Design & Construction Manager – Data

Job Description

Job Title: Design and Construction Program Manager – Data Centers. Location: Poughkeepsie, Armonk, Yorktown Heights, New York, United States

The Program Manager acts as the main point of accountability across contractors, architects, engineers and internal stakeholders, ensuring all projects follow IBM standards and delivery frameworks.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and govern all design and construction activities across multiple vendors and service providers
• Enforce IBM project delivery models, design review gates, and governance standards
• Develop scopes of work and RFPs, manage bid evaluations, and recommend vendor awards
• Maintain master project schedules and manage critical paths;
• Validate vendor schedules and ensure commissioning readiness
• Own and manage project risk registers covering cost, schedule, and technical risks
• Oversee change orders, contract compliance, and financial reporting
• Review and validate designs for hyperscale and Tier III+/IV data center requirements
• Ensure commissioning protocols meet IBM standards, including Level 1 to Level 5 and IST
• Serve as the main liaison between IBM leadership, internal teams, and external partners
• Deliver executive dashboards and weekly progress reports;
• Ensure compliance with financial controls, invoicing accuracy, and project closeout
• Support value engineering initiatives and track design and construction innovations
• Integrate contracts, workplace standards, transactions, and facility management into end-to-end delivery
• Review lease terms, budgets, schedules, and capital cash flow projections
• Ensure compliance with IBM Workplace standards and LEED and WELL requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field
• 10+ years of construction program management experience
• At least 5 years managing data center or mission-critical facilities
• Proven experience with ground-up data center construction;
• Strong knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems and commissioning processes
• Experience managing large industrial or manufacturing projects
• Advanced skills in scheduling, cost forecasting, and risk management;
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and communicate with senior executives
• Strong attention to detail with deep understanding of project financial and schedule documents
• PMP certification strongly preferred

Preferred:

• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills
• Experience with EPC, GMP, IPD, and cost-plus delivery models
• Familiarity with open-book contracting approaches;
• Experience using prefabrication and modular construction strategies for data centers