Director of Data Center Operations

Hunton Services a division of Hunton Group is seeking a Director of Data Center Operations to lead the transition of a large-scale mission-critical data center from commissioning through hypercare and into steady-state operations. This role serves as the operational leader responsible for stabilizing critical infrastructure building scalable processes and establishing a high-performing 24/7 operations team. The Director will play a key role in transforming a newly built environment into a structured reliable and repeatable operation. This is not a traditional facilities or maintenance role-this position sits at the intersection of construction commissioning and full operations requiring a leader who can successfully operate in that transition space.

Come work for an industry leader recognized both locally and nationally as one of the Top Places to Work!

Responsibilities:

Hypercare & System Stabilization

• Lead system stabilization efforts following commissioning ensuring reliable and consistent operations
• Drive alarm rationalization redundancy validation and KPI baseline development
  Partner with commissioning teams to support transition into operational ownership
• Build and lead a 24/7 operations organization including supervisors and technical staff
• Establish structure accountability and operational discipline across shift teams
• Develop operating rhythms escalation protocols and performance expectations
• Develop and implement preventative maintenance (PM) programs and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Oversee daily system monitoring logs and early-stage maintenance activities
• Ensure long-term asset reliability and operational readiness
• Provide leadership across central plant systems (HVAC chilled water) and supporting infrastructure
• Maintain awareness of electrical systems power distribution and redundancy (N1 2N concepts)
• Ensure coordination between mechanical and electrical systems in a mission-critical environment
• Establish KPIs dashboards and reporting processes to drive operational transparency
• Monitor system performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement
• Transition operations from reactive to structured data-driven performance management
• Serve as the primary operational interface with the client
• Support the transition from project-based support to full operational ownership
• Collaborate with internal leadership to align operations with long-term business goals

Required Qualifications:

• 8 years of experience in data center operations mission-critical facilities or industrial/central plant environments.
• Proven experience leading 24/7 operations teams in high-availability environments.
• Background supporting commissioning startup or system stabilization environments.
• Strong knowledge of HVAC / chilled water / central plant systems electrical infrastructure and redundancy concepts.
• Experience developing
  • Preventative maintenance programs
  • SOPs and operational procedures
  • KPI tracking and reporting systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in data center or critical facilities environments
• Exposure to BMS / CMMS systems alarm management and system monitoring tools
• Experience working in hypercare or post-construction stabilization environments
• Familiarity with redundancy design (N1 2N) and uptime-critical systems
• Bachelors degree in Engineering Facilities Management or related field (or equivalent experience)

Why This Role is Unique

• This position is not limited to maintenance or operations alone-it is a bridge role responsible for guiding a facility from construction commissioning hypercare steady-state operations.
• The Director will have the opportunity to build the operational foundation from the ground up directly impacting the long-term success and reliability of a large-scale data center.

Required Experience:

Director