Vice President, Data Center Operations

Description AFL provides industry-leading fiber optic products and services across the globe. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber optic cable and now we manufacture over two thousand products, employ over 5,000 associates and consistently generate annual sales in excess of 2 billion-dollars in revenue. With our commitment to professional growth and employee development, let AFL “Connect” you to your next career opportunity! Job Summary The Vice President of Data Center Operations & Hyperscale Services will lead end‑to‑end operations across high‑density data centers and the company’s hyperscale/commercial delivery businesses. This executive oversees global data hall operations, lifecycle services, structured cabling, splicing/testing, service SLAs, and regional delivery teams. They will define the operating model, set strategic direction, lead infrastructure expansions, build organizational capacity, and drive operational excellence, quality, and safety at scale. The VP will ensure consistent service delivery, optimized cost structures, customer satisfaction, and P&L performance in a rapidly growing environment. Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Scale Lead global data center operations across multiple high‑density facilities and lifecycle service lines. Define and execute a 3‑year scale plan including regionalization, national capacity modeling, hybrid workforce strategy, and centers of excellence. Set strategic direction for operational excellence, cost efficiency, safety, and customer experience. Develop standardized operating models and playbooks to enable repeatable, scalable national and global delivery. Governance, PMO & Operating Model Stand up and/or optimize a PMO focused on schedule fidelity, risk burndown, milestone control, and actionable dashboards. Establish enterprise SOPs/MOPs, readiness gates (design completion, materials, crews, permits, safety), and operational consistency across all facilities. Align closely with design and construction teams to support seamless data center expansions, migrations, and facility upgrades. Operations, Delivery & Service Leadership Oversee data hall operations, incident response, change management, and critical maintenance across all sites. Ensure on-time, on-budget project delivery and 24x7 service SLAs across hyperscale customers and commercial accounts. Track and manage KPIs, SLAs, operational metrics, and performance dashboards. Drive continuous improvement, minimize downtime, strengthen incident management, and ensure business continuity planning. Maintain global operational consistency, customer satisfaction, and technical excellence. Commercial, Financial & Supply Chain Lead P&L management with targets of 20% year-over-year growth. Build and optimize supply chain strategy to drive cost savings, margin improvement, and scalable delivery. Improve working capital performance through DSO management, milestone billing discipline, and material readiness to reduce WIP drag. Partner with customer executives (including Hyperscalers) to enhance relationships and expand business opportunities. People Leadership & Culture Build and mentor a high‑performing global leadership team across operations, PMO, quality, safety, and service delivery. Aggressively scale a hybrid workforce through training, certification programs, and technical skill development. Create a performance-driven culture with transparent KPIs, tiered reviews, and a disciplined problem‑solving cadence. Champion safety as a core value through proactive reporting, audits, training, and recognition programs. Required Qualifications 10–15+ years leading large-scale data center build, operations & maintenance, or mission‑critical infrastructure environments. Proven track record scaling organizations from ~$100M to $300M+ with full P&L accountability. Deep expertise in structured cabling, fiber splicing/testing (OTDR/OLTS; Tier 1/Tier 2), patching/MACs, labeling, documentation, and data center O&M standards. Demonstrated experience building PMOs, operational governance, and enterprise process frameworks. Executive presence with Hyperscalers and strong cross-functional leadership skills. Strong capability in risk, schedule, cost control, and complex operational environments.