Design Director

Prime Data Centers develops, acquires, and operates data centers for some of the world's largest enterprises. A private firm owned by a group controlling $6 billion in assets, with a 15-year tenure in technology and real estate development, Prime provides customers with ownership options and dynamic leasing models, defining a true corporate partnership. Director, Design About Prime Data Centers Prime Data Centers is developing and operating next-generation hyperscale and AI-ready data center campuses across North America and Europe. With a rapidly expanding multi-gigawatt development pipeline, Prime delivers scalable, resilient, and customer-focused infrastructure solutions for hyperscale, enterprise, and AI customers. As Prime enters its next phase of growth, we are building a world-class Design & Engineering organization capable of delivering increasingly complex, large-scale developments while maintaining speed, quality, innovation, and operational excellence. The Opportunity Prime Data Centers is seeking a highly accomplished Director, Design to lead the execution, coordination, and continuous evolution of our data center design platform. This is a unique opportunity to build and scale a critical function within a fast-growing organization. The successful candidate will serve as a senior leader responsible for driving design execution across multiple projects while establishing the standards, processes, and operating model that enable Prime's long-term growth. This leader will act as a force multiplier across internal teams and external partners, ensuring design outcomes support business objectives, customer requirements, operational excellence, and predictable project delivery. Initially operating in a player-coach capacity, this role will combine hands-on leadership with organizational development, helping transform Prime's design function into a scalable, high-performing organization. Why This Role Matters This role is foundational to Prime's next phase of growth. As the company expands its hyperscale and AI-ready data center portfolio, the Director, Design will be responsible for building the systems, standards, and team capabilities that enable predictable, scalable project execution across multiple developments. This leader will help transform design delivery from project-by-project execution into a repeatable, world-class operating model, ensuring Prime can continue to grow while maintaining quality, speed, and operational excellence. Key Responsibilities Design Execution & Delivery Own end-to-end design execution across multiple data center developments, from concept through IFC, construction support, commissioning, and project closeout. Ensure alignment between design deliverables, Prime’s standards, customer requirements, operational needs, business objectives, and regulatory standards. Serve as the escalation point for complex technical, coordination, schedule, and delivery challenges. Make pragmatic, risk-informed decisions that maintain project momentum while protecting quality and long-term value. Drive consistency, quality, constructability, and technical excellence across all active projects. Engineering Leadership Lead multidisciplinary teams across: Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Civil Engineering Supplementary disciplines Oversee design development and integration across all disciplines. Establish design standards, design criteria, governance processes, templates, and best practices. Ensure designs support scalability, operational reliability, and future customer requirements Cross-Functional Leadership Serve as the primary design interface across Development, Engineering, Construction, Operations, Product Delivery, Procurement, Sales, and Executive Leadership. Drive alignment among stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Translate technical complexity into clear business decisions and actionable execution plans. Partner closely with project teams to proactively identify risks, remove roadblocks, and improve delivery outcomes. Lead performance and accountability of third-party architects, engineers, consultants, and specialty vendors. Establish clear expectations, scopes, deliverables, and success criteria for external partners; hold external partners accountable to same. Manage design partner performance relative to quality, schedule, budget, and technical requirements. Foster strong relationships across Prime's external design and engineering ecosystem. Program Development & Operational Excellence Design and implement scalable design delivery models, review processes, and governance frameworks. Establish repeatable standards, workflows, templates, and execution playbooks that reduce friction and rework. Introduce program-level planning, forecasting, reporting, and visibility across design workstreams. Drive continuous improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, predictability, and execution quality. Create systems and processes capable of supporting Prime's rapidly growing portfolio Organizational Leadership Help to build and scale the Design & Engineering pillar in alignment with company growth objectives. Define team structure, hiring plans, career paths, and organizational capabilities. Recruit, coach, and develop high-performing leaders and individual contributors. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, urgency, enablement, innovation, and continuous improvement. Lead by example through a hands-on, player-coach leadership style while building scalable organizational capability. Required Experience & Qualifications Significant leadership experience within design, engineering, or project delivery organizations. Experience delivering complex mission-critical, data center, hyperscale, industrial, infrastructure, or large-scale commercial developments. Proven success leading multidisciplinary design/engineering teams and coordinating across multiple functions. Strong understanding of critical power systems, cooling infrastructure, resiliency strategies, and construction delivery. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and competing priorities. Extensive experience managing architects, consultants, engineering firms, and external delivery partners. Strong business acumen and ability to balance speed, quality, risk, and customer expectations. Exceptional communication, executive presence, and stakeholder management skills. Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-growth environments with evolving priorities. Preferred Experience Experience delivering hyperscale, colocation, mission-critical, or campus-scale infrastructure projects. Experience supporting AI-ready and high-density computing environments. Demonstrated success building teams, organizations, processes, and operating models from the ground up. Experience working within a rapidly growing developer, operator, owner, contractor, engineering firm, or technology organization. Professional Engineer (PE), Licensed Architect (AIA), PMP, LEED, or equivalent industry credentials preferred Leadership Attributes We Value Builder mindset with a passion for creating systems, teams, and scalable processes. Bias for action and pragmatic execution. Comfortable making decisions with incomplete information. High ownership mentality with accountability for outcomes rather than activities. Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure. Collaborative leader who builds trust through clarity, follow-through, and results. Motivated by creating lasting organizational impact and enabling long-term growth. Why Prime Shape the future of a rapidly growing hyperscale and AI-ready data center platform. Influence the design and delivery strategy for a multi-gigawatt development portfolio. Build and lead a high-impact Design & Engineering organization. Partner directly with executive leadership to drive company growth. Work on some of the industry's most complex and innovative mission-critical infrastructure projects. Leave a lasting legacy by helping define how Prime delivers data centers at scale. Competitive salary range of $190-$200k with 30% bonus potential. 401k up to a 4% employer match with 100% contributions being fully vested upon enrollment 100% employee premiums paid by employer for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability Paid Time Off + Sick time Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Prime is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, protected veteran or military status, disability status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. #J-18808-Ljbffr