Senior Director, Cloud and Data Services

Job Description

Job Description

Job SummaryThe Senior Director of Cloud and Data Services will lead a new business unit that delivers modern computer, storage, and data services to North Carolina-based research, education, telehealth, and other public sector entities. The Senior Director will be responsible for developing and executing the strategic vision for our data center and cloud operations, with a primary focus on creating and delivering innovative customer-facing and internal services. This role combines technical expertise with product management, business development, operational excellence, and team leadership to deliver enterprise-class cloud and data services that meet evolving market demands.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Service Development & Innovation

• Lead the creation of new services within MCNC’s Cloud and Data Services business, including the following areas:
  • Private cloud services utilizing premise infrastructure located in MCNC’s data center facilities.
  • Public cloud service offerings utilizing partnerships with public cloud providers and their offered service capabilities.
  • Hybrid cloud solutions based on integrated capabilities between these public and private cloud solutions.
  • Data services based on and powered by the provided public, private, and hybrid cloud service offerings.
• Establish and manage a service development lifecycle process, including ideation, prototyping, testing, and deployment phases
• Create business cases and ROI analyses for new service offerings
• Develop pricing models and go-to-market strategies for data center services
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and assess their potential for new service offerings
• Build and manage a technology evaluation framework for assessing new solutions and vendors
• Oversee proof-of-concept implementations for promising technologies
• Create and maintain a service portfolio roadmap aligned with market trends and customer needs

Strategic Planning and Operational Excellence

• Develop and implement comprehensive strategies for data center operations, including capacity planning, technology roadmaps, and service delivery frameworks
• Design and establish service catalogs, operational procedures, and governance models for data center services
• Create and maintain service level agreements (SLAs) and operating level agreements (OLAs)
• Lead strategic initiatives for data center optimization, consolidation, and modernization
• Develop, implement, and maintain business resilience and risk mitigation practices for cloud and data products and services
• Establish and maintain operational processes, procedures, and standards for data center services
• Implement ITIL-based service management practices and continuous improvement programs
• Oversee incident, problem, and change management processes
• Align operations to MCNC long-range goals and strategic plan; monitor and optimize service performance metrics and KPIs
• Design and implement automation for service delivery and management
• Ensure all ongoing aspects of financial management are targeted, monitored, and met, including but not limited to pricing, cost, forecasting, and budgeting.

Customer Engagement & Service Management

• Work directly with CMO and MCNC sales to identify and interact with key customers to understand their needs, gather requirements for new services, and establish feedback loops for service improvements
• Work with CMO to determine addressable market and revenue projections
• Develop and maintain service catalogs with clear descriptions, SLAs, and pricing
• Create customer onboarding and migration frameworks
• Implement customer success metrics and monitoring systems

Infrastructure Management

• Oversee the planning, design,implementation, and ongoing operation of premise data center infrastructure. This will include partnering with other departments on decisions related to power, cooling, network, and security systems.
• Manage data center capacity planning and optimization to ensure efficient resource utilization
• Drive infrastructure automation and orchestration initiatives
• Oversee the planning, design, implementation, and ongoing operation of cloud-based computing solutions used to operate defined service offerings.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in data center operations and infrastructure management
• 5+ years of experience in service development and product management
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing technical teams and working closely with other organizational functions
• Strong understanding of data center technologies, standards, and best practices
• Experience with ITIL framework and service management principles
• Financial acumen with experience in budget planning and oversight, forecasting, revenue growth strategies, P&L management, and cost-benefit analysis
• Must have a valid driver's license and will be required to drive a company vehicle on company business. Pre-employment and annual MVR checks will be required during your employment with the company for this position in order to be approved to drive a company-owned vehicle.
• Background and sex offender checks will be performed for pre-employment and annually during your employment with the company.
• This role will be required to adhere to the MCNC Substance Abuse policy, which may include drug/alcohol screening at hire and periodically or randomly during employment.

Technical Knowledge

• Data center infrastructure (power, cooling, network)
• Infrastructure monitoring and management tools
• Experience with cloud infrastructure and hybrid environments
• Technical understanding of modern data analysis and management
• Virtualization technologies
• Network architecture and security
• Data security, and legal and regulatory compliance
• Automation and orchestration platforms
• Energy management systems
• Service design and development methodologies
• Technology assessment frameworks
• Product management tools and techniques

Preferred Qualifications/Specialties

• Master's degree in related field
• Knowledge of green data center practices and sustainability initiatives
• Technical understanding and awareness of modern AI/ML frameworks, platforms, packages, infrastructure, and services
• Professional certifications such as CDCP, CDCS, or equivalent
• Experience with data center automation and DCIM tools
• Product management certification or experience
• Experience with agile service development methodologies

Business Competencies

• Understanding of product development methodologies, industry trends, agile practices, and strong technical insight to make informed decisions
• Product/Service Lifecycle Expertise: Design thinking, customer success metrics and monitoring, and service innovation process management
• Strategic Vision/Thinking: Develop and apply long-term strategies that align with organizational goals
• Market Insight and Analysis: Understanding of industry trends, challenges, and opportunities
• Client Relationship Management: Expertise in building and maintaining strong client partnerships at the executive level
• Financial Acumen: Skill in managing complex budgets, P&L management, forecasting revenue, driving profitability

Leadership Competencies

• Team Building and Development: Capable of inspiring and motivating teams, setting a clear vision, fostering collaboration and empowering team members; Strong capacity to recruit, develop, and retain top talent
• Change Management: Skill in leading organizational transformations and adapting to evolving market conditions
• Communication and Executive Presence: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences; Ability to inspire confidence and credibility among team members, clients, and stakeholders
• Problem-solving: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to address complex business and technical challenges
• Emotional Intelligence: Self-awareness and ability to manage interpersonal relationships effectively

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

MCNC is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

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