Head of Estates Development

Ada Infrastructure is a part of the digital infrastructure platform of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES), a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, real estate, private equity and infrastructure asset classes.

We are a global data center business grounded in sustainability, safety, and security. With a world‑class team of industry leaders and the resources of Ares Management Ada Infrastructure is executing on our mission to lead the world in sustainable digital infrastructure that drives customer success and social benefit.

The Development Manager for North America leads data center sites from Letter of Intent through entitlements and permitting, preparing sites for handoff to the delivery team. This role requires strong leadership, project management, and coordination skills to guide internal and external experts, mitigate risks, manage budgets, and maintain schedules. The ideal candidate has a developer background, experience managing BTS and Spec developments, and the ability to navigate multiple customer requests and development pathways at once. They must manage projects with flexible strategies, using input from SME’sto deliver the highest and best value for each site.

Due Diligence, Development, and Entitlement Management

Lead site development from Letter of Intent through permitting, entitlements, and regulatory approvals.

Lead site due diligence in both desktop and detailed formats to support site acquisitions.

Consolidate input from technical experts and stakeholders to track project risks, recommend mitigation strategies, and maintain compliance with schedules and budgets.

Oversee environmental assessments, land use studies, and utility interconnection requirements.

Ensure sites meet organizational criteria for power, fiber, water, access, and constructability prior to handoff.

Site Feasibility

Conduct initial site reviews to assess feasibility, including zoning, land use, infrastructure, and regulatory requirements.

Provide recommendations on site viability and prioritize development opportunities.

Support the internal site selection team in conversations with landowners, brokers, and partners during early acquisition phases, providing guidance and assistance as needed.

Serve as the central point of coordination, gathering information from subject matter experts to maintain alignment across teams.

Ensure that project schedules, deliverables, budgets, and risks are actively monitored and communicated to senior leadership.

Partner with legal, site selection, energy, design, sustainability, and delivery teams to ensure smooth project execution.

Develop standardized processes and tools for consistent North American development practices.

Project Management and Reporting

Maintain schedules, milestone trackers, release logs, and development summaries, and coordinate information into regional and global dashboards.

Lead teams to make strategic decisions for projects with multiple development pathways, ensuring the highest and best value outcomes for each site based on SME input.

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, engineering, planning, development, construction management, or related field. 7 to 10 years of experience in North America data center development, real estate development, or equivalent.

Experience with BTS and Spec developments.

Track record of managing budgets, schedules, and risks for complex development projects.

Experience coordinating with municipalities, utility providers, and regulatory agencies.

Ability to manage multiple customer requests and development pathways seamlessly, prioritizing competing needs effectively.

Ability to manage projects with fungible development strategies and lead teams to the highest and best value.

Lead comprehensive site due diligence in both desktop and detailed formats to inform acquisition decisions.

Excellent project management, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

Experience with project management tools, Excel, PowerPoint, Procore, Dashboards, Outlook.

Comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment with shifting priorities.

Willingness to travel domestically up to 20 percent.

The work for this position will be conducted in an office environment. The role may require maintaining a stationary position for extended periods of time, operating a computer and other office productivity machinery, attending to tasks for extended periods of time, and communicating accurate information effectively and efficiently. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

$Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.

Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world‑class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.

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