Data Center Program Manager
This role leads the planning, execution, and operational readiness of data center infrastructure programs that power AI model training and deployment at scale. Program managers coordinate across site selection, engineering, construction, power infrastructure, and operations teams to move leased and partnered sites from commercial close through full operational handover, managing complex dependencies between chip allocation, facility design, supply chain delivery, and commissioning. What distinguishes this role is its focus on translating long-range capacity forecasts and hyperscale technical requirements into buildable, powered sites within aggressive timelines that conventional infrastructure delivery was not designed to meet. These managers typically sit within dedicated infrastructure or capacity delivery teams embedded across AI companies, working as single-threaded leaders accountable for portfolio-level visibility, stage-gate governance, and cross-functional alignment between external partners and internal stakeholders.
Skills
What companies are looking for in this role.
Managing complex, multi-site infrastructure programs from initiation through operational handover
Leading cross-functional teams spanning engineering, operations, supply chain, and external partners
Developing and maintaining comprehensive project schedules, budgets, and cost controls
Establishing stage-gate frameworks and governance structures for program execution
Building repeatable process frameworks and playbooks that scale across multiple programs
Translating technical requirements and capacity forecasts into actionable program plans
Building and operating portfolio-level dashboards and consolidated milestone tracking systems
Defining and tracking key performance indicators and operational metrics for infrastructure delivery
Managing construction execution, commissioning, quality assurance, and operational handover
Managing site development from land acquisition through permitting, entitlements, and design
Establishing data integrity and reconciliation processes to maintain single source of truth
Conducting technical diligence including geotechnical, environmental, civil, and entitlement assessments
Establishing operational governance frameworks and service-level agreements with external partners
Managing power generation and electrical infrastructure delivery for data centers
Overseeing network infrastructure deployment, fabric turn-ups, and backbone deployments
Forecasting compute and infrastructure capacity aligned with organizational growth targets
Planning and coordinating delivery of hyperscale infrastructure optimized for AI workloads
Allocating accelerators and AI compute resources across sites and to meet model training and inference demands
Managing procurement and supply chain for specialized AI compute hardware and accelerators
Coordinating power and energy infrastructure procurement and delivery at scales required for AI data centers
Directing commissioning workflows and standards specifically designed for AI infrastructure deployments
Communicating complex technical and program status to executive leadership and external stakeholders
Driving alignment and decision-making across competing organizational priorities
Building trusted partnerships and managing escalations with external vendors and strategic partners
Identifying, tracking, and resolving complex technical and logistical risks
Managing change control and scope trade-off decisions across programs
Building organizational capacity and mentoring program management talent
Technology
The tools and technologies that define this role.
Open Jobs
49 open Data Center Program Manager jobs across 11 companies.
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