Operations Program Director

Your role

Operations Program Director will provide strategic leadership for complex global programmes on behalf of the Global Operations department, with accountability for the governance, execution, and operational readiness activities required to onboard new sites (data centers) onto DLR’s suite of platforms and processes. This role sets the direction for programme delivery, drives cross-functional alignment, manages executive-level stakeholder engagement, and ensures consistent delivery standards across regions. The Director will partner closely with senior leaders, functional teams, and key stakeholders to advance Global Operations priorities, strengthen operational excellence, and enable scalable, repeatable delivery across the portfolio.

What you’ll do

• Set the strategic direction for global Operations PMO programmes, including the end-to-end governance and delivery approach for onboarding new sites onto DLR’s processes and platforms, ensuring alignment with Global Operations priorities and executive expectations.

• Oversee portfolio and programme planning, including scope, budget, timelines, resource strategy, risk management, quality controls, and interdependency management across multiple regions and functions.

• Serve as a senior point of escalation and trusted advisor for programme-related matters, influencing executives, business sponsors, regional leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive decisions and remove barriers.

• Anticipate and resolve strategic risks, issues, and dependencies that may impact delivery, operational readiness, financial performance, or business outcomes.

• Provide leadership, direction, and coaching to programme and project teams, fostering accountability, collaboration, high performance, and consistent delivery discipline.

• Own executive governance and reporting for the portfolio, including delivery performance, financial status, operational readiness, key risks, and decision points for senior leadership.

• Lead continuous improvement of the Operations PMO function by strengthening delivery frameworks, governance standards, lessons learned, and scalable best practices across the global portfolio.

What you’ll need

• Bachelor’s degree in business, IT, engineering, or related field; PMP or equivalent certification preferred.

• Solid experience of progressive programme, portfolio, or PMO leadership experience, including experience leading large-scale, global initiatives in data centers, IT infrastructure, operations, or similarly complex environments.

• Deep expertise in programme, portfolio, and project management methodologies, governance frameworks, and tools, with the ability to establish standards and drive adoption across teams.

• Proven ability to lead multi-million-dollar, multi-phase programmes with significant cross-functional dependencies, executive visibility, and regional or global impact.

• Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, with the confidence to influence senior leaders and drive accountability.

• Strong strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and business acumen, with the ability to connect programme delivery to operational, financial, and customer outcomes.

• Excellent executive communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex information, present clear recommendations, and influence decisions at all levels of the organisation.