Senior Director, Data Center Facilities Development

The Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Data Center Development organization leads the planning, design, and delivery of the next generation of Oracle’s global data center portfolio. We are seeking a Senior Director of Data Center Development to provide strategic leadership and organizational oversight for the design of mission-critical infrastructure across OCI’s rapidly expanding global footprint.

This role is responsible for establishing and executing OCI’s data center design strategy across a portfolio of large-scale, highly complex developments. The Senior Director will lead a team of design management professionals and provide executive-level oversight of multidisciplinary design activities spanning architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, controls, and mission-critical infrastructure systems.

The position requires a combination of organizational leadership, technical depth, design governance, and portfolio management. The successful candidate will establish clear design requirements, drive consistency across projects and delivery partners, manage technical risk, and ensure that OCI’s facilities meet established requirements for performance, reliability, resiliency, scalability, constructability, and operational readiness.

The Senior Director will serve as a senior technical and organizational leader within OCI Data Center Development, partnering closely with Construction, Engineering, Operations, Network, Capacity Planning, Energy, Security, and other internal organizations. The role will also provide senior-level direction to colocation partners, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, and other external stakeholders responsible for delivering OCI

Responsibilities:

• Lead the Data Center Design Management function for an assigned global or multi-region portfolio of hyperscale and mission-critical infrastructure projects.

• Establish organizational priorities, expectations, governance processes, and performance standards for the design management team.

• Lead, develop, and mentor design managers and design leadership personnel, establishing clear accountability for project execution, technical quality, and professional development.

• Provide portfolio-level oversight of multidisciplinary data center design across architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, controls, life safety, and supporting infrastructure systems.

• Establish and maintain design governance throughout the project lifecycle, from early planning and Basis of Design development through schematic design, design development, construction documentation, construction support, commissioning, and record documentation.

• Ensure projects maintain alignment with OCI technical requirements, design standards, operational requirements, reliability objectives, and infrastructure strategies.

• Provide senior technical leadership for high-density compute environments, including mechanical systems, liquid cooling, electrical infrastructure, controls, and other mission-critical systems supporting next-generation cloud and AI infrastructure.

• Drive consistent implementation and continuous improvement of OCI global data center design standards, specifications, design criteria, and best practices.

• Establish effective design review, technical approval, change management, and decision-making processes across the portfolio.

• Identify systemic and project-specific design risks and ensure appropriate mitigation, escalation, and resolution before those risks impact construction, schedule, cost, reliability, or operations.

• Lead resolution of complex multidisciplinary technical issues requiring coordination across internal organizations, design consultants, construction teams, operators, and external delivery partners.

• Partner with Construction, Engineering, Operations, Network, Capacity Planning, Energy, Security, and other OCI organizations to ensure infrastructure requirements are coordinated and incorporated into project designs.

• Provide senior-level oversight of architects, engineers, consultants, colocation providers, and other design partners responsible for delivering OCI infrastructure.

• Establish expectations for consultant scope, performance, technical quality, schedule adherence, and design deliverables.

• Ensure Basis of Design, SD, DD, permit, IFC, and record design packages meet OCI requirements and are appropriately reviewed and approved.

• Drive standardization and repeatability while maintaining the flexibility necessary to address regional requirements, site conditions, utility constraints, code requirements, and evolving technology.

• Evaluate proposed design changes and deviations to determine portfolio-level impacts to reliability, operations, schedule, cost, standards, and future scalability.

• Develop and monitor design performance metrics, portfolio risks, technical issues, and organizational priorities, providing clear reporting and recommendations to executive leadership.

• Support strategic planning for future data center capacity, emerging technologies, new infrastructure architectures, and evolving cloud and AI requirements.

• Represent OCI Data Center Design Management in executive reviews, technical workshops, partner engagements, design reviews, and other internal and external forums.

• Build a culture of technical rigor, accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and disciplined design governance across the organization.

Required Qualifications:

• Professional licensure required as a Registered Architect (RA) or Professional Engineer (PE).

• Accredited degree in Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in data center, mission-critical, industrial, or large-scale infrastructure design and development.

• Significant leadership experience managing design professionals, multidisciplinary technical teams, and external architecture and engineering organizations.

• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale hyperscale, cloud, colocation, or mission-critical infrastructure programs.

• Strong multidisciplinary understanding of data center architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, controls, life safety, and supporting infrastructure systems.

• Demonstrated ability to establish and manage design governance, standards, technical requirements, and change control across multiple concurrent projects.

• Experience managing complex project portfolios involving multiple sites, delivery partners, consultants, and internal stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of data center mechanical and cooling infrastructure, with experience in high-density and liquid-cooled environments strongly preferred.

• Strong understanding of data center electrical distribution, resiliency strategies, controls, commissioning, and operational requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to identify, communicate, and resolve complex technical and organizational risks.

• Experience working within accelerated design and construction programs where schedule, scalability, repeatability, and technical quality are critical.

• Strong executive communication, organizational leadership, negotiation, and decision-making skills.

• Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to both executive and technical audiences.

• Working knowledge of applicable data center codes, standards, and industry guidance, including NFPA, ASHRAE, IBC, and other applicable international, national, and local requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 15+ years of experience in mission-critical or large-scale infrastructure design and development.

• Experience leading design organizations supporting hyperscale cloud or AI infrastructure.

• Experience managing global or multi-region data center portfolios.

• Experience developing and implementing enterprise-level data center design standards, specifications, and governance programs.

• Experience with high-density compute environments, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, advanced thermal management, and next-generation data center infrastructure.

• Experience with colocation and developer-led delivery models, including oversight of third-party design and construction partners.

• Experience implementing formal design review, technical deviation, change management, and lessons-learned processes.

• Working knowledge of BIM, digital design coordination, document management, and design collaboration platforms.

• LEED AP, Uptime ATD, or other relevant mission-critical industry certifications.

• Demonstrated experience developing high-performing technical teams and future organizational leaders.

Disclaimer:

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Range and benefit information provided in this posting are specific to the stated locations only

CA: Hiring Range in CAD from: $163,600 to $268,800 per annum.

Oracle maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions and locations, as well as reflect Oracle's differing products, industries and lines of business.
Candidates are typically placed into the range based on the preceding factors as well as internal peer equity.

Vacancy Type - New Position

This role will be working on a regular basis with colleagues and external vendors and suppliers around the world, so a professional level of English is required. Proficiency in French is required for candidates residing in Quebec, otherwise it is considered an asset.