Pro Talent Crafter · 23 hours ago
IT Operations Director
KC Metro Area
Contract
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expPro Talent Crafter is seeking an IT Operations Director to lead and manage their data center ecosystem, ensuring high availability, security, and operational excellence. The role involves overseeing data center operations, driving modernization and automation, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to support evolving AI and cloud initiatives.
Information Technology & Services
Responsibilities
Own the vision and roadmap for enterprise and AI-focused data center infrastructure
Drive strategy for high-density AI compute clusters, GPU infrastructure, and next-generation cooling and power systems
Define capacity planning models for compute, storage, and network resources aligned with business and AI workload growth
Partner with executive leadership, security, DevOps, and data science teams to ensure the data center can support evolving AI and cloud initiatives
Evaluate new technologies to improve efficiency and competitiveness
Oversee day-to-day operations of all corporate data centers, colocation facilities, and critical environments
Ensure 24/7 availability, performance, and resilience of the data center ecosystem
Manage facility infrastructure including UPS, generators, PDUs, cooling systems, and environmental monitoring
Establish rigorous operational procedures, runbooks, and change management controls
Maintain compliance with relevant standards
Lead architecture and operations of AI clusters (GPU servers, high-speed fabric, RDMA, InfiniBand, high-density racks)
Optimize power usage effectiveness (PUE) and thermal management for AI workloads
Ensure scalable storage systems to support large model training and data pipelines
Collaborate with ML/AI teams to understand workload characteristics and infrastructure impact
Direct and mentor teams responsible for data center operations, infrastructure engineering, facilities management, and network operations
Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and automation
Set performance standards, manage staffing needs, and oversee on-call rotations
Implement orchestration and automation tools for monitoring, patching, provisioning, and incident response
Drive adoption of DCIM platforms to increase operational efficiency and asset visibility
Lead hybrid cloud operations and migration strategies when appropriate
Manage multi-million-dollar budgets for data center infrastructure, operations, and modernization
Oversee relationships with hardware vendors, colocation providers, MSPs, and service partners
Negotiate contracts for equipment procurement, maintenance, and support services
Establish disaster recovery strategies and ensure failover capability for critical systems
Maintain security controls for physical and logical access to the data center
Conduct regular risk assessments, audits, and capacity reviews
Qualification
Required
Must be located in or around Kansas City, MO and willing to do some travel within the state of Kansas
Contract to hire. Looking for a Director level candidate
Must have experience leading teams and managing people in the Data Center Operations and Infrastructure space
Must have some knowledge of AI
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or equivalent experience
10+ years of experience in data center operations, infrastructure engineering, or similar roles
5+ years leading teams in high-availability, mission-critical environments
Deep expertise in data center facility systems (power distribution, cooling, physical security)
Deep expertise in virtualization and container platforms
Deep expertise in high-performance networking
Deep expertise in storage architectures for enterprise and AI workloads
Deep expertise in monitoring, DCIM, and automation frameworks
Risk Management, Security, & Compliance
Budgeting & Vendor Management
Technology & Automation
Team Leadership & Development
AI/High-Performance Infrastructure
Data Center Operations Management
Preferred
Experience building or operating AI Data Centers at scale
Knowledge of liquid cooling systems
Certifications such as CDCDP, CDCTP, ITIL, PMP, or equivalent
Strong understanding of cybersecurity for data centers
Strong leadership, communication, and cross-department collaboration
Strategic thinker able to bring structure to complex operations
Ability to lead in high-pressure, rapidly evolving technology environments
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
Looking for long term commitment and growth in the role – potential to become VP level
Assist in Road Map for future needs
Company
Pro Talent Crafter
WHO WE ARE Headquartered in Lewes, DE, Pro Talent Crafter is a dynamic force in the IT staffing and talent acquisition space.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase