[Hiring] Director, Solutions Data Centers @Cushman & Wakefield

Role Description

This individual leads the design and articulation of integrated facilities management (IFM) solutions for hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI/HPC data center portfolios. This is a client-facing, pursuit-critical role that converts complex critical-environment requirements into deliverable operating models, staffing plans, and commercial constructs.

The role carries a deliberate and heavy emphasis on engineering solutioning and engineering staffing — building the critical-facilities engineering organization that sits at the center of every data center mandate.

• Lead solution architecture for data center IFM pursuits — new business, expansions, renewals, and rebids — across single-site, regional, and global portfolios.
• Interrogate client requirements (RFI/RFP/RFQ, SLAs, KPIs, MOPs/SOPs, uptime standards, Uptime Institute tier and criticality classifications) and translate them into a defensible operating model.
• Build the labor model, organizational chart, span of control, and scope matrix that underpin the price — and defend every assumption in internal governance and client-facing sessions.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, HR, Talent Acquisition, Procurement, Finance, EHS, Sustainability, Legal, and Technology to assemble one integrated solution rather than a collection of functional inputs.
• Author and orchestrate the technical response: solution narrative, staffing plan, mobilization and transition plan, technology stack, governance model, risk register, and assumptions and exclusions schedule.
• Lead solution workshops, site walks, due-diligence visits, and client orals; present and defend the engineering and FM approach to client engineering leadership and procurement.
• Conduct win/loss reviews and feed outcomes back into standard solution assets, benchmark libraries, and pricing templates.
• Maintain a reusable library of data center solution components — role profiles, coverage models, PM libraries, scope matrices, and benchmark staffing ratios.
• Design the critical-facilities engineering operating model: on-site engineering teams, 24x7x365 shift coverage, on-call and escalation structures, remote operations center integration, and vendor-augmented models.
• Solution the maintenance program across all critical systems — MV/LV electrical distribution, switchgear, UPS and battery plant, static transfer switches, PDUs, generators and fuel systems, chillers, CRAC/CRAH units, pumps, cooling towers, liquid cooling and direct-to-chip systems for AI/HPC densities, BMS/EPMS, fire detection and suppression, and building envelope.
• Set the engineering technology approach: CMMS/EAM configuration, asset hierarchy and tagging standards, BMS/EPMS integration, remote monitoring, analytics, digital twin and reliability reporting.
• Quantify the engineering solution — headcount, overtime, shift differentials, tools, test equipment, PPE, training, spares and critical-spares strategy, and subcontracted specialist services.
• Build engineering staffing models by site and by portfolio: role mix (Chief Engineer, Critical Facilities Manager, Lead/Shift Engineer, Critical Facilities Engineer, Controls/BMS Technician, Electrical and Mechanical Technicians, Fire Life Safety specialists, EHS and Compliance roles), FTE counts, shift rotations, relief factors, vacation and absence coverage, and overtime assumptions.
• Define qualification and licensure matrices by jurisdiction — electrical and mechanical licenses, stationary/operating engineer licenses and client-specific critical-environment certifications.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition on the recruiting ramp plan — sourcing channels, pipeline build ahead of award, hiring sequencing against go-live, contingency and contractor bridge strategies.
• Benchmark proposed engineering ratios (engineers per MW, per critical system, per square foot) against internal and industry data, and articulate the rationale for any deviation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Facilities/Construction Management, or a related technical discipline; equivalent military or trade-progression experience will be considered.
• 10+ years in facilities management, critical facilities operations, or engineering services, including 5+ years with direct data center or mission-critical environment accountability.
• 5+ years in FM solutions development, bid management, or a senior operations role with direct ownership of staffing models and cost build-ups.
• Demonstrated experience building critical-facilities engineering staffing models and defending them to sophisticated technical clients.
• Working command of data center infrastructure: electrical distribution and redundancy topologies (N+1, 2N, 2N+1), UPS and generator systems, mechanical cooling including liquid cooling, BMS/EPMS, and fire life safety.
• Fluency in FM commercial models, SLA/KPI regimes, and pricing mechanics; advanced Excel modeling capability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to author a technical solution narrative and present it to C-suite and engineering audiences alike.
• Willingness to travel domestically (typically 25-30%).

Requirements

• Experience supporting hyperscale, colocation, or AI/HPC clients and their standardized operating requirements.
• Certifications such as PE, CEM, CFM, ATD/ATS (Uptime Institute), CDCP/CDCS, PMP, LEED AP, or NFPA 70E.
• Experience with union environments, prevailing wage.
• Global or multi-region portfolio solutioning experience.
• Prior experience with major CMMS/IWMS platforms and asset data standardization.

Benefits

• Health, vision, and dental insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Health savings accounts.
• Retirement savings plans.
• Life and disability insurance programs.
• Paid and unpaid time away from work.
• Competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.