Senior Data Center Preconstruction Manager

Senior Data Center Preconstruction Manager

Fermi America is seeking a Senior Data Center Preconstruction Manager to own the integrated schedule development, cost planning, and construction readiness process for Fermi's hyperscale data center program. This role is responsible for ensuring that every building package transitions from design into construction with a fully vetted scope, budget, schedule, and execution plan.

The DC Sr Preconstruction Manager will lead preconstruction activities across concurrent building phasesdriving GMP development, contractor bid processes, scope alignment, and schedule integration. This role is the connective tissue between design, procurement, construction, and project controls, ensuring that decisions made in preconstruction translate into predictable field execution.

This role reports directly to the Head of DC Service & Delivery and works in close coordination with the Director of DC Construction, DC Sr Technical Manager, Sr DC Design Integration Manager, procurement, safety, quality, and project controls functions. This is a matrix environment where success depends on influence and partnership as much as direct authority. The right leader builds strong, collaborative relationships across every function and fosters a culture of transparency, shared accountability, and mutual respect.

Key Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end preconstruction process for all data center building packagesfrom initial scope definition through GMP execution and construction mobilization

Develop and maintain integrated preconstruction schedules that align design milestones, procurement timelines, permitting, and construction start dates across concurrent building phases

Lead GMP development and negotiation with general contractors and trade partners, ensuring competitive pricing, clear scope definition, and appropriate risk allocation

Drive construction readiness reviews to verify that design packages, permits, long-lead equipment, and subcontractor commitments are in place before authorizing construction starts

Manage preconstruction budgets and cost estimates, maintaining alignment between target budgets, GMP values, and actual commitments as packages progress

Coordinate with the Sr DC Design Integration Manager to ensure design deliverables support preconstruction timelines and that scope gaps are identified and resolved early

Establish standardized preconstruction workflows, templates, and checklists that can be replicated across successive building phases to reduce cycle times and improve predictability

Partner with procurement to align contractor sourcing, bid leveling, and commercial strategies with preconstruction schedules and budget targets

Lead change order management processes during the preconstruction-to-construction transition, ensuring cost and schedule impacts are documented and approved before work proceeds

Lead and embed commercial strategy into every building packagedriving contract structure decisions, risk allocation frameworks, incentive mechanisms, and pricing strategies that align commercial terms with construction execution goals and Fermi's financial objectives

Identify, assess, and mitigate preconstruction risks across scope, cost, schedule, permitting, and contractor capacitymaintaining risk registers, leading risk workshops with cross-functional teams, and building mitigation strategies into every GMP package before authorizing construction starts

Provide preconstruction status reporting to leadership, including schedule health, budget tracking, risk registers, and risk/opportunity assessments

Interface with the tenant's design team on preconstruction scope alignment, design criteria, and technical requirements to ensure building packages reflect tenant needs while maintaining Fermi's design standards and delivery commitments

Build and sustain a strong, collaborative culture across the preconstruction functionfostering open communication, mutual accountability, and trust with construction, design, procurement, and project controls partners

AI-Enabled Execution Philosophy

Fermi America integrates artificial intelligence and advanced analytics into its core project delivery workflows. The DC Sr Preconstruction Manager will be expected to embrace and champion this philosophy, including:

Utilizing AI-powered schedule analysis to identify sequencing conflicts, resource constraints, and critical path risks across concurrent preconstruction packages before they materialize in the field

Leveraging AI-driven cost benchmarking and estimating tools to validate GMP proposals, identify cost outliers, and improve bid leveling accuracy across contractor proposals

Deploying automated reporting workflows powered by AI to generate preconstruction status dashboards, variance analyses, and risk summaries for leadership review

Championing the use of AI-assisted document analysis for scope reviews, specification gap identification, and contract clause comparison to accelerate preconstruction decision-making

Partnering with project controls to develop predictive models that forecast construction cost and schedule outcomes based on preconstruction data, historical performance, and market conditions

Driving the adoption of AI tools for lessons learned capture and pattern recognition across completed building phases, feeding insights back into preconstruction standards for continuous improvement

Relevant Experience

15+ years of experience in preconstruction, construction management, or project delivery, with at least 8 years focused on hyperscale data center, mission-critical, or large-scale industrial programs

Demonstrated experience leading GMP development, bid management, and contractor negotiations on multi-billion-dollar construction programs

Strong command of integrated schedule development, including experience working with Primavera P6 and managing multi-package, multi-phase construction programs

Deep understanding of data center construction scopeshell/core, MEP, critical power, cooling systems, and IT infrastructureand how preconstruction decisions impact field execution

Track record of establishing preconstruction processes and standards in fast-growing organizations or greenfield program environments

Experience with cost estimating methodologies, value engineering, and constructability review processes

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to drive alignment across design, construction, procurement, and commercial teams. Proven ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization where influence, alignment, and partnership are as important as direct authority

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field; advanced degree or PMP certification preferred

Preferred Qualifications

Direct experience with hyperscale data center programs for major technology companies (e.g., Google, Meta, Microsoft, AWS, Oracle) or leading data center developers

Experience with modular construction approaches, prefabricated systems, and their impact on preconstruction planning and scheduling

Familiarity with AI-powered project analytics platforms and willingness to champion their adoption within preconstruction workflows

Working knowledge of target value delivery (TVD) or integrated project delivery (IPD) methodologies

Comfort operating in a high-growth organization where the role will help define preconstruction processes and standards as the platform scales

Work Requirements

This is a 100% onsite role based at Fermi's campus location in Amarillo, TX, with periodic travel to vendor facilities, fabrication shops, and partner offices as needed

Ability to work on active construction sites, including walking job sites, climbing ladders, and navigating unfinished structures in varying weather conditions

Willingness to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) including hard hat, safety glasses, high-visibility vest, steel-toe boots, and hearing protection when on-site

Flexibility to work extended hours during critical construction milestones, commissioning events, or schedule recovery efforts as needed

Why This Role Matters

Preconstruction is where delivery outcomes are won or lost. Fermi needs a senior leader who can ensure that every building package enters construction with a bulletproof planthe right scope, the right price, the right schedule, and the right contractors. This role is foundational to Fermi's ability to deliver predictable, repeatable results across a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar data center program.