Job Title: Data Centre Operations Lead
Location: Princeton, NJ (Onsite)
Duration: 6-12 Months
Job Description:
To reiterate - Good and current hands-on experience in at least three to four of "Active Directory/Entra ID, VMWare/Citrix, Power Shell scripting, Data center and hardware management, Automation, Monitoring tools etc. leadership skills & ITSM knowledge are required.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the data center operations team, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure high performance and operational excellence. Act as the primary point of contact for all data center-related issues and escalations.
- Oversee the daily operations of data center facilities, ensuring high availability and reliability of all systems.
- Manage data center infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking equipment, and power/cooling systems.
- Ensure adherence to operational standards and best practices.
- Lead, mentor, and manage a team of data center technicians and engineers.
- Provide guidance and support for professional development and performance improvement.
- Coordinate and manage the team's daily activities, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and priorities.
- Lead the response to data center incidents, ensuring timely resolution and minimal impact on business operations.
- Perform root cause analysis and implement preventive measures to avoid recurrence of issues.
- Develop and maintain incident management processes and procedures.
- Plan and oversee scheduled maintenance and upgrades of data center infrastructure.
- Ensure that all hardware and software components are up-to-date and functioning optimally.
- Coordinate with vendors and service providers for maintenance and support activities.
- Monitor and analyze data center resource usage, ensuring efficient utilization and avoiding over-provisioning.
- Conduct capacity planning to support future growth and demand.
- Implement optimization strategies to enhance performance and reduce operational costs.
- Ensure data center infrastructure adheres to security policies, standards, and best practices.
- Implement and maintain security controls to protect data and systems.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards (e.g., ISO 27001, HIPAA).
- Develop and implement disaster recovery and business continuity plans for data center operations.
- Ensure regular testing and validation of disaster recovery procedures.
- Ensure data center infrastructure is resilient and can recover quickly from failures or disruptions.
- Work closely with other IT teams, business units, and stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver solutions that meet their needs.
- Collaborate with vendors and service providers to evaluate and integrate new technologies and services.
- Communicate effectively with stakeholders, providing regular updates on data center operations and performance.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation of data center infrastructure, configurations, processes, and procedures.
- Generate regular reports on data center performance, incidents, and operational metrics.
- Ensure documentation is up-to-date and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
Minimum Qualifications / Skills
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degrees or relevant professional training are a plus.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in data center operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership or senior technical role.
- Extensive experience in data center operations, with a proven track record of managing large-scale data center environments.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop a high-performing operations team.
- In-depth knowledge of data center infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling systems.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues.
- Experience with incident and problem management, change management, and capacity planning.
- Strong understanding of compliance, security, and regulatory requirements related to data center operations.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels.
- Experience in vendor management and contract negotiations.
- A proactive approach to continuous improvement and innovation in data center operations.
Preferred Qualifications/ Skills
- Relevant certifications such as Certified Data Center Management Professional (CDCMP), Data Center Certified Associate (DCCA), or equivalent certifications are highly desirable.
- Experience with ITIL or other IT service management frameworks.
- Familiarity with cloud computing and hybrid data center environments.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively interact with technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes of issues and implement effective solutions in a timely manner.
- Proven ability to work independently as well as part of a team, with a proactive and self-motivated attitude towards achieving project goals.