What are the responsibilities and job description for the Data Center Manager (MEP- Mechanical, Electrical & plumbing), HVAC,UPS 12+ Mths Cont, Somerset, NJ position at Zen & Art?
Location: Somerset, NJ (Hybrid minimum 4 days per week at various sites in the NY/NJ area)
Department: Enterprise Tech & Services Enterprise Data Centers Reporting Manager: Vice President, EDC Engineering & Operations Position Summary The Data Center Project Manager (M&E) is responsible for the end to end delivery of mechanical, electrical, and technology infrastructure construction projects within the firms enterprise data centers.
This role manages full project lifecycle execution including scope definition, design coordination, vendor oversight, financial management, commissioning support, and handover to operations. The position ensures all assigned projects meet performance, compliance, safety, and operational readiness requirements. Sites within the NY/NJ area will be undergoing refresh of the existing mechanical and electrical infrastructure. The goal of this role is to provide owner related project management functions working with operations teams, construction vendors and their respective project managers, engineering, and commissioning service providers.
Key Responsibilities
Serve as primary project lead for all assigned mechanical, electrical, and critical infrastructure CAPEX initiatives.Develop and maintain project scope documents, schedules, budgets, risk registers, status reporting, and financial updates for stakeholders.Execute procurement activities including RFP development, bid evaluation, vendor selection, and contract negotiation.Coordinate with internal engineering, data center operations, MEP consultants, and third party service providers to ensure alignment with EDC standards and governance.Oversee installation, testing, and commissioning activities for HVAC, UPS, generators, PDUs, controls, fire/life safety systems, and other mechanical/electrical components.Manage project CAPEX budget and assist with vendor payment generation as required.Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, safety protocols, and industry standards, including support for SLA/KPI commitments.Maintain project documentation, status tracking, change management processes, and required meeting cadence.Support sustainability and certification goals (LEED, WELL, WiredScore, SmartScore) through project design and execution on a per project basis.Partner with data center operations teams to ensure seamless handover into steady state operations.
Qualifications -Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field preferred.
5-10 years of experience managing MEP or mission critical construction projects within data centers or a similar environment required.Experience with financial firms is preferred as it relates to the critical nature of refreshing equipment in a live financial data center environment is preferred.
This is a MEP role and not telecom or application/software development.Strong knowledge of critical facility systems including HVAC, UPS, generators, PDUs, controls, and commissioning processes.Proven ability to lead cross functional teams, manage vendors, and oversee large scale project budgets.Strong communication skills with the ability to manage stakeholder expectations and produce accurate documentation.Ability to work in dynamic, fast paced environments while maintaining safety, quality, and governance standards. Why This Role This position provides the opportunity to contribute directly to the reliability, resiliency, and modernization of the firms global data center environment. The role offers exposure to senior engineering leadership, high impact infrastructure programs, and cross functional teams delivering complex, mission critical projects.