# Director, Data Center Facilities Operations

**Company:** [xAI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/xai)
**Location:** Memphis, TN, Southaven, MS
**Role:** Engineering Management
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** data center infrastructure, hvac, electrical systems, ups, generators, fire suppression, bms/dcim, preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, Capacity Planning, pue optimization, capital planning, Vendor Management, reliability engineering, power systems
**Posted:** 2026-08-01

> Leads strategy, reliability, capital planning, and operations for critical infrastructure across multiple data centers. The role requires 10+ years of facilities or critical infrastructure experience, including five years leading multi-site or multi-facility teams.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities

- Lead and develop a multi-layered organization of managers, supervisors, and technicians across multiple data centers to deliver 24/7/365 reliability with zero unplanned interruptions.
- Set site-wide strategy, multi-year roadmaps, CapEx/OpEx budgets, and resource forecasts for data center facilities infrastructure.
- Drive execution, safety culture, and reliability engineering across the organization.
- Partner with engineering, IT, operations, and executive leadership on large-scale projects supporting capacity expansion and efficiency improvements.
- Establish standardized work instructions, maintenance strategies, and operational processes across data centers.
- Assess resource needs, lifecycle costs, and capacity for multiple facilities; own capital planning and total cost of ownership.
- Oversee contractors and vendors supporting mechanical, structural, HVAC, electrical, power, cooling, fire/life safety, and water systems.
- Own preventive and predictive maintenance programs, including strategies for repairs, upgrades, replacements, uptime, efficiency, and PUE optimization.
- Define and communicate KPIs covering safety, uptime, quality, labor productivity, energy efficiency, and operating expenses.
- Provide strategic oversight of emergency response and on-call frameworks, including 24/7 support and rapid recovery capabilities.
- Lead talent development, succession planning, and organizational design for a high-performing facilities team.

## Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, facilities management, architecture, construction management, or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in facilities operations, data center infrastructure, or critical facilities management.
- At least 5 years of leadership experience managing multi-site or multi-facility operations.
- Experience leading teams responsible for high-availability environments such as data centers, mission-critical facilities, or industrial facilities.
- Willingness to travel as needed across the site and occasionally to other company locations.
- Ability and willingness to work extended hours, weekends, and non-standard schedules to support critical operations.
- Ability to operate in a high-stress, high-tempo environment while balancing multiple strategic priorities.

## Nice-to-Haves

- Master’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field.
- Professional certifications such as CEM, PMP, CFM, or data center-specific credentials.
- Expertise in high-power electrical systems, UPS and generators, precision cooling/HVAC, fire suppression, BMS/DCIM systems, telecommunications infrastructure, fuel systems, and redundancy/resiliency design.
- Experience with Tier standards and concurrent maintainability.
- Track record managing large budgets, multi-year capital programs, and complex vendor ecosystems across multiple facilities.
- Excellent executive communication and technical-operational presentation skills.
- Strong leadership presence and experience building high-performing teams and driving cultural change.
- Experience contributing to facility design, capacity planning, and long-term infrastructure roadmaps.
- Experience managing large-scale projects and portfolios under aggressive timelines and changing priorities.

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