Data Center Program Manager

Job Description

The role is remote based, there will be 15-30% travel.

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Full time W- 2

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New Build Deployment Enablement Manager (DEM)

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Position Summary

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The Data Center New Build Deployment Enablement Manager (DEM) serves as the central coordination point for network infrastructure deployment at new data center builds — from cable start through Production Ready (PR). This role is "the glue" between Design, Engineering, Construction and Network Deployment teams and all cross-functional partners, ensuring milestones are tracked, dates are committed, and teams are aligned across every phase of the network build.

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The DEM heavily influences cross-functional teams to provide and commit to dates, serves as the single source of truth for deployment milestones, and drives accountability when timelines slip. This is not a passive tracking role — it requires deep technical fluency in Data Center network infrastructure, the ability to navigate complex multi-team political dynamics, and the confidence to escalate blockers to senior leadership.

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Key Responsibilities

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Milestone Coordination & Tracking

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• Own and maintain the New Build Deployment Tracker for assigned buildings — tracking milestones from Cable Ready to Production Ready (PR)
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• Drive weekly New Build coordination calls with cross-functional and internal teams
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• Track dependencies across multiple network layers
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• Integrate with construction and network schedules and maintain alignment between multiple schedule sources
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Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication

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• Lead or co-lead New Build calls starting at cable start for data centers being built
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• Post weekly program updates — highlighting new/changed risks, milestone achievements, and upcoming milestone dates
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• Serve as the bridge between Construction Managers, Deployment Engineers, Connectivity Engineers, and all supporting teams
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• Influence cross-functional partners to provide and commit to dates
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• Facilitate SEV creation and escalation for schedule risks and cross-team blockers
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Site Deployment Execution

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• Coordinate network infrastructure deployment across multiple concurrent buildings (typically 2–4 simultaneous sites)
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• Track hardware delivery SLAs, material logistics (warehouse locations, shipping from nearest facility), and upstream dependencies
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• Understand and manage differences between building types
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• Monitor and drive resolution of deployment blockers
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Risk Management & Escalation

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• Identify schedule risks early by understanding SLA back-off calculations and hardware delivery timelines relative to project milestones
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• Create and manage SEVs for deployment blockers
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• Proactively communicate timeline impacts — provide specific information about expected impacts and revised timelines
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• Escalate to leadership when cross-functional commitments are not being met
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Process Development & Continuous Improvement

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• Contribute to template standardization across building types
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• Conduct lessons-learned reviews to identify recurring gaps in the deployment process
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• Mentor and train incoming DEMs through reverse shadow model and milestone sessions
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Required Skills & Qualifications

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Technical & Domain Knowledge

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• Strong understanding of data center network infrastructure and production network layers
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• Familiarity with network deployment processes: rack & stack, provisioning, circuit audits, device scanning, and activation/undrain workflows
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• Understanding of material logistics: hardware delivery SLAs, BOM management, warehouse operations, and vendor coordination
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• Proficiency with project tracking tools
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• Hands-on experience with AI tools and agentic frameworks for workflow automation and reporting
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Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

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• Proven ability to influence without authority across cross-functional teams simultaneously
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• Comfort navigating political dynamics between organizations — diplomatically asserting ownership of network deployment milestones
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• Ability to operate independently in ambiguous, high-pressure environments where schedules are aggressive and remediation cycles are frequent
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• Outstanding communication skills — ability to distill complex multi-site status into clear leadership readouts
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• Track record of driving accountability: following up, not accepting "we'll get to it next week" when milestones are at risk
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Experience

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• 5–8 years of progressive experience in project/program management within data center construction, network infrastructure, telecommunications, or critical facility deployment
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• Experience managing projects in the $1M–$10M range with multiple concurrent workstreams and cross-functional dependencies
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• Direct experience with data center construction phases: foundation, cable start, TFO, commissioning, and network turn-up
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• Experience working with MSPs (Managed Service Providers) and field operations teams in a data center environment
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• Prior experience in hyperscale data center environments (Google, AWS, Microsoft, or similar) strongly preferred
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Education & Certifications

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• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Telecommunications, Computer Science, or related technical field — or equivalent professional experience (8+ years in data center/network deployment)
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• PMP, CAPM, or CSM certification preferred but not required
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• BICSI RCDD, CDCDP, or similar data center/cabling certifications are a plus
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Additional Requirements

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• Travel required: 15–30% to data center campuses for site visits and/or workshops
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• Ability to obtain site access badges and pass background checks for data center facilities
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• Flexibility to support critical deployment milestones outside standard hours (energization events, SEV response)
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• Strong commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative work environment
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