Director of Data Center Operations

The posting, as DigitalOcean wrote it

Dive in and do the best work of your career at DigitalOcean. Journey alongside a strong community of top talent who are relentless in their drive to build the simplest scalable cloud. If you have a growth mindset, naturally like to think big and bold, and are energized by the fast-paced environment of a true industry disruptor, you’ll find your place here. We value winning together—while learning, having fun, and making a profound difference for the dreamers and builders in the world.

The Director of Data Center On-Site Operations is a senior operational leader responsible for driving consistent, scalable, and high-performing execution across DigitalOcean’s global data center footprint. This role leads the on-site operations strategy for existing regional data centers and supports rapid expansion into new locations by building the operating model, leadership structure, processes, standards, and performance systems required to scale effectively.

This leader is accountable for improving operational excellence across data center sites, including execution quality, service reliability, staffing readiness, vendor performance, incident response, maintenance discipline, change execution, and customer-impact prevention. The role is focused on strengthening day-to-day operational performance while creating repeatable processes that allow the organization to grow quickly across both existing and new markets.

As DigitalOcean continues to invest heavily in physical infrastructure and AI/GPU capacity, this leader will play a critical role in preparing on-site operations for higher-density environments, liquid-cooled infrastructure, accelerated deployments, and increasingly demanding customer SLAs. The Director will ensure that on-site teams can support rapid growth while maintaining safety, reliability, consistency, and accountability.

This executive serves as a key escalation leader for site-level operational issues, vendor performance concerns, and execution risks. The role requires strong cross-functional partnership with Infrastructure, Engineering, Design, Construction, Capacity Planning, Procurement, Networking, Product, and executive leadership to ensure data center operations are aligned with business growth, customer commitments, and long-term scalability.

Key Strategic Priorities

• Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement: Build and mature a disciplined operating model across all data center locations, with clear standards, repeatable processes, strong metrics, and continuous improvement mechanisms.
• Scalable Site Operations Model: Develop the staffing models, leadership structures, training programs, procedures, and governance required to support rapid growth in both the number of locations and the complexity of operations.
• Rapid Data Center Expansion Readiness: Ensure new sites can be operationalized quickly and consistently through standardized launch playbooks, readiness checklists, vendor coordination, staffing plans, a

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ofessional development and provides resources to support your growth. We provide employees with reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education, subject to company policy.

• We care about your well-being. We take a comprehensive approach to our total rewards packages because we know different things drive different people. Our benefits are designed to support you and may include flexible time off, local team meetups, and mental health and well being support. Our benefits philosophy is consistent globally, but specific benefits and eligibility vary by location to reflect local needs and regulations.
• We reward our employees. The salary range for this position is based on market data, relevant years of experience, and skills. Eligible employees may also receive equity compensation, which may include a new hire equity grant and, in participating countries, the opportunity to participate in our Employee Stock Purchase Program. Equity awards are subject to approval and the terms of the applicable plan.
• Non-sales roles : In addition to base salary, this role is eligible to participate in DigitalOcean’s annual bonus plan and may be eligible for a new hire equity grant, subject to plan terms and local eligibility. Bonus amounts depend on company and individual performance.
• Sales roles (sales compensation eligible) : In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible to earn incentive compensation under the applicable sales compensation plan and may be eligible for a new hire equity grant, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
• DigitalOcean is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Application Limit: You may apply to a maximum of 3 positions within any 180-day period. This policy promotes better role-candidate matching and encourages thoughtful applications where your qualifications align most strongly.