Facilities Manager at Data Center Storage and Logistics in Memphis, TN

The Role

The Facilities Manager partners with the VP of Operations and Strategy to deliver Phase 2, Capital Preservation and Activation: taking a contracted, generic shell and turning it into a fully operational warehouse, ready to hand off systems-live. While the VP of Operations and Strategy sets strategy and decides where capital goes next, and the Director of Program Operations and Director of Warehousing Operations run Phase 3 once a facility is live, the Facilities Manager works alongside the VP to make each facility real — from executed lease to systems-live handoff — and then keeps it running day to day.

The role begins at the executed lease handed off from Phase 1 and carries two distinct mandates. First, buildout: partnering with the VP to manage tenant improvements, permitting, the general contractor, engineering, infrastructure, and site activation to a hard readiness date, then handing a custom-fit, systems-live facility to the Director of Program Operations and Director of Warehousing Operations to operationalize. Second, ongoing facilities support: once a site is live, this role remains the point of contact for building systems, landlord relations, and recurring vendor management at every site in the network.

Areas of Responsibility

1. Phase 2 Intake & Project Setup

Phase 2 begins with a clean transition from a real-estate effort to a buildout-and-activation project.

• Accept the executed lease, the defined TI split, and the financial model from the VP
• Confirm DCSL's tenant-improvement responsibilities versus the landlord's
• Validate the TI budget carried in the financial model
• Build the project schedule against the lease's key dates and stand up the facility folder of record

2. General Contractor & Vendor Selection

• Build the scope of work from the tenant-responsible portion of the TI split, not the whole building
• Solicit a minimum of three comparable bids against one identical scope
• Evaluate on cost, timeline, relevant experience, and references
• Route the selected proposal to finance for sign-off against the TI budget before award

3. Permitting & Landlord-TI Oversight

• Hold the GC accountable to the permit timeline. The GC owns permit submission end to end.
• Confirm subcontractor-registration sequencing where required (for example, Fort Worth) before assuming the permit clock has started
• Run weekly landlord-TI progress meetings against lease commitments
• Escalate material permit or landlord-TI delays to the VP

4. TI Construction Management

• Oversee the GC to agreed scope, budget, and milestone schedule
• Conduct or delegate weekly site walks, and review and route change orders within delegated authority
• Flag any deviation greater than one week and require a written recovery plan
• Track landlord TI in parallel

5. Engineering & Infrastructure Execution

Mission-critical equipment requires infrastructure engineered to spec. During buildout, the Facilities Manager executes the engineering DCSL's equipment requires, to the standards set by the VP.

• Structural and floor-load coordination, and clearance sign-off
• Civil and geotechnical engagement for outdoor pads and soils reports
• Outdoor concrete pad design, permitting, and construction oversight
• Overhead crane installation, including structural, power, and permitting
• 3-phase power and utility activation at the required capacity
• ESFR sprinkler-system compliance, dock-door configuration, and equipment spec

6. New Site Activation

Once construction is complete, this role owns the end-to-end “ready-to-operate” checklist that turns an empty building into a functioning warehouse.

• Coordinate utility setup and transfer (electric, gas, water) with local providers, and confirm utility capacity and service readiness against the equipment spec
• Arrange internet/telecom installation to meet operational needs
• Manage signage design approval, ordering, and installation
• Schedule and oversee initial and recurring janitorial/cleaning services
• Specify and install all site security infrastructure: perimeter fencing (minimum 8 feet), gates, access control, cameras, and monitoring hardware; maintain and administer once the site is live
• Order long-lead building-infrastructure items, including security and perimeter fencing, at the earliest trigger. Operational equipment and racking are procured by Warehousing Operations in Phase 3.
• Prepare outdoor and IOS yard areas for readiness
• Ensure fire/life safety compliance and coordinate any required inspections or permits

7. Certificate of Occupancy & Readiness Gate

• Receive the C/O upon issuance (coordinating final inspection with the GC) and trigger facility-opening insurance binding
• Run final readiness verification, the systems-ready gate: construction complete, utilities live, security infrastructure installed and active, floor grid and WMS configured with the Director of Program Operations, insurance bound
• Compile the building record — warranties, O&M manuals, as-builts, equipment registrations, and vendor contacts — and hand it to the Director of Program Operations at the gate
• Recommend the Phase 2 to Phase 3 handoff to the VP for sign-off, then hand the custom-fit, systems-live facility to the Director of Program Operations and Director of Warehousing Operations to operate

8. Buildout & Facility Safety

• Own buildout and construction safety during Phase 2, within DCSL's organization-level OSHA program owned by the VP
• Ensure facility infrastructure is delivered to spec and safe to operate before handoff
• Enforce safety standards across DCSL crews and GC/subcontractor crews alike during buildout
• 9. Phase 2 Budget Execution
• Manage spend against the TI and activation budgets with change-order discipline
• Escalate overages to the VP and finance before committing
• Deliver final TI spend reconciliation at handoff

10. Landlord & Lease Coordination

• Serve as primary point of contact with landlords throughout the lease term, from activation through ongoing operations
• Coordinate initial lease payment setup, CAM charges, and billing logistics with landlords and internal finance
• Track lease-related deliverables and tenant improvement items through completion
• Flag and escalate any lease compliance or landlord-responsiveness issues

11. Vendor & Project Management

• Source, negotiate, and manage relationships with recurring vendors (cleaning, security, signage, telecom) across markets
• Maintain a project tracker for each site opening with clear timelines, owners, and budgets
• Manage multiple site activations and buildouts concurrently across different U.S. markets
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks that could delay a site's operational readiness

12. Community & Local Engagement

• Serve as the local face of the company with municipal officials, neighboring businesses, and community stakeholders near each site
• Build positive relationships with local government (permitting offices, fire marshals, code enforcement) to support smooth inspections and future expansion in the market
• Address neighbor concerns proactively (noise, traffic, truck routing, site appearance) to maintain good standing in the community
• Represent the company at local business association or chamber of commerce events where relevant
• Coordinate with landlords and local officials on any community-facing site improvements (landscaping, signage aesthetics, etc.)

13. Ongoing Facilities Support (Post-Opening)

Once a warehouse is up and running, this role transitions into ongoing facilities management for that site, including:

• Responding to and resolving day-to-day maintenance issues (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, dock doors/levelers, lighting, roof leaks, pest control, etc.)
• Coordinating repair vendors and technicians, and managing preventive maintenance schedules for building systems and equipment
• Monitoring and maintaining life-safety systems (fire suppression, alarms, extinguishers) to stay inspection- and code-compliant
• Managing recurring vendor contracts (janitorial, landscaping/snow removal, security, waste removal) and renewing/renegotiating as needed
• Serving as the ongoing point of contact with landlords for lease administration, maintenance responsibility questions (landlord vs. tenant obligations), and any facility-related disputes
• Tracking facilities-related spend per site and flagging budget overruns
• Conducting periodic site walk-throughs to proactively catch issues before they become costly repairs
• Responding to urgent/emergency facility issues (power outages, water intrusion, security breaches) that could impact warehouse operations, including after-hours as needed
• Helping build and refine a standardized site-activation and site-maintenance playbook as the company scales

Boundaries & Crossover

This role owns, in partnership with the VP of Operations and Strategy

• The Phase 2 buildout: TI, permitting, GC and vendor selection, engineering and infrastructure, and site security installation
• The Phase 2 to Phase 3 readiness gate and facility certification
• Utility and internet accounts, building services, and ongoing facility maintenance at every site
• Landlord relationships and lease administration, across activation and ongoing operations
• Buildout safety and Phase 2 budget execution

This role does not own

• The lease, the deal, or site selection. That is the VP, in Phase 1.
• The digital foundation and system of record: the WMS, the equipment digital twin, and the customer-facing reporting platform. That is the Director of Program Operations, in Phase 3.
• The physical operation of the warehouse, including layout, equipment, rigging, and on-the-ground handling. That is the Director of Warehousing Operations, in Phase 3.
• Lease economics, enterprise pricing, or master commercial terms

Crossover and shared accountability. At the Phase 2 to Phase 3 gate, the Facilities Manager hands a certified, systems-live facility to the Director of Program Operations and the Director of Warehousing Operations, who jointly sign off on Phase 3 readiness. From there, the Facilities Manager remains the point of contact for the building itself — utilities, landlord relations, and facility maintenance — while the Program and Warehousing teams run customer operations. All of it sits under the accountability of the VP of Operations and Strategy.

Why this seat matters. This is the seat that turns committed capital into a working facility and keeps every site running once it's live. A facility that opens late, opens unable to operate, or falls into disrepair puts a nine-figure project — and the customer relationship built on top of it — at risk. The Facilities Manager is accountable for making sure that never happens.

What the Right Person Brings

Experience

• 5-10 years in facilities management, construction/project management, commercial real estate, or multi-site operations (e.g., retail, restaurant, or industrial “new location opening” roles), including direct buildout, TI, and general-contractor management
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple vendors and contractors simultaneously, ideally across multiple geographic markets
• Working knowledge of commercial lease terms (CAM, NNN, tenant improvements) — does not need to be a real estate attorney, but should be comfortable reading and acting on lease provisions
• Hands-on coordination of structural, civil, crane, and power infrastructure to spec
• Budget and CapEx execution against a defined project budget
• Vendor negotiation experience (utilities, telecom, cleaning, security, signage)
• Proficiency with project tracking tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana, Monday.com) or willingness to learn our systems
• Working knowledge of core building systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, dock equipment) sufficient to triage issues, coordinate the right vendor, and judge whether a repair is being handled properly

Leadership & Operating Style

• A present-focused operator who runs to hard dates and does not let schedule slip silently
• Strong project management skills with the ability to juggle several concurrent, deadline-driven projects without dropping details
• Manages GCs, vendors, and field teams through both influence and direct authority
• Financially disciplined on budget execution and change-order control
• Comfortable representing the company externally with municipal officials, neighbors, and community stakeholders in a professional, relationship-building capacity

Character

• High ownership, and treats every facility's readiness and safety as personal accountability
• Calm and decisive under buildout pressure and ambiguity
• Direct communicator with GCs, landlords, vendors, and internal teams
• Hard-wired for safety. No schedule justifies a compromised lift or a shortcut on compliance.

Preferred

• Background in industrial/warehouse real estate, logistics, data center infrastructure, or heavy-haul trucking industries
• Experience opening multiple locations for a company in a high-growth phase
• Familiarity with local permitting processes across multiple U.S. states

Physical Requirements

This role splits its time between active buildouts and the ongoing facilities needs of live sites. The Facilities Manager must be comfortable in warehouse and construction environments, including non-temperature-controlled spaces and outdoor areas with uneven terrain, in proximity to heavy equipment, crane, and rigging operations. Heavy national travel across active sites is expected, including after-hours response for urgent facility issues.

Values & Culture

DCSL is looking for people who take pride in the work, show up for the team, and bring a no-job-too-small attitude to every project. We move fast, support each other, and build something worth being proud of. If that sounds like you, we would love to talk.