Job Overview
The Senior Manager, Site Readiness – AI Data Centers is responsible for advancing sites from early-stage development through construction readiness. This role drives the coordination of permitting, entitlements, utilities, land requirements, and preconstruction activities to ensure each site is fully approved, de-risked, and positioned to meet construction timelines.
Working cross-functionally with Development, Design, Construction, Legal, and external partners, this role serves as the day-to-day lead for site readiness efforts, ensuring all workstreams remain aligned and progressing in parallel. The position also supports engagement with local jurisdictions and regulatory agencies, in coordination with Development leadership, to facilitate timely approvals and resolve issues that could impact project delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Permitting Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive permitting roadmap for each project, including land use, environmental, grading, and building permits.
Government Relations: Support the Chief Development Officer and VP of Policy and Government Relations as directed and where appropriate serve as the point of contact for local planning departments, building officials, and regulatory agencies to expedite approvals.
Public Hearings: Represent the company as needed at planning commission meetings, zoning boards, and city council hearings to secure necessary variances or Special Use Permits (SUPs).
Code Interpretation & Technical Compliance: Conduct reviews of local building codes and design guidelines to ensure AI specific infrastructure meets local requirements. Identify any challenges or gray areas and propose solutions. Partner with Design and Construction teams to ensure plans align with local code requirements.
Local Standards & Ordinance Navigation: Conduct reviews of local ordinances including zoning, architectural standards, setbacks, energy efficiency, noise, environmental or other relevant ordinances. Collaborate with all Corporate Services teams to develop strategies and solutions.
Proactive Jurisdictional Engagement: Lead technical “Pre-app” meetings with local building officials to socialize new construction and secure buy-in before formal submission. Serve as the primary technical advocate when local inspectors or code officials raise questions regarding the development and construction as needed.
Easement Resolution: Coordinate and partner with Legal team and Land & Power team to identify, negotiate, and secure necessary easements (utility, access, drainage) and rights-of-way required to support development / construction requirements.
Title and Survey Review: Analyze ALTA surveys and title reports to identify encumbrances or "gotchas" that could impact the construction footprint or site ingress/egress.
Boundary & Encroachment Management: Coordinate and partner with Legal team and Land & Power team to resolve any existing site encroachments or boundary disputes prior to mobilization.
Consultant Management: Coordinate as needed or directed the work of third-party firms, including civil engineers, environmental consultants (Phase I/II ESA), traffic consultants, or other firms supporting development and construction.
Scope & Budgeting: Support the VP Construction with defining Scopes of Work (SOWs) for site readiness services, review proposals, and manage the associated budgets to prevent cost overruns in the pre-construction phase.
Deliverable Quality Control: Ensure all technical reports (geotechnical, hydrological, etc.) meet the specific load and cooling requirements of AI-optimized data center shells.
Utility Liaison: Work closely with power and water authorities to ensure that service delivery timelines align with the construction schedule.
Temporary Services: Secure permits and infrastructure for temporary construction power, water, and site trailers to enable immediate mobilization.
Fiber Connectivity: Support Corporate Services teams as needed to coordinate with telecommunications providers to ensure diverse fiber paths are secured and permitted to the property line.
Site Constraints Analysis: Identify physical or legal constraints (e.g., wetlands, endangered species, archaeological sensitivity) and assist VP Construction with development of mitigation plans.
Due Diligence Reporting: Maintain a "Site Readiness Dashboard" for executive leadership, highlighting critical path items, risks to the "Start Construction" date, and mitigation strategies.
Handover Coordination: Formalize a "Ready to Build" package for the internal construction execution team, ensuring all conditions of approval are documented and understood.
Standardization: Assist in developing a "Site Readiness Playbook" to standardize the approach for deployments and industrialized models.
RACI & Workflow: Contribute to the development of project-specific RACI matrices to ensure clear accountability between all Enterprise teams.
- Additional duties as assigned
Entitlements and Jurisdictional Management
Local Codes and Regulatory Strategies
Easements and Land Rights
External Professional Services Oversight
Utility and Infrastructure Coordination
Risk Mitigation and Site Assessment
Strategic Support
This role requires strong leadership, accountability, and the ability to operate with precision in a collaborative, fast-paced, and evolving environment.
Required Qualifications
- Eight or more years of direct land development or site-readiness experience supporting data centers, heavy industrial facilities, or energy infrastructure.
- Demonstrated ownership of entitlements, zoning, land-use approvals, and permitting strategies.
- Experience interpreting civil drawings, ALTA surveys, title reports, and complex legal descriptions.
- Experience identifying and resolving easements, rights-of-way, encroachments, and other land constraints.
- Proven experience negotiating and coordinating with utility providers, municipalities, planning departments, and regulatory agencies.
Skills Required
- 8-12 years of experience in land development, project management, or site readiness within heavy industrial, energy, or data center sectors
- Ability to interpret civil engineering drawings, ALTA surveys, and complex legal descriptions
- Proven track record negotiating with utility providers and municipal leaders
- Proficiency with project management software such as Procore, Primavera P6, or Microsoft Project
- Must be insurable under the company's vehicle insurance policy
What We Do
CleanSpark (NASDAQ: CLSK) is America's Bitcoin Miner ™. Since 2014, we've helped people achieve energy independence for their homes and businesses. In 2020, we transitioned that expertise to develop sustainable infrastructure for Bitcoin , an essential tool for financial independence and inclusion. We strive to leave the planet better than we found it by sourcing and investing in low-carbon energy, like wind, solar, nuclear, and hydro. We cultivate trust and transparency among our employees, the communities we operate in, and the people around the world who depend on Bitcoin.
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