Job Description

JOB TITLE: Director, Design Management

DEPARTMENT: Platform Delivery

REPORTS TO: Regional Director, Platform Execution

SUMMARY: Working closely with the Regional Director, Platform Execution and other regional Directors, Design Management peers, this Director will develop best-in-class design management policies, procedures, tools and best practices. Taking on a leadership role within the organization, this individual will also be a key player in developing and implementing consistently across regions, a robust training and accountability program that ensures the performance of the Design Management team members. This Director will also possess an industry-leading reputation and history of providing leadership and direction in partner relationships, accountability, training and employee development, AHJ and supplier relationships, project and business predictability and profitability.

This individual will oversee and support a team that leads all aspects of major technical programs that are targeting both colocation and hyperscale builds, including oversight of employee and third-party organizations engaged in the preconstruction, design, construction and commissioning phases. This role requires strong team management and communication skills and demonstrates advanced organizational and time management competencies. A successful Director, Design Management with Aligned will possess a hunger to drive efficiencies and innovation, the humility to understand we are all working together during the design and construction process, and a heart to provide exceptional service to both internal and external customers and vendors.

This role will have and be responsible for the performance of all Design Managers reporting into it per geographic region.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Dual responsibility to direct day-to-day operations of design management programs and lead a team of 2-5 direct reports in a geographic region to:
• Drive projects from inception through customer or business turnover, with heavy focus and leadership in the preconstruction and design phases of projects. The Design Managers assume project lead role at design hand-off meeting from land enablement team and shifts overall project leadership to the Construction Manager (CM) at GC mobilization.
• Direct accountabilities include:
• Works hand-in-hand with the regional Director, Construction Management to ensure performance certainty across all projects. Direct the day-to-day design management operations and long-term strategic direction of projects.
• Provide guidance and leadership throughout the entire lifecycle of projects, ensuring they are meeting or exceeding company expectations.
• Develop and maintain deep-rooted industry relationships with leaders in the contracting community including design partners, AHJ’s, general contractors and trade partners.
• Coordination/communication with the land enablement group to ensure success with offsite improvements, early permitting, easements and environmental studies for all sites in the geographical region.
• Assists regional Director, Construction Management in collaborating/coordinating with other construction directors across all regions/projects.
• Reports status, successes, challenges, and plans of action to management team and company on a timely basis.
• Develop, manage and be accountable for achievement of key departmental metrics.
• Leads, evaluates, holds accountable and develops the regional Design Management team members in the following:
• Coordination/creation of project risk registers from land enablement phase through project completion/turnover to Aligned Operations
• Project design management:
• Coordinating onboarding of third-party design team and creation of design schedule to support project needs.
• Overseeing management of external third-party design team through project completion/turnover to Aligned Operations.
• Holding design teams accountable to design progression and design gating.
• Working with SMEs, Operations, and CMs to ensure design compliance with Aligned Design Efficiency Capture (DEC).
• Identifying design variances, tracks them and manages acquisition of necessary approvals, as required.
• Enforcing design team’s accountability to Aligned’s Cost Control Log (CCL) and Complies, Deviates, Excludes (CDE) matrices.
• Operating in lockstep with the CM on each project to ensure proper communications/escalations and regular reporting to all internal and external parties and leadership/management.
• Creating, managing and updating project metrics in Smartsheets (project dashboards) for each project.
• Assisting CM with building and maintaining budget/cost models/all phase budgets for each project, specifically around design costs and timelines. Working with CM to prepare and present all funding requests.
• Coordinating with CM to prepare and present quarterly project updates for leadership.
• In conjunction with CM, supports day-to-day program activities and initiatives (engage with architects, consultants, equipment providers, GCs, etc. Coordinate all project activities with building Operations while promoting safety and compliance initiatives and requirements on site).
• Integrating with the sales and solutions engineering teams during the revenue generation process to meet with customers and ensure technical deliverables are met.
• Interfacing with customer through fit-out design, construction and integration; accountable to successful delivery of customer contracts.
• Managing the project with the business in mind and works to ensure project is meeting directives of CRC/SLT/Board.
• Operating with a constant mindset of continuous improvement, creativity, efficiency and innovation.

STRONGLY DESIRED WORKING EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Design engineering experience, with at least 5 years of design team management experience.
• Building design process and design deliverables management
• Exposure to IPD, Design-Build, and/or construction management
• Data center design/construction experience, especially with MEP systems
• Project Management Software (MS Projects, Prolog, Procore, BIM 360, or similar)
• Knowledge and experience working with CAD is a plus

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering or equivalent
• 12+ years progressive experience in successfully managing commercial construction project design programs, with data center experience required
• Mechanical/Electrical background preferred
• Deep network of leaders within the data center design and construction community
• Ability to navigate AHJ’s within a particular region with depth of understanding of the positions within local zoning, permitting and inspection authorities.
• Thorough understanding of various project delivery methods including IPD, Design-Build, and Design-Bid-Build.
• Basic understanding of various contract methods including lump sum, CM at risk, open book GMP, etc
• Advanced experience in Excel, Smartsheets and/or AutoCAD
• Track record of mentoring and developing teams and individuals to take on new challenges and career opportunities
• Ability to understand and follow clear directions and meet specific deadlines with reporting, communication and project schedules
• Ability to interpret construction drawings and specifications
• Knowledge of construction cost estimating methods and development of scopes of work.
• Ability to understand construction project scopes.
• Able to monitor and interpret design and schedule changes and forecast their impact on overall project costs
• May travel at times up to 25%

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Frequently required to stand/walk/sit
• Frequently required to bend/climb
• Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
• Occasionally work near moving mechanical parts

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

At Aligned, we are committed to transparency and fostering a positive employee experience from your very first interaction with us. In compliance with Illinois pay disclosure requirements, when you join Aligned, you’ll have access to the following benefits: medical, dental, vision, short and long disability, life insurance and other voluntary benefits, 401k with employer match, bonus opportunities, paid time off, wellness benefits and professional development opportunities, all designed to support your well-being and career growth. We want you to have a clear understanding of what we offer, so you can make informed decisions about your future with us.

Aligned is equally committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and providing equal employment opportunities for all employees. We ensure that all applicants and team members are considered for employment, advancement, and all other employment-related matters without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of your job due to a disability or medical condition, please contact our People & Culture team. Accommodation requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable laws. Aligned will make reasonable accommodations where necessary to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their role.

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