What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Intake, Planning & Handoff position at Aligned Data Centers?
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Program Strategy & Early Planning
Minimum Qualifications
We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.
Program Strategy & Early Planning
- Lead the early planning phase for new data center builds—from concept through “Ready-to-Build (R2B)”—coordinating inputs across Platform Delivery, Commercial, Engineering, Procurement, and Commissioning & Quality.
- Establish and maintain the program roadmap and integrated master schedule (IMS) with defined gate reviews (Feasibility → Design → Procurement → R2B → Handoff).
- Translate business requirements and customer demand into executable deployment plans that balance schedule, cost, and risk.
- Partner with Feasibility and Constructability teams to validate site readiness, design maturity, and utility timing.
- Maintain and communicate program risk registers and decision logs; drive proactive mitigation and issue resolution with clear accountability.
- Orchestrate stage-gate reviews (Intake → Feasibility → Concept → Funding) with crisp executive readouts and decision memos.
- Partner with stakeholder teams on site feasibility, aligning with delivery teams to ensure market and infrastructure readiness.
- Assist with building and maintaining cost models for new market entry and build-to-suit projects—both nationally and internationally—and provide pre-construction support to revenue teams during the RFP process.
- Collaborate closely with Procurement, Platform, and Finance during the pre-con process to define production requirements and resolve challenges.
- Work directly with stakeholder and Platform Delivery teams to optimize and improve project delivery schedules and efficiencies.
- Publish executive one-pagers and dashboards summarizing scope, cost, schedule, risk, and gating status.
- Coordinate with teams on permitting strategy and community/authority engagement plans, ensuring key requirements and due dates are reflected in planning schedules.
- Lead coordination across engineering disciplines (civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, controls) to ensure designs align with Aligned’s productized templates, DFMA/OSM standards, and modular assembly philosophy.
- Partner with Engineering to coordinate design readiness reviews at key milestones (30/60/90/IFC) to confirm constructability, scope completeness, and schedule alignment.
- Partner with Commissioning & Quality & Engineering teams to ensure early commissioning readiness (L1–L5/IST) is embedded into design deliverables to support factory-first testing and accelerated start-up.
- Partner with Platform Engineering to integrate lessons learned, value engineering, and reliability improvements into future design iterations.
- Conduct technical review of construction and architectural plans to ensure alignment with Aligned’s design standards and customer requirements; communicate conceptual designs and documentation to internal teams prior to and during construction.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessments across all active programs.
- Provide expertise in data center infrastructure to guide customers through base build and fit-out phases, ensuring facilities meet both operational and technical requirements.
- Lead efforts creating Level 2/3 preliminary schedules and key milestones (permits, utilities, long-lead PO dates).
- Lead efforts to build and maintain integrated master schedules in Primavera P6 or MS Project, capturing all dependencies—design, procurement, permitting, and long-lead manufacturing.
- Maintain cost models and variance logs; partner with Commercial/Pre-Construction and Finance to ensure estimates reflect scope evolution and current market conditions.
- Lead efforts to quantify and manage schedule, cost, and delivery risks; provide leadership with actionable mitigation plans.
- Lead R2B readiness reviews confirming closure of all open items before construction mobilization.
- Provide weekly and monthly executive dashboards summarizing schedule health, cost performance, and risk exposure.
- Lead cost/design/schedule validation workshops; document outcomes and actions.
- Assist in setup and management of project budgets according to senior leadership’s project controls procedures; maintain accuracy through Aligned’s cost tracking system.
- Ownership of communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessment, ensuring alignment across all internal and external stakeholders.
- Identify potential project risks early, partner with stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.
- Collaborate with ADC Procurement and the Director of Delivery Planning to identify long-lead materials, factory capacity, and shipping constraints to protect schedule.
- Develop and coordinate make/buy/mix strategies for skidded and modular assemblies; confirm supplier capacity and slotting align with the master plan.
- Support pre-purchase and early-release packages for long-lead equipment (switchgear, transformers, UPS, chillers, busway, controls).
- Partner with ADC Procurement & Director of Delivery Planning to validate vendor logistics, packaging, and environmental controls (shock/tilt/temp/humidity) to preserve warranties and ensure smooth delivery to site.
- Support day-to-day program activities and initiatives, engaging with architects, consultants, and equipment providers to ensure material readiness and supplier coordination.
- Align with PD and Procurement teams to ensure contractual dates and vendor requirements are accurately communicated and reflected in program schedules.
- Track and assist in managing permitting, utility interconnection, and entitlement milestones; as required, engage directly with AHJs and utility partners to ensure transparency and pace.
- Validate site readiness—including access, temporary works, and safety planning—prior to handoff to Construction Delivery.
- Ensure all enabling works, procurement activities, and long-lead items are synchronized with the construction start plan.
- Coordinate efforts ensuring permit matrices are created, maintained, and socialized with all stakeholders throughout the planning phase.
- Lead the formal Ready-to-Build (R2B) process, ensuring every element of the project is validated and approved before construction start.
- Deliver a complete handoff package including:
- Final IFC design set and revision log
- Baseline schedule and cost model
- Risk register and mitigation plan
- Commissioning & quality plan
- Logistics & warranty documentation
- Governance and lessons-learned summary
- Conduct a structured handoff meeting with Construction Delivery to confirm scope continuity, accountability, and execution readiness.
- Partner with stakeholder teams to align on contractual and technical requirements prior to construction start to ensure seamless transition.
- Capture and document lessons learned post-handoff and incorporate them into Aligned’s Platform Delivery Playbooks.
- Drive continuous improvement in planning & pre-construction governance, process efficiency, and documentation consistency.
- Mentor Construction Managers and Project Controls staff in early-phase integration, schedule management, and stakeholder communication.
- Own all administrative duties associated with Aligned technical programs, ensuring consistent documentation, reporting accuracy, and internal transparency.
- Lead the early planning phase for new data center builds—from concept through “Ready-to-Build (R2B)”—coordinating inputs across Platform Delivery, Commercial, Engineering, Procurement, and Commissioning & Quality.
- Establish and maintain the program roadmap and integrated master schedule (IMS) with defined gate reviews (Feasibility → Design → Procurement → R2B → Handoff).
- Translate business requirements and customer demand into executable deployment plans that balance schedule, cost, and risk.
- Partner with Feasibility and Constructability teams to validate site readiness, design maturity, and utility timing.
- Maintain and communicate program risk registers and decision logs; drive proactive mitigation and issue resolution with clear accountability.
- Orchestrate stage-gate reviews (Intake → Feasibility → Concept → Funding) with crisp executive readouts and decision memos.
- Partner with stakeholder teams on site feasibility, aligning with delivery teams to ensure market and infrastructure readiness.
- Assist with building and maintaining cost models for new market entry and build-to-suit projects—both nationally and internationally—and provide pre-construction support to revenue teams during the RFP process.
- Collaborate closely with Procurement, Platform, and Finance during the pre-con process to define production requirements and resolve challenges.
- Work directly with stakeholder and Platform Delivery teams to optimize and improve project delivery schedules and efficiencies.
- Publish executive one-pagers and dashboards summarizing scope, cost, schedule, risk, and gating status.
- Coordinate with teams on permitting strategy and community/authority engagement plans, ensuring key requirements and due dates are reflected in planning schedules.
- Lead coordination across engineering disciplines (civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, controls) to ensure designs align with Aligned’s productized templates, DFMA/OSM standards, and modular assembly philosophy.
- Partner with Engineering to coordinate design readiness reviews at key milestones (30/60/90/IFC) to confirm constructability, scope completeness, and schedule alignment.
- Partner with Commissioning & Quality & Engineering teams to ensure early commissioning readiness (L1–L5/IST) is embedded into design deliverables to support factory-first testing and accelerated start-up.
- Partner with Platform Engineering to integrate lessons learned, value engineering, and reliability improvements into future design iterations.
- Conduct technical review of construction and architectural plans to ensure alignment with Aligned’s design standards and customer requirements; communicate conceptual designs and documentation to internal teams prior to and during construction.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessments across all active programs.
- Provide expertise in data center infrastructure to guide customers through base build and fit-out phases, ensuring facilities meet both operational and technical requirements.
- Lead efforts creating Level 2/3 preliminary schedules and key milestones (permits, utilities, long-lead PO dates).
- Lead efforts to build and maintain integrated master schedules in Primavera P6 or MS Project, capturing all dependencies—design, procurement, permitting, and long-lead manufacturing.
- Maintain cost models and variance logs; partner with Commercial/Pre-Construction and Finance to ensure estimates reflect scope evolution and current market conditions.
- Lead efforts to quantify and manage schedule, cost, and delivery risks; provide leadership with actionable mitigation plans.
- Lead R2B readiness reviews confirming closure of all open items before construction mobilization.
- Provide weekly and monthly executive dashboards summarizing schedule health, cost performance, and risk exposure.
- Lead cost/design/schedule validation workshops; document outcomes and actions.
- Assist in setup and management of project budgets according to senior leadership’s project controls procedures; maintain accuracy through Aligned’s cost tracking system.
- Ownership of communication of design status, cost modeling, and risk assessment, ensuring alignment across all internal and external stakeholders.
- Identify potential project risks early, partner with stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.
- Collaborate with ADC Procurement and the Director of Delivery Planning to identify long-lead materials, factory capacity, and shipping constraints to protect schedule.
- Develop and coordinate make/buy/mix strategies for skidded and modular assemblies; confirm supplier capacity and slotting align with the master plan.
- Support pre-purchase and early-release packages for long-lead equipment (switchgear, transformers, UPS, chillers, busway, controls).
- Partner with ADC Procurement & Director of Delivery Planning to validate vendor logistics, packaging, and environmental controls (shock/tilt/temp/humidity) to preserve warranties and ensure smooth delivery to site.
- Support day-to-day program activities and initiatives, engaging with architects, consultants, and equipment providers to ensure material readiness and supplier coordination.
- Align with PD and Procurement teams to ensure contractual dates and vendor requirements are accurately communicated and reflected in program schedules.
- Track and assist in managing permitting, utility interconnection, and entitlement milestones; as required, engage directly with AHJs and utility partners to ensure transparency and pace.
- Validate site readiness—including access, temporary works, and safety planning—prior to handoff to Construction Delivery.
- Ensure all enabling works, procurement activities, and long-lead items are synchronized with the construction start plan.
- Coordinate efforts ensuring permit matrices are created, maintained, and socialized with all stakeholders throughout the planning phase.
- Lead the formal Ready-to-Build (R2B) process, ensuring every element of the project is validated and approved before construction start.
- Deliver a complete handoff package including:
- Final IFC design set and revision log
- Baseline schedule and cost model
- Risk register and mitigation plan
- Commissioning & quality plan
- Logistics & warranty documentation
- Governance and lessons-learned summary
- Conduct a structured handoff meeting with Construction Delivery to confirm scope continuity, accountability, and execution readiness.
- Partner with stakeholder teams to align on contractual and technical requirements prior to construction start to ensure seamless transition.
- Capture and document lessons learned post-handoff and incorporate them into Aligned’s Platform Delivery Playbooks.
- Drive continuous improvement in planning & pre-construction governance, process efficiency, and documentation consistency.
- Mentor Construction Managers and Project Controls staff in early-phase integration, schedule management, and stakeholder communication.
- Own all administrative duties associated with Aligned technical programs, ensuring consistent documentation, reporting accuracy, and internal transparency.
Minimum Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- Experience: 10 years in mission-critical/industrial delivery (data centers strongly preferred), including 5 years leading design and/or project management and multi-site/program portfolios.
- Technical depth: Strong knowledge of MEP systems (MV/LV powertrain, UPS/energy storage, switchgear/transformers, busway, cooling/CRAH/CRAC/liquid-cooling, BMS/EPMS) and constructability; ability to interpret drawings/specifications.
- Commissioning: Proficiency across L1–L5 with IST; defect tracking, and CAPA close-out.
- Financial acumen: Budget setup and management, variance analysis, and TCO/ROI business-case development.
- Tools: Advanced Excel; Smartsheet, Bluebeam, AutoCAD; project controls (P6 or MS Project); Procore/BIM 360; analytics (Power BI/Tableau); ERP/PLM familiarity.
- Soft skills: Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, written/verbal communication, and cross-functional collaboration; strong time-management and organizational skills; discretion and confidentiality at all times.
- Contracting: Expertise with various project delivery models (IPD, Design-Build, Design-Assist, EPC, CM at Risk).
- Travel: Up to 50% to manufacturers, integrators, sites, and construction sites.
- Change Management: Track record of building programs from the ground up and driving organizational change.
- Proven ability to integrate cost, schedule, and design data into a cohesive, risk-managed program plan.
- Experience leading complex cross-functional teams and influencing decisions at the executive level.
- Proficiency with Primavera P6, MS Project, Procore, Bluebeam, and analytics tools (Power BI/Tableau).
- Demonstrated success implementing governance frameworks and driving early risk elimination.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and presentation skills
- Ability to interpret construction drawings and specifications
- Travel up to 50%
- Knowledge of construction cost estimating methods and development of scopes of work
- Supply chain & vendors: Make/buy/mix strategy, multi-sourcing, vendor scorecards, capacity management, and commercial negotiation.
- Logistics: Heavy-haul/multimodal planning, OS/OW permitting, and packaging/preservation standards (shock/tilt/temp); familiarity with Incoterms and customs processes.
- Productization/OSM: Demonstrated success with OSM/prefab, DFMA, and modular skids/assemblies that drive measurable schedule and quality gains.
- Certifications: PMP, PE, CxA, Six Sigma; advanced degree (MS/MBA) a plus.
- Deep relationships across regional data-center GC/trade/design communities.
- Expertise with project delivery models (IPD, Design-Build, CM at Risk).
- Experience with regional zoning, permitting strategies, and AHJ coordination.