Head of Data Center Operations

Kimmel and Associates
Chicago, IL

About the Company

The company is a Private Equity–backed data center developer building and operating next-generation, sustainable data centers . Designed to meet the growing demand for high-performance infrastructure, their 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 center portfolio.

This executive will oversee all aspects of data center operations —from site commissioning through steady-state operations, maintenance, and reliability —and ensure excellence across safety, uptime, efficiency, and sustainability. The Head of Operations will build and scale a high-performing, cross-campus operations organization , driving operational consistency and best practices across all sites.

This 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 the executive presence to represent Verrus with clients and the Board.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and oversee operations across multiple data center campuses , ensuring uptime, efficiency, and performance standards are consistently met.
  • Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing operations team with a focus 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 optimize 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 center operations management .
  • Proven leadership overseeing 300MW+ of total data center 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 center 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 center platform

#LI-SK1

Posted 2025-11-09

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