Project Manager, Special Projects, NA

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage is committed to being a workplace of inclusion, equity, respect and acceptance. We celebrate diversity and intentionally seek out opportunities to learn from one another’s experience.

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Job Description Summary

The Construction Project Manager is a highly experienced and skilled professional within the Special Projects department, typically reporting to the Senior Manager. In this role, they lead projects and processes independently with limited supervision, showcasing their expertise in handling various construction-related tasks. This includes overseeing project timelines, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, and coordinating with subcontractors and suppliers. The Construction Project Manager often takes on leadership responsibilities, providing guidance to less experienced professionals and contributing to the strategic initiatives of the department. They collaborate with cross-functional teams on occasion, fostering effective communication and collaboration. As a seasoned professional, they coach and review the work of lower-level professionals, ensuring quality and adherence to project standards. The Construction Project Manager makes decisions independently, demonstrating a strategic mentality and may collaborate with others for major strategic choices. Overall, this role plays a critical part in ensuring the successful execution of construction projects, combining technical expertise with leadership skills to achieve departmental goals!

Construction Department

The Construction team is responsible for the entire process flow of delivering the physical data centers from shovel ready state through commissioning, working with Sales, Operations, and management along the way. Construction implements and executes upon the work product developed by the Development & Engineering (D&E) team. The team also leads Vantage’s build partners to success through technical feedback and review, and actively participating in review of schedule and budget. Many times, a role like this at other companies is purely oversight. One thing that distinguishes Vantage is that our construction teams are given the responsibility and authority to directly drive the process. When compared to external resources, our internal team can ensure the key stakeholders are engaged in the decision-making process to align long-term operational sustainability with value engineering and cost metrics to deliver products aligned with corporate goals. This approach empowers each member of the team to drive high-impact decisions and even more impactful results!

Position Description

Vantage is looking for a driven Project Manager of Special Projects, to provide project leadership for our growing remediation projects. This position will oversee assigned remediation construction projects, financial approval, design, permitting, and all aspects of construction. As a project leader, you will be responsible for leading multiple projects and teams as well as ensuring assigned remediation projects are in alignment with the operations’ objectives. Collaboration and integration in the sales lifecycle process including possible client interface is integral to the role. Coordination and translation of requirements from Vantage’s internal subject matter experts and operation teams ensures long term operational sustainability is preserved while driving towards optimized construction delivery.

This role is based in Ashburn, VA. In alignment with our flexible work policy (3 days on site required, 2 days flexible).

Essential Job Functions

• Lead all aspects of assigned remediation construction projects, not limited but inclusive of the following:

• Project set up with project budget and schedule creation and oversight

• RFP development, pre-bid planning, oversight, and coordination

• Leading all design phases and documents working internally with collaborator groups and SME’s

• Coordination and supervision of design-build, and design bid build contractors

• Oversight of physical construction activities on site

• Leading commissioning of critical systems integration across new customer builds and existing data centers

• Hand-off of physical data center and project documents to customer and operations

• Management in contractor safety performance

• Coordination and logistical planning for all OFCI equipment

• Management of project scope, safety, schedule, stakeholder, data center work rules, and budget

• Drive all aspects of construction including pre-construction, design development, permitting and entitlements, competitive bid process, team selection, construction oversight, commissioning, and project closeout

• Act as project leader, drive coordination and integration of internal stakeholders within the project

• For assigned construction projects manage direct reports and third-party project management resources and track staffing utilization

Duties

• Manage assigned portfolio execution of remediation projects from concept through commissioning and prepare various reports on a monthly and/or quarterly basis

• Own project resource allocation and project workflow for direct reports and third-party project management continent workforce

• Drive day-to-day construction decisions to conclusion

• QA/QC work products of direct reports to confirm accuracy. Manage inputs and delivery of work products from internal team members to ensure that new data center spaces comply with all VDC applicable requirements

• Establish project budgets to include funding for project management and VDC overhead. Submit approval packages to TOF approval group.

• Partner with Special Project Director(s), Construction Cost & Finance to produce monthly project forecasts including variance analyses as well as execution of Master Service Agreements (MSAs) and project authorizations for new and existing contractors and vendors

• Vendor/Contractor management including qualification and relationship building/maintenance

• Review monthly billing with direct reports, confirm substantiation and audit vs budget

• Ensure ‘lessons learned’ are held and placed in the feedback loop to drive continuous improvement

• Ensure project team complies with project turnover documentation requirements to Operations

• Work closely with Operations to coordinate design criteria and construction with ongoing maintenance and operation of existing facilities

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, or similar field, or equivalent experience

• 2 to 4 years of experience in a project management role preferred

• Complex and technical construction experience is required

• Data Center experience is preferred

• Experience in CSA (civil, structural, architectural) and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) construction management is a requirement

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and project management tools like MS Project or P6

• Drive all aspects of construction including pre-construction, design development, permitting and entitlements, competitive bid process, team selection, construction oversight, commissioning, and project closeout

• Act as project leader, drive coordination and integration of internal stakeholders within the project

• For assigned construction projects manage direct reports and third-party project management resources and track staffing utilization

• Work closely with Operations to coordinate design criteria and construction with ongoing maintenance and operation of existing facilities

Physical Demands and Special Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop or kneel; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

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We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations.

Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Don't meet all the requirements? Please still apply if you think you are the right person for the position. We are always keen to speak to people who connect with our mission and values.

Vantage Data Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Vantage Data Centers does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage Data Centers.