated team structures.
• Proven track record in mentoring technical leaders building operational training programs and fostering high-performance team culture.
• Verifiable proven Experience supporting construction-to-operations (C2O) transitions IST and final commissioning deliverables.

Location: Greenville / Spartanburg Region of South Carolina Required / On-Site)

Travel Expectations:Less than 10% domestic on-demand travel with overnight stay may be necessary and expected in this role.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift and carry heavy equipment up to 40lbs.
• Ability to climb ladders and multiple flights of stairs to access elevated equipment
• Ability to stand for long periods of time in various work environments
• Ability to bend stoop kneel and reach for equipment related tasks
• Basic physical fitness to respond quickly to emergency situations and navigate areas quickly
• Ability to move quickly and efficiently withing various work environments to troubleshoot issues or respond to emergencies.
• Good hand-eye coordination and dexterity for working with small components and connectors
• Clear vision with or without correction to perform tasks requiring attention to detail and precision while wearing safety glasses
• Ability to differentiate between color-coded warning signs labels and cables
• Ability to work in environments with a wide variety temperature inside a facility
• Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions including extreme temperatures rain or snow
• Capability to work in environments with elevated noise levels while wearing hearing protection
• Possession of a valid drivers license for work-related travel as required

If you are a motivated and results-driven individual with a passion for data center services and a knack for building strong client relationships we want to hear from you. Join us in revolutionizing the data center industry and apply today!

Salute is an equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity creating an inclusive environment for all employees and providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants; if you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process perform essential job functions or receive other benefits and privileges of employment please contact our Human Resources department at for more information.