Data Centre IFM Technical Manager

Job Overview

To provide site-based leadership and day-to-day operational control of integrated facilities management at an assigned data centre. Reporting to the Data Centre IFM Operations Manager, the postholder is accountable for safe, compliant and resilient operation of local critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure; effective delivery of engineering maintenance, change, incident response and technical assurance; and coordinated delivery of supporting soft services. The role implements estate-wide standards locally, manages site teams and service partners, maintains accurate operational evidence and escalates material safety, compliance, resilience, asset and commercial risks to the Data Centre IFM Operations Manager.

Main Duties

Site Engineering Leadership & Operational Control

• Lead day-to-day IFM and engineering operations at the assigned data centre, implementing the technical governance framework, standards and controls set by the Data Centre IFM Operations Manager.
• Control local HV/LV electrical systems, mechanical infrastructure, UPS, standby generation, cooling, BMS, EPMS, fire detection and suppression systems through competent teams and specialist partners.
• Ensure plant is operated and maintained in accordance with statutory requirements, manufacturer recommendations, client standards, Mitie procedures and approved site instructions.
• Plan, coordinate and verify preventive, predictive, condition-based and corrective maintenance, managing defects, backlog and operational risk.
• Exercise stop-work authority where activity presents unacceptable risk and escalate significant technical, compliance or service-continuity concerns promptly.

Operational Resilience & Critical Environment Management

• Maintain local operational readiness and ensure site arrangements support critical business services and agreed availability requirements.
• Maintain, brief, test and validate approved EOPs, SOPs and MOPs, submitting required changes through the estate governance process.
• Coordinate local change and outage planning, confirming dependencies, competence, resources, rollback arrangements and operational readiness before submission or execution.
• Lead the initial site response to incidents, stabilise operations, activate escalation and recovery arrangements, and provide accurate updates to the Data Centre IFM Operations Manager and client representatives.
• Support root cause analysis, implement corrective and preventive actions, share lessons learned and verify sustained closure.
• Maintain, exercise and improve site emergency response and business continuity arrangements.

Compliance, Safety & Assurance

• Maintain site compliance with the Electricity at Work Regulations, PUWER, LOLER, PSSR, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and other applicable requirements.
• Control permit-to-work, isolation, switching, risk assessment and safe systems of work in accordance with approved authority matrices and procedures.
• Confirm that site personnel and contractors hold current competence, authorisations, training and certification for assigned tasks.
• Complete site inspections and assurance checks, support internal and external audits, and close findings within agreed timescales.
• Maintain accurate local risk registers, compliance records, technical actions, statutory evidence and dashboard inputs.

Asset, Lifecycle & Technology Management

• Maintain accurate asset, condition, criticality, maintenance and defect information for the site.
• Identify local asset risks, obsolescence, capacity constraints and lifecycle needs, developing evidence-based recommendations for estate investment planning.
• Coordinate operational review, commissioning, documentation, training and handover of plant changes, replacements and projects before acceptance into service.
• Use CAFM, BMS, EPMS and available analytics to monitor performance, identify deterioration and improve maintenance decisions.

Integrated Soft Services Delivery

• Coordinate cleaning, waste, reception, landscaping and workplace support services at the site, ensuring activities do not compromise safety, security or resilience.
• Monitor service standards, access arrangements, contamination controls, working practices and escalation requirements appropriate to a critical environment.

Commercial, Supplier & Client Delivery

• Control assigned site budgets, purchase requirements and expenditure within delegated authority, escalating forecast pressures and commercial risks.
• Manage day-to-day performance of engineering and soft-service partners, challenging weak technical evidence, non-compliance and missed commitments.
• Deliver site KPIs, SLAs, availability commitments and improvement actions without compromising safety or engineering integrity.

• Act as the principal day-to-day IFM contact for site client representatives, maintaining clear communication on performance, risk, changes, incidents and planned activity.

Submit accurate and timely site reports covering engineering performance, resilience, compliance, asset risk, incidents, suppliers, costs and required escalation.

People, Competence & Site Leadership

• Lead and coordinate the site IFM team, setting clear accountabilities, priorities and performance expectations.
• Maintain local competence matrices, authorisations, training plans, shift or duty coverage and succession arrangements.
• Provide visible safety and operational leadership through site walks, briefings, coaching, performance review and timely intervention.
• Provide planned leave and emergency absence cover for Data Centre Technical Managers at other data centres when required, assuming appropriate delegated responsibilities and maintaining safe, compliant and resilient operations in accordance with local site arrangements.
• Foster a culture of technical discipline, appropriate challenge, learning, accountability and continual improvement.

What we are looking for

Qualifications

• HNC, HND, degree or recognised technical apprenticeship in Electrical, Mechanical or Building Services Engineering, or equivalent demonstrable competence.
• IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent as a minimum; NEBOSH Certificate desirable.
• Relevant HV/LV, mechanical or critical-environment authorisation essential, subject to appointment under the contract safety and Appointed Person rules.
• Professional registration or active progression desirable.

Experience & Technical Governance

• Substantial operational experience within a data centre, critical environment or other high-availability engineering facility.
• Practical knowledge of critical electrical and mechanical systems, maintenance delivery, permit-to-work, isolation, change control and incident response.
• Experience supervising multidisciplinary engineering teams, Authorised Persons, contractors and supporting soft services at site level.
• Experience supporting audits, compliance inspections, incident investigations and corrective-action closure.

Interacting & Communicating

• Builds credible working relationships with site client representatives, engineering teams, contractors, suppliers and central governance functions.
• Communicates operational status, technical risks and required decisions clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Challenges unsafe, non-compliant or poorly controlled activity and escalates material concerns without delay.
• Produces clear shift, incident, performance, risk and governance reports.

Analysing & Reporting

• Interprets operational, maintenance, alarm, energy and asset-condition data to identify trends, emerging risks and priorities.
• Uses CAFM, BMS, EPMS, compliance systems and reporting tools accurately and consistently.
• Develops practical recommendations and supplies sufficiently robust evidence to support estate-level decisions.

Adapting & Performing

• Remains calm, visible and decisive during incidents, critical work and degraded-resilience conditions.
• Makes proportionate, evidence-based decisions within delegated authority and escalates appropriately.
• Able to participate in local on-call or escalation arrangements and occasionally support other contract sites when required.
• Committed to learning from incidents and improving site controls, reliability and service delivery.
• Visible safety leader who demonstrates integrity, professionalism and customer focus.
• Maintains independence of judgement in permit, assurance and escalation decisions.