Operations Director

Kao; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - GBP 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading data centre provider in Greater London is seeking an Operations Director to drive operational excellence in AI-focused data centres. The successful candidate will oversee operational processes, manage multi-discipline teams, and ensure compliance with service level agreements. Responsibilities include developing strategies, monitoring performance, and managing budgets for operational and capital expenditure. The candidate should have significant experience in the data centre sector and possess strong leadership skills. This role offers opportunities for professional growth and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Private Medical Insurance

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Enhanced Parental Leave

Qualifications

• Experienced in leading operations in data centre sector for AI clients.
• Financially astute with experience managing opex and capex budgets.
• Strong understanding of data centre technical assets.

Responsibilities

• Develop the Operations and Service Operations strategy.
• Monitor and report on SLAs and KPIs for the site.
• Manage the site level operational and capital expenditure budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Process management

Customer focus

Education

Professionally registered Engineer or relevant certifications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

You may choose to display a cookie banner on the external site. You must specify the message in the cookie banner and may add a link to a relevant policy. If you are unfamiliar with these requirements, please seek the advice of legal counsel.Operations Director page is loaded## Operations Directorlocations: London - Head Officetime type: Full timeposted on: Posted 4 Days Agojob requisition id**Join Kao Data as an Operations Director - Drive Excellence in AI-Focused Data Centres!**Kao Data leads the industry, pioneering the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With a hyperscale-inspired and industrial scale platform, we provide our customers with a secure, scalable, and sustainable home for their compute.The Kao Data Operations team, particularly the Data Centre Operations team, fully own and manage all operation live environments, ensuring all critical infrastructure supporting client systems remain secure, reliable and always available. The team oversees power, cooling, fire suppression, cabling and environmental stability, while proactively managing capacity and leading all preventive and corrective maintenance through rigorous change management process working with all internal/external stakeholders.They manage the Engineering Services Provider to guarantee 100% uptime and work across Kao Data to uphold compliance, governance and stakeholder satisfaction. With responsibility for CAPEX delivery, lifecycle replacements and financial accountability, Operations also partner with Design and Construction teams to ensure seamless project handovers. They work closely with our Customer Service, QHSE, Compliance, Security and Implementation teams delivering operational excellence and are the first point of escalation for incidents, the function ensures accurate reporting, transparent communication and uninterrupted service for customers.**About the Role**We are looking for an Operations Director to responsible for providing strategic leadership across operational and service operations.The role has four core objectives:* Lead and own the Operations and Service Operations strategy, managing both internal teams and outsourced partners to ensure end-to-end operational processes and procedures are clearly defined, effectively implemented, continuously monitored, and reported. Ensure these processes consistently evolved to exceed customer expectations.* Support the Vice President of Operations and Engineering Operations, QHSE, and Security by contributing to and driving continuous improvement initiatives across the organisation.* Inspire and motivate process practitioners, including employees and outsourced teams, to operate processes effectively, monitor performance, and lead continuous improvement activities and corrective interventions where required.* Ensure all customer and supply chain service level agreements (SLAs) are consistently met or exceeded.**Key Responsibilities*** Perform the Process owner role for all key operations and service management processes: asset, maintenance, change, event, incident, problem management and request fulfilment.* Ensure the processes are deployed, monitored and continuously improved on an ongoing basis, and that the process practitioners are appropriately trained.* Ensure that company standard documents and templates, systems, procedures, work instructions, methods and systems are used at the site.* Monitor and report on customer contract and outsourced partner SLAs and KPIs for the site, evaluate outliers and trends, and investigate and orchestrate the appropriate responses.* Report on the status, performance, SLAs and KPIs, and compliance initiatives relating to the Operations function for the site and present to senior management as required.* Manage the site level relationship with outsourced partners including facilities management, vendor service teams, and specialist contractors.* Ensure that all site operations activities are carried out in accordance with health, safety and environment frameworks, rules and guidelines. Ensure that Group QHSE activities relevant to the Technical Operations function are engaged with and recommendations and non-compliances are adopted and closed out.* Manage and mentor the Operations team at site, including people leadership, recruitment and retention, performance management and recognition, development, visibility and profile.* Manage the site level operational and capital expenditure budgets, report on over and under deviations, and initiate the appropriate response. Contribute to the production of a rolling 10-year capital replacement forecast for the site.* Ensure business continuity plans and disaster recovery plans for the site are produced and maintained.* Provide support to the Sales, Design and Construction, and Service Operations teams during bid, contract negotiation and post-sale stages, including implementation and handover.* Contribute to Technical Operations aspects during M&A activity including site selection and acquisition, due diligence, data room review and content submission**What We’re Looking For:*** Experienced in leading a multi-discipline, operations and service operations function that supports a diverse multinational customer base in the data centre sector and ideally hosting high performance compute / AI clients.* Experienced in utilising the services of an outsourced facilities management contractor.* Has worked in a process driven organisation and is familiar with process management.* Has worked in multinational organisations. Financially astute, has managed opex and capex budgets.* Track record of successful delivery of Operations functions, including Technical Operations, QHSE, Security, and Service Operations.* Track record of driving excellence and a customer centric culture in a diverse business.* Experienced in developing and driving opportunities for cross-team effectiveness and removing organisational barriers to progress delivery of operational outcomes.* Has experience of and is willing to be available 24x7x365 to support major incidents, including out of hours customer and supplier engagements.* Professionally registered Engineer, ITIL strategic leader or relevant qualifications, certifications and industry experience.* Has strong understanding of typical data centre technical assets, including cooling generation and distribution, LV and MV electrical, UPS, generators, fire detection and suppression, building management, security and connectivity, and can interpret associated designs and drawings.* Customer focused and can interpret client needs to build working relationships.* Builds and maintains relationships and communicates professionally and effectively.* Exercises strong leadership, team management, organisational and time management skills,* A strong team player, can work effectively under pressure, manage crises, handle emergencies effectively, and encourage the same in others.* Presents high quality output using data, statistics, spreadsheets and graphs to underwrite recommendations and decision making* Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, and awareness of relevant operational and business support systems.* Be part of an innovative and rapidly growing AI data centre leader.* Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.* Work in a dynamic and collaborative environment.* Engaging team events that strengthen workplace culture and connections* Private Medical – private health insurance including dental and optical cover.* Holiday – 25 days annual leave plus UK Bank Holidays* Pension – Salary Sacrifice Pension* Parental Leave – Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave* Life Assurance & Income Protection* Mental health support - 24/7 access to mental health support via our employee assistance programme, and a trained team of Mental Health First Aiders* Giving back – 2 Charity