Data Center Development Manager

Data Center Development Manager

Location: Bellevue, Washington

Salary: $180,000–$220,000

Employment Type: Direct Hire, onsite

Industry: Data Center Development / Mission-Critical Infrastructure

*Relocation assistance available for out-of-state candidates*

Position Overview

Innovar Group is seeking an experienced Data Center Development Manager to support the development of large-scale data center projects across North America. This individual will lead sites through the early development lifecycle, including due diligence, entitlements, permitting, utility coordination, and regulatory approvals, preparing each project for a successful transition into design and construction.

This is a highly visible role requiring strong development expertise, commercial judgment, and the ability to coordinate complex workstreams across internal teams, municipalities, utilities, consultants, engineers, and other external partners. The ideal candidate has experience developing data centers or other large-scale, power-intensive real estate projects and understands how to identify and resolve risks before they affect cost, schedule, or project viability.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage data center development activities from initial site control and letter of intent through entitlements, permitting, and project handoff.
• Lead comprehensive site due diligence, including zoning, land use, environmental, utility, infrastructure, access, and development feasibility reviews.
• Develop and execute entitlement and permitting strategies for complex data center campuses.
• Coordinate with municipalities, planning departments, permitting authorities, utilities, consultants, engineers, attorneys, and community stakeholders.
• Identify development risks and establish practical mitigation plans to protect project schedules, budgets, and investment objectives.
• Manage third-party consultants and ensure required studies, applications, reports, and approvals are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain detailed project schedules, budgets, milestone trackers, decision logs, and development risk registers.
• Coordinate power, water, wastewater, fiber, transportation, and other critical infrastructure requirements.
• Evaluate jurisdictional requirements and determine the most effective path for securing development approvals.
• Support site acquisition and investment decisions by presenting development risks, costs, timelines, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Partner with site selection, design, engineering, construction, finance, legal, commercial, and sustainability teams throughout the development process.
• Prepare executive-level project updates and clearly communicate changes affecting cost, schedule, scope, or project viability.
• Support the development and implementation of standardized processes, reporting tools, and best practices across the data center development portfolio.
• Ensure projects are fully documented and appropriately prepared for transition to design and construction delivery teams.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, planning, real estate development, business, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience managing commercial real estate, industrial, infrastructure, or data center development projects.
• Demonstrated experience with land development, due diligence, entitlements, permitting, and regulatory approvals.
• Experience coordinating with utilities, municipalities, government agencies, engineering firms, and external development consultants.
• Strong understanding of project schedules, development budgets, risk management, and consultant oversight.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects and competing priorities simultaneously.
• Strong financial and commercial judgment with the ability to evaluate development costs, risks, and project feasibility.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to communicate complex development issues clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Willingness to travel as required to support projects throughout North America.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience developing hyperscale, colocation, or large-scale data center campuses.
• Experience with power-intensive developments, utility interconnection processes, or major infrastructure programs.
• Familiarity with build-to-suit and speculative data center development models.
• Experience managing greenfield development projects from site acquisition through construction readiness.
• Knowledge of environmental reviews, zoning approvals, land-use agreements, development agreements, and public hearing processes.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and geographic markets.
• Advanced degree or relevant professional certification.
  
  

About Innovar Group

Innovar Group is a team of experienced talent agents dedicated to providing top-notch recruitment services across the United States. We're committed to revolutionizing the recruiting industry by merging cutting-edge technology with exceptional talent. For more information, visit our website at www.innovargroup.com.

At Innovar Group, we are committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals. Our employment decisions are solely based on merit, and we do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and expression), national origin, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.