Director of AMER DC Construction, Data Center Capacity Delivery

The Director of North & South America Data Center Construction leads on-site execution teams that deliver data center infrastructure across the Americas, owning program management for construction projects from Pre-Construction to room delivery. This role coordinates across health and safety, security, environmental, legal, engineering, procurement, commissioning, controls, and operations while managing regional construction leaders throughout North and South America. The Director analyzes contracting scenarios across multiple jurisdictions, evaluates designs to improve safety, security, quality, availability, deployment speed, cost, and standardizes build processes across all regions. This person develops construction related metrics and reports organizational health to senior leadership, operating effectively in a fast-changing environment by applying industry best practices while maintaining the agility required to deliver on-time capacity that meets AWS growth demands.

This opportunity is multi-disciplinary; requiring depth of knowledge and experience in safety, quality, security, construction, cost control, and program management. It requires a person who can demonstrate proven ability in detailed analysis of DC architecture, including civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical designs, and its construction through effective management of general construction contractors, as well as the oversight and management of large teams in multiple time zones. The role will include travel to DC construction sites in North and South Americas and requires up o 25% travel.

Key job responsibilities
On Site Execution

• Oversee DC construction efforts through Construction, Regional Construction Managers, on-site teams, and General Contractors.
• Provide project construction support for new DC site work, building shells, and interior mechanical, electrical, and plumbing fit-out works.

Resource Management

• Develop, maintain, and report key performance indicator metrics. Analyze and use data to develop and propagate successful mechanisms, identifying risk areas, and drive systematic mitigation.
• Provide leadership and direction to construction workforce, coaching and mentoring regional managers and construction managers throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Drive span of control and discussions with critical partners to improve construction management efficiency with internal Amazon teams.
• Ensure contracted resources deliver work that meets safety, security, quality, and duration targets, addressing and correcting under-performance.

Technical Leadership

• Prepare reports, documents, and technical analysis for executive leadership. Provide recommendations to modify design requirements, equipment, and services.
• Provide technical direction for the construction team's analysis of site-work, building design, master site layouts, schedules, materials, and long lead equipment used in DCs.
• Drive innovative DC construction solutions that reduce cost and cycle time while improving safety and quality.
• Create an environment for fast-moving, iterative continuous improvement.

Cost Ownership

• Oversee the development, competition, and negotiation of contracts with construction vendors and present formal documentation for approval.
• Ensure contracts are fit for purpose, cost effective, and incorporate appropriate analysis.
• Represent construction team activities in executive staff meetings, including funding requests, correction of errors explanations, and staffing support models.
• Align construction cost estimating for future builds (including new regions), cost controls, and procurement activities with on-the-ground management of execution.

Strategic Planning & Partner Development

• Ensure alignment and collaboration with partner teams so that full DC projects are completed safe, efficiently and cost-effectively, including on-the-ground coordination of partner teams (Health & Safety, Security, Quality, Controls, Commissioning, Cabling) and partner teams (Real Estate, TiPM, Networking, and Operations).
• Work with multiple permitting entities at all governmental levels and in multiple countries to obtain construction-related permissions to build and occupy DCs.
• Align with the Construction Principals to develop a technical strategic roadmap and properly allocate resources to drive innovation.

Preferred qualifications

• MS in Construction Management or Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Structural)
• 15 years’ experience with Project Management and Vendor Management
• 5 years’ experience in Data Center system-level architecture in mechanical and electrical disciplines
• Experience designing data centers or critical MEP infrastructure
• Certified as a Professional Engineer (PE), LEED, or Certified Construction Manager (CCM)
• Prior AWS/Amazon experience
• 5 Yr. Military Service
• Fully bilingual with spoken and written proficiency in English and [Spanish, Portuguese, French, or other languages] for working at construction job sites across United States, Canada, and Latin American countries.

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.