Director, Operations Systems

This is a new and unique opportunity to lead technology innovation and system & process optimization across a global operations platform for one of the largest full-solution data center and colocation providers in the world!

You will make a strong impact as you lead system improvements on behalf of Global Operations – partnering with Sales, Product, IT and other departments – gathering input from Operations leadership and site personnel to frame out solutions and then manage implementation and support.  In addition, you will help shape and drive our multi-year technology & system roadmap to implement an industry-leading technology platform to drive operational efficiency and improve the customer experience. 

Your focus will be to work with Operations Management and IT to lead technology improvements in all areas of data center operations, with specific focus on directing improvements and supporting daily management of our Building Management Systems (BMS), Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) systems, integrated work management & ticketing systems (IWMS) and customer-facing portals and more. 

What you’ll do

Reporting to the Sr. Vice President, Global Operations, you will build a team of System Administrators, consultants and project teams to drive system improvements and manage day to day support. You will support operations teams and partner with IT to drive system improvements and operational efficiencies in operations managements systems, including BMS, CMMS, DCIM systems and customer-facing portals that integrate with service ticket platforms, interfaces and security systems.

At a strategic level, you will work with Operations leadership to develop and implement the overall vision and roadmap for operations management systems in coordination with IT leadership, ensuring alignment with the company's technical, operational and security objectives. 

At a tactical level, the role has three key components: 

• Gathering and assessing requirements from operations staff at various levels and technical expertise. 

• Identifying opportunities to improve systems and optimize processes to solve problems.

• Coordinating solutions with IT, external consultants, vendors and end-users to develop and implement improvements and solutions to drive efficiency and performance reporting.

You'll interact extensively with various functional areas. A key part of your role will be acting as the main Operations liaison with the IT team, including: 

• Providing strategic leadership in planning and delivering robust and scalable operations management systems.

• Managing and facilitating requirements gathering, defining acceptance criteria and testing standards to drive implementation.

• Ensuring corporate standards are followed – or developed where gaps in process or standards exist.

• Managing daily system issues and troubleshooting problems when necessary

More specifically, you will: 

• Manage the day-to-day operational aspects of the company’s BMS, CMMS and alarm monitoring systems – supporting ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting, root cause analysis and post-event customer support.

• Drive continual improvements in BMS, CMMS, DCIM and ticketing system functionality in coordination with IT and Operations leadership. Coordinating and executing the development, testing, launching and training of new modules or system versions.

• Develop control and alarm system standards throughout the portfolio with a focus on accuracy, comprehensiveness, and continual improvement to ensure 100% uptime. 

• Develop metrics to continually monitor the performance of the portfolio’s environmental controls and alarm systems and implement improvements of the systems to drive more efficient and reliable operations.

• Plan, schedule, and coordinate all activities related to BMS and alarm system field deployments with Operations, IT and Design & Construction. Prepare interim project completion reports, as required.

• Partner with site teams to develop site specific BMS maintenance activities for existing data centers and develop commissioning scripts for new data centers.

• Implement improvements in internal workflow management and ticketing systems to improve asset/equipment inventory management and maintenance management

• Be a point of escalation and provide guidance and direction to the site teams during incidents/events affecting site operation and implement new standards to reduce incidents.

• Coordinate with other managers in the company to identify trends in equipment failures and/or site operational issues.  Coordinate remote and on-site diagnostics and troubleshooting.

• Develop and distribute technical bulletins and new standards to Operations teams. Review and revise existing standards as required in partnership with Operations leadership.  Maintain application support documentation, develop user guides, and conduct BMS, CMMS and other system training for site operations teams.

• Be a resource for Sales Engineering and Customer Service in connection with planning and develop customer Service Level Agreements (SLA’s).

• Partner with Operations to identify BMS & CMMS deficiencies, remediation, and improvement plans including the development of a multi-year infrastructure upgrade programs for each site.

• Qualify all BMS vendors and implement company procurement procedures including managing projects, developing RFPs, and analyzing total cost of ownership.

• Develop standardized reporting from the BMS, CMMS and DCIM system on critical infrastructure capacity vs. consumption and to ensure compliance with customer Service Level Agreements (SLA’s).

• Drive improvements in integrating internal work ticket systems with customer-facing portals to improve the customer experience and improve automation relative to contact administration, security access administration, billing, inventory management, DCIM and other customer tools.     

• Proven ability to drive internal support teams, troubleshooting and routine training & system orientations across all systems supporting daily operations.

• Develop and implement cost-effective and scalable systems to support, track and monitor defined key performance indicators for data center operations, energy management and customer service initiatives.

• Develop strategic vendor relationships for equipment, supplies and services related to operations management systems, that bring a value-add to our business and customer base. This will include establishing service level agreements and performance metrics for vendors. You'll also evaluate and improve the existing national purchasing strategy for goods and services.

• Provide budget input, forecasts and oversight in coordination with the portfolio management organization, and identify and implement cost improvement programs. 

• Support the acquisitions team in due diligence as it relates to operations systems, and manage integration strategies as required.

• Work with IT to manage revisions, code reviews, testing, and other engineering activities.

• Develop standardized reporting requirements for the various systems on critical infrastructure capacity vs. consumption and to ensure compliance with customer service level agreements (SLAs).

• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment on new design, engineering, and business needs at a velocity that is faster than engineering and product output.

• Identify opportunities to drive efficiency and technological improvements to increase productivity, streamline manual processes, reduce costs and increase our competitive advantage.

• Oversee ongoing system administration and maintenance, as necessary, and in coordination with IT.

What you’ll need

To be a good fit for the Director, Operations Management Systems opportunity, you should possess:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or other related field.

• 10+ years of experience and a track record partnering with Operations, IT, Product and Sales to deliver, integrate and manage quality BMS, CMMS, DCIM and other operational systems and ticketing portals within a data center or mission critical environment.

• Expert knowledge of building environmental controls and alarm systems, including familiarity with BMS systems from Schneider Electric, Siemens, Honeywell, Automatic Logic or Tridium.

• Advanced knowledge in Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) systems, energy management and inventory management systems.

• Expertise with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and Integrated Work Ticketing Systems (IWMS) to drive internal workflow management, maintenance scheduling and asset/equipment inventory management.  Familiarity with ticketing systems such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, etc a plus.

• Experience developing customer-facing portals and system catalog interfaces to align with internal work ticket, accounting/billing and inventory management systems. 

• Proven ability to drive internal support teams, troubleshooting and routine training & system orientations across all systems supporting daily operations.

• Demonstrated knowledge in design and operation of critical MEP infrastructure, including multiple types of Uninterruptible Power Systems, Emergency Power Systems, water-cooled and air-cooled air conditioning systems, and critical data center electrical and mechanical distribution systems.

• Demonstrated understanding of various redundancy configurations of critical infrastructure and their associated limitations.

• Demonstrated experience in the operations, maintenance, engineering, construction, and delivery of mission critical facilities.

• Ability to analyze and assess problems affecting critical operation of facilities, and propose solutions, at times with limited information.

• Ability to comprehend, analyze and interpret complex project documents and to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Strong IT platform and network knowledge with the ability to communicate effectively with IT professionals and system programmers about technical issues to resolve problems and drive improvements.

• Experience managing relationships with service vendors and technical consultants.

• Proficiency with MS Office applications as well as Project and Visio or similar products.

• The ability to interpret blueprints and schematics – as required.

Just as important as your experience and skills will be the following characteristics and competencies: 

• Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to influence and motivate people across functional lines.

• A strong customer service orientation and proven problem solving skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with internal and external audiences, even under pressure.

• Exceptional organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities – working independently when necessary to deliver results.

You also will need to be willing and able to travel, although we don't anticipate you will travel more than 20% of the time, and maybe even less.  

A bit about us

Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL®, the company’s global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 50+ metros across 25+ countries on six continents. 

A bit about our Digital team

Our Operations team keeps our customers’ infrastructure running safely and securely. We get plenty of opportunities to take on a variety of tasks and develop our technical skills. From overseeing electrical power to cooling and fire suppression systems, our team plays a vital role in making sure everything in our data centers operates as it should.

What we can offer you

Our rapidly evolving business sector offers the opportunity to be part of a courageous and passionate team who work together to understand and meet the changing needs of our global customers. 

Join us and you’ll be part of a supportive and inclusive environment where you can bring your whole self to work. As part of our team, you’ll get to work with people from different business areas, challenge the way we do things and put your ideas into action. We’ll also give you plenty of development opportunities so you can build a rewarding and successful career with us. 

Our Compensation Philosophy

Digital Realty offers its employees a highly competitive compensation package, excellent benefits, and an environment that recognizes and rewards your contributions. Central to our compensation philosophy is rewarding our employees for achieving the values and objectives aligned to the company's overall goals and values.

This is an exciting time to join our business so apply now and make your mark on our future.

Notes:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Digital Realty is an equal opportunity employer, EOE/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled.  All applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or protected veteran status, or other status protected by law or Company policy.

Digital Realty is a publicly traded company (NYSE: DLR) with investment grade ratings from all three major ratings agencies.