Senior Site Operations Manager

Khazna was founded in 2012 and has grown rapidly into becoming the leading and trusted wholesale Data Center provider in the Middle East and North Africa region. Through our Data Centers, we provide industry benchmark levels of power supply and cooling services to better serve the growing need for data center operations in the UAE and wider region.

We are seeking a Senior Site Operations Manager who will be accountable for the end-to-end operational performance, resilience, safety, and compliance of one or more mission-critical data center sites. The role provides senior leadership, governance, and incident command for critical environments, ensuring maximum uptime, regulatory compliance, cost control, and service excellence.

This role leads site operations teams, vendors, and service partners while acting as the ultimate authority on-site during incidents and crises.

Key Accountabilities:

• Own the overall operational readiness, uptime, and resilience of the data center site(s)
• Translate enterprise operations strategy into site-level execution and controls
• Lead, coach, and develop site operations teams to ensure technical capability and operational discipline
• Establish a high-performance culture focused on safety, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Provide oversight of electrical, mechanical, HVAC, fire, and life safety systems
• Ensure Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM), corrective maintenance, and lifecycle activities are executed to standard
• Govern CAFM / CMMS usage to ensure asset accuracy, SLA tracking, and audit readiness
• Review and approve maintenance strategies, switching programs, and operating procedures
• Act as the primary Incident Commander during all major incidents and emergencies on the internal bridge and for major incidents.
• Lead response to power failures, cooling events, equipment failures, and external disruptions
• Ensure post-incident root cause analysis, corrective actions, and lessons learned are implemented
• Maintain and test emergency response, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans
• Ensure full compliance with QHSE policies, local regulations, and international standards
• Lead safety culture through visible leadership, audits, site walks, and risk mitigation
• Chair or sponsor QHSE committees and ensure closure of non-conformances
• Lead internal and external audits, including critical environment and global site assessments
• Own site-level vendor performance, SLAs, and service delivery outcomes
• Approve operational spend, maintenance contracts, and service agreements within DoA
• Drive cost optimization without compromising resilience or compliance
• Oversee Capex and OpEx initiatives related to site operations and upgrades
• Act as the senior site interface for internal stakeholders, tenants, and clients
• Ensure service commitments are met and escalations are resolved effectively
• Partner with IT, Security, Projects, and Commercial teams for seamless operations
• Lead site-level sustainability initiatives focused on energy efficiency, water usage, and waste reduction
• Monitor and report sustainability metrics and improvement plans
• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and corporate sustainability goals
• Provide senior management with regular operational, risk, and performance reporting
• Track and govern KPIs, SLAs, incidents, audit outcomes, and improvement initiatives
• Ensure all site documentation, SOPs, and records are accurate and current
• Full authority over day-to-day site operations and incident response
• Authority to execute emergency actions to protect life, assets, and service continuity
• Budget and resource allocation authority within approved delegation
• Input into long-term capacity planning, upgrades, and operational strategy

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Facilities Management, or related discipline
• Data center certifications (CDCP, CDCS, or equivalent)

Minimum Experience:

• 10–15+ years in data center or mission-critical operations
• Proven experience leading large teams, vendors, and complex incidents
• Strong background in critical facilities governance and operational risk

Job-Specific Skills (Generic/ Technical):

• Senior operational leadership in high-pressure environments
• Incident command and crisis decision-making
• Financial, vendor, and SLA governance
• Executive stakeholder management and communication
• CAFM / CMMS governance expertise