Senior Director, Cloud and Data Services

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Cloud and Data Services will lead a newly established business unit focused on delivering modern computing, storage, and data solutions to organizations in research, education, healthcare, and the public sector. This role is responsible for shaping and executing the strategic vision for cloud and data services, with an emphasis on creating innovative, customer-facing and internal offerings. It combines technical expertise with product management, business development, operational excellence, and team leadership to deliver enterprise-class solutions that meet evolving market demands.

Key Responsibilities

Service Development & Innovation

• Drive the creation of new cloud and data services, including:
  • Private cloud solutions leveraging on-premise infrastructure.
  • Public cloud offerings through partnerships with major providers.
  • Hybrid cloud solutions integrating public and private capabilities.
  • Data services powered by these cloud platforms.
• Establish and manage a full service development lifecycle: ideation, prototyping, testing, and deployment.
• Build business cases and ROI analyses for new offerings.
• Develop pricing models and go-to-market strategies.
• Stay ahead of emerging technologies and assess their potential for new services.
• Create a technology evaluation framework for vendor and solution assessment.
• Oversee proof-of-concept implementations for promising technologies.
• Maintain a service portfolio roadmap aligned with market trends and customer needs.

Strategic Planning & Operational Excellence

• Develop and implement strategies for cloud and data services, including capacity planning, technology roadmaps, and delivery frameworks.
• Design service catalogs, operational procedures, and governance models.
• Define and maintain SLAs and OLAs.
• Lead initiatives for data center optimization, consolidation, and modernization.
• Implement business resilience and risk mitigation practices.
• Establish ITIL-based or similar service management practices and continuous improvement programs.
• Oversee incident, problem, and change management processes.
• Monitor and optimize service performance metrics and KPIs.
• Drive automation for service delivery and management.
• Manage financial aspects including pricing, cost control, forecasting, and budgeting.

Customer Engagement & Service Management

• Collaborate with sales and marketing teams to identify key customers and understand their needs.
• Gather requirements for new services and establish feedback loops for improvement.
• Define addressable markets and revenue projections.
• Create onboarding and migration frameworks.
• Implement customer success metrics and monitoring systems.

Infrastructure Management

• Oversee planning, design, implementation, and operation of on-premise data center infrastructure, including power, cooling, network, and security.
• Manage capacity planning and resource optimization.
• Drive automation and orchestration initiatives.
• Oversee cloud-based computing solutions supporting service offerings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years in service development and product management.
• 5+ years in leadership roles managing technical teams.
• Strong understanding of data center technologies and best practices.
• Experience with ITIL framework and service management principles.
• Financial acumen in budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management.

Technical Expertise

• Cloud infrastructure and hybrid environments.
• Data analysis and management.
• Virtualization technologies.
• Data security and compliance.
• Automation and orchestration platforms.
• Network architecture and security.
• Service design and development methodologies.
• Data center infrastructure and monitoring tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in data center operations and sustainability practices.
• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks and platforms.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CDCP, CDCS).
• Experience with agile methodologies and product management certifications.

Leadership Competencies

• Ability to inspire and motivate teams, foster collaboration, and recruit top talent.
• Skilled in leading organizational transformations and adapting to market changes.
• Strong communication skills for diverse audiences.
• Analytical and critical thinking for complex challenges.
• Emotional intelligence and relationship management.