Chief Development Officer

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team and lead the end-to-end development of data center infrastructure to support the company’s strategic growth objectives. This role oversees site acquisition, real estate strategy, design, construction, and engineering functions across the organization. The CDO will be responsible for building a scalable, cost-efficient platform that meets customer demand, accelerates time-to-market, and ensures compliance with evolving technology and sustainability standards.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions :

Strategic Planning & Execution :

• Develop and lead Flexential’s long-term development strategy across site acquisition, design, construction, and engineering.
• Drive alignment between infrastructure investments, commercial strategy, and technological trends in the data center sector to enable rapid market entry and capacity scaling.
• Partner closely with Sales, Finance, and Operations to prioritize development initiatives based on ROI, customer demand, and power availability.
• Report regularly to the CEO, President, and Board of Directors on development progress, key risks, and strategic initiatives.
• Lead end-to-end site acquisition process including market analysis, feasibility studies, land procurement, entitlements, and incentives.
• Build and maintain relationships with brokers, utilities, municipalities, and developers.
• Manage portfolio optimization strategy, including site disposition, redevelopment, and reuse.

Design, Construction & Engineering Leadership :

• Direct in-house and third-party design, construction, and engineering teams to deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Establish scalable design and construction standards to support consistent delivery across core and edge markets.
• Ensure all developments adhere to internal standards for quality, sustainability, compliance, and safety.
• Build and lead a high-performing, cross-functional team of real estate, design, construction, engineering professionals, and external consultants.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement across development functions.
• Partner with the CFO to build and manage capital budgets aligned with the company’s strategic plan.
• Lead strategic vendor partnerships and negotiate commercial terms for construction, architecture, engineering, and equipment.

Risk Management & Governance :

• Ensure appropriate risk management frameworks are in place for development activities, including regulatory, environmental, and financial risks.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance to ensure governance across all jurisdictions and project types.

Required Qualifications :

• 15+ years of experience in real estate development, engineering, construction, or infrastructure delivery, with at least 7 years in a senior leadership role within the data center, mission-critical, or hyperscale infrastructure sectors.
• Proven track record of delivering complex development programs across multiple U.S. or international markets, ideally with scale exceeding $500M+ in aggregate capital projects.
• Deep understanding of electrical and mechanical systems, utility interconnects, permitting processes, and Tier III / IV operational standards.
• Demonstrated experience in capital planning, vendor negotiations, and managing development budgets in excess of $100M annually.
• Strong working knowledge of entitlements, incentive negotiations, environmental compliance, and land development lifecycle .
• Strategic Visioning – Ability to see around corners and align infrastructure decisions with long-term business goals.
• Cross-Functional Influence – Strong executive presence and ability to drive alignment across Finance, Operations, Sales, Legal, and Product.
• Executional Excellence – Relentless focus on outcomes, timelines, and cost performance.
• Leadership & Team Building – Builder of high-performing organizations and developer of next-generation talent.
• Commercial Acumen – Strong understanding of customer needs, market dynamics, and deal-making.

Education :

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. An MBA or advanced degree is highly preferred.

Technical Requirements :

1. Data Center Design and Infrastructure Expertise :

• Deep understanding of Tier III and Tier IV data center design principles, with fluency in Uptime Institute standards and redundancy configurations (N, N+1, 2N, etc.).
• Proficiency in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems including :

UPS systems, switchgear, PDUs, generators, BMS / EPMS

• HVAC systems including CRAC / CRAH units, chilled water systems, and direct-to-chip / immersion cooling for HPC / AI
• Experience implementing modular and prefabricated design solutions to enable speed-to-market and scalability.

2. Power, Cooling, and Energy Systems :

• Advanced knowledge of utility infrastructure planning , including transmission and distribution design, substation integration, and dual-feed resiliency.
• Familiarity with renewable energy procurement , power purchase agreements (PPAs), and utility interconnects.
• Understanding of thermal management strategies, such as free cooling, liquid cooling, and containment design for high-density deployments.

3. Real Estate and Site Acquisition :

• Strong grasp of land due diligence , zoning, entitlements, environmental site assessments (Phase I / II), and local regulatory processes.
• Experience securing development incentives (e.g., tax abatements, infrastructure grants, energy rebates) and managing public / private utility negotiations.
• Proficiency with GIS and power availability mapping tools to identify viable land in target markets.

4. Construction & Project Delivery :

• Familiarity with construction delivery models including design-bid-build, design-build, and CM at-risk.
• Competency in managing construction schedules, Gantt charts, milestone tracking , and earned value reporting.
• Deep experience with construction budgeting, cost estimating (ROM to GMP), and value engineering.
• Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., Procore, Primavera P6, MS Project).

5. Engineering & Technical Standards :

• Understanding of :

NFPA, NEC, ASHRAE, IEEE, ISO / IEC 27001 , and other relevant regulatory codes and industry best practices

• Structural and seismic design standards relevant to hyperscale and edge deployments
• Fire suppression systems (pre-action, clean agent), leak detection, and other safety-related infrastructure
• Familiarity with commissioning standards (Level 1–5) and integrated systems testing (IST).

6. Sustainability & ESG Integration :

• Experience integrating LEED , WELL , or Energy Star standards into data center builds.
• Familiarity with Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions , carbon accounting, and sustainable building materials.
• Understanding of cooling efficiency metrics like PUE, WUE, and their optimization through design and operations.

7. Regulatory & Compliance :

• In-depth knowledge of building codes, safety regulations, and permitting across multiple U.S. jurisdictions and international markets (as applicable).
• Experience working with environmental agencies , local utility commissions, and permitting authorities to meet development timelines.
• Familiarity with public reporting requirements and compliance for infrastructure projects under private equity or REIT structures.
• Proficiency in construction and design software (AutoCAD, Revit, BIM 360).
• Comfort with dashboards and data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau) for executive and board reporting.
• Familiarity with digital twin technology and AI / ML-based predictive modeling for capacity planning and preventive maintenance.

Why Join Flexential :

• Join an innovative and rapidly growing company at the forefront of the data center industry.
• Lead strategic initiatives that drive both technological advancement and operational excellence.
• Work in a collaborative and dynamic environment, contributing to the long-term success of the company.

Physical Requirements :

• Ability to sit for extended periods of time
• Walk or stand for 25% of the time
• Moderate or advanced keyboard usage
• Lift 25 lbs
• Limited travel may be required

Base Pay Range : Annualized salary range offered for this position is estimated to be $256,000 - $384,000 . However, the actual pay range depends on each candidate’s experience, location, and qualifications.

Variable Pay : Discretionary annual bonus, based on personal and company performance.

This position has the following safety hazards :

Chemical

Electrical

Ergonomics

Climb ladders

Mechanical lift

Temperature Extremes

Trip / Fall

Driving (must possess valid driver’s license and insurance)

Other : _________________

Not meeting every single requirement? No problem! We are looking for candidates who possess unique skills that set them apart from the rest. If you're enthusiastic about this role and believe you have the skills and abilities that would make you successful, don't hesitate to apply today!

Benefits of working at Flexential :

• Medical, Telehealth, Dental and Vision
• 401(k)
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Life and AD&D
• Short Term and Long-Term disability
• Flex Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Leave of Absence
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program
• Rewards and Recognition Program

Benefits are subject to change at the Company's discretion.

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