Pre-Development Project Manager

Who we are: 

It's pretty exciting, to find yourself standing in a pivotal moment in time. It’s even more exciting to be out front leading it. At QTS, our world-class data centers are supporting our customers’ most strategic growth initiatives, positioning us at the forefront of today’s dynamic digital transformation.  

As AI and cloud drive the demand for increased speed, capacity and capability, QTS has emerged as the global digital infrastructure leader, committed to connecting the world for good. Driven by purpose and fueled by a spirit of innovation, QTS designs, builds and operates some of the world’s most advanced, forward-thinking data centers. QTS is a portfolio company of Blackstone. 

QTS is Powered by People. People who play a vital role in our company’s culture, innovation and growth. People who are committed to contributing to the communities where we operate and work. People who are knowledgeable, resourceful and mission driven. Together, we do great things. 

The Impact You Will Have:

As the Predevelopment Project Manager you will be responsible for leading and managing predevelopment activities for assigned projects. This role requires close collaboration with Civil & Environmental Engineers, Designers, Development Consultants, municipal and utility staff, and internal teams, including Corporate Real Estate, Development, Engineering, and Data Center Operations. The Project Manager must have strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively engage with key stakeholders and support decision-making processes.

What You Will Do:

• Manage due diligence, entitlements, and permitting processes for multiple projects within a campus to support new data center development.

• Develop and communicate monthly predevelopment program and project status updates tailored for executive-level review and decision-making.

• Collaborate with QTS stakeholders, design consultants, and construction teams to create a comprehensive master campus development plan, including site-wide design solutions and capital budgeting.

• Identify and communicate due diligence, entitlement, and permitting risks, along with risk mitigation strategies, to maintain project timelines and budget predictability.

• Manage the creation and continuous refinement of multi-phased campus development plans to ensure adherence to time, budget, and quality standards.

• Maintain and update campus master plans to provide accurate project forecasting in a dynamic development environment.

• Develop scopes of work for due diligence, master planning, and permitting; participate in vendor screening, evaluations, cost leveling, selection, and contract negotiations.

• Ensure key stakeholders are well-versed in entitlement and permitting strategies for assigned projects.

• Monitor and manage project budgets to maintain cost predictability and effective cash flow management.

• Establish and track due diligence, entitlement, and permit schedules, ensuring timely completion through effective internal and external team coordination.

• Support Sales Engineers and Product teams in custom deal structuring for prospective clients within assigned sites’ budget and scheduling parameters.

• Represent QTS’s interests in critical meetings with regulatory agencies, AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction), economic development corporations (EDCs), and the public.

• Build and foster strategic relationships to strengthen QTS’s leadership position in the data center real estate sector.

• Enhance project management processes and protocols within the development team to improve operational efficiency.

What You Need to Be Successful:

• 5+ years of experience in real estate development, with a strong focus on pre-development and entitlements

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Urban Planning, Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred)

• Strong understanding of zoning, land use, permitting, and environmental review processes

• Strong financial modeling and project budgeting skills

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership abilities

• Proficiency in Bluebeam, Smartsheet's, and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel for budgeting, PowerPoint for executive reporting)

• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time

Nice to have:

• MBA, Masters in Engineering, Management, or related field desirable

• Experience in data center, industrial, or large-scale infrastructure development preferred

• Experience with delivery of mission critical data center facilities

• Extensive experience in large scale/complex land development

The Perks (and these are just a few!): 

• Q-Rest Sabbatical        

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan 

• QTS scholarship for dependents 

• Eagle Club Award Trip Eligibility 

• Paid Volunteer and Floating days   

• Tuition Assistance, Parental Leave and Military Leave Assistance 

TOTAL REWARDS
This role is also eligible for a competitive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; flexible spending and HSA accounts; paid holidays; paid time off; paid volunteer days; employee assistance program; tuition assistance; parental leave; military leave assistance; QTS scholarship for dependents; wellness program, and other company benefits.
This position is Bonus eligible.

#LI-SM1

We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action.  We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings.  We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or discrimination claim.

The "Know Your Rights" Poster is included here:

Know Your Rights (English)

Know Your Rights (Spanish)

The pay transparency policy is available here:

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster-Formatted

QTS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.