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Kimmel & Associates

Head of Data Center Operations

Kimmel & Associates, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290

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Head of Data Center Operations

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Kimmel & Associates

About The Company The company is a

Private Equity–backed data centre developer

building and operating

next‑generation, sustainable data centres . Designed to meet the growing demand for high‑performance infrastructure, the campuses integrate

onsite power generation and grid services

to enable effective energy procurement and accelerate the transition to

carbon‑free operations .

About The Position The company is seeking an accomplished

Head of Data Center Operations

to lead the operational strategy and performance of a rapidly expanding multi‑campus data centre portfolio. This executive will oversee all aspects of data centre operations— from site commissioning through steady‑state operations, maintenance, and reliability—and ensure excellence across safety, uptime, efficiency, and sustainability. The role involves building and scaling a

high‑performing, cross‑campus operations organisation , driving operational consistency and best practices across all sites.

It is a strategic, hands‑on leadership role requiring collaboration with internal stakeholders (engineering, finance, legal) and external partners (vendors, utilities, customers). The successful candidate will bring deep technical expertise, an operational mindset, and executive presence to represent Verrus with clients and the Board.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and oversee operations across multiple data centre campuses, ensuring uptime, efficiency, and performance standards are consistently met.

Build, mentor, and scale a high‑performing operations team focused on reliability, safety, and accountability.

Own operational performance from site commissioning through steady‑state operations and incident recovery.

Develop and implement cross‑campus operational standards, performance metrics, and reporting systems.

Serve as the primary customer interface for operational updates, maintenance communications, and incident response.

Partner with engineering, construction, and finance teams to inform build/buy/replace decisions and optimise investment performance.

Represent the Operations function to the C‑Suite and Board of Directors, providing insights on capacity, performance, and future growth planning.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in data centre operations management.

Proven leadership overseeing 300MW+ of total data centre capacity.

Minimum 10 years of team management experience, including multi‑site or campus‑level oversight.

Demonstrated success managing commissioning, operations, maintenance, and incident/failure recovery.

Experience serving as the lead customer contact for operational communications and updates.

Strong data‑driven approach with the ability to quantify and track performance metrics to guide strategic and capital investment decisions.

Executive‑level presence with experience collaborating with C‑Suite executives and presenting to Boards of Directors.

MBA or relevant graduate degree.

Experience in data centre development and construction.

Benefits

Base Salary: $200,000 – $300,000

Incentive Compensation: Annual performance bonus

Equity Participation: Significant long‑term incentive

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage

Flexible work environment (Remote / Hybrid with travel)

Opportunity to help shape and lead a next‑generation data centre platform

Seniority level

Executive

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Management and Manufacturing

Industries

Staffing and Recruiting

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