Director - Network Delivery

Job Type: Full-Time l Location: Texas l Department:Data Center Delivery l Reporting to: Vice President, Data Center Delivery | Work Location Type: #remote

IREN is a vertically integrated AI Cloud provider, delivering large-scale data centers and GPU clusters for AI training and inference. IREN’s platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of grid-connected land and power in renewable-rich regions across North America, Europe and APAC.

Reporting to the VP, Delivery, the Director, Network Deliveryis the single point of accountability for the delivery of telecommunications, network infrastructure, fiber and supporting technology systems across every IREN data center campus – on campus, and the off-campus carrier and service-provider routes that serve each campus. The Director ensures that network infrastructure is designed correctly, constructed correctly, documented correctly and operationally ready when each building and campus is turned over, and that this happens the same way on every campus.

The Director builds and leads the Network Delivery team: Senior Project Managers – Network Delivery assigned to each campus, and the Project Managers supporting them. The Director sets the network delivery standards, templates and acceptance criteria that those teams deliver to; owns the portfolio-level schedule, budget and risk picture for network delivery; and manages the strategic relationships with carriers, service providers, telecommunications contractors and network equipment vendors so that each campus benefits from the leverage, pricing and lessons of the whole portfolio.

With 100% renewable energy, we build, own and operate our data centers and take pride in being at the forefront of sustainable solutions for the ever-evolving applications of high-performance compute. We believe that human progress is invaluable, but it should be done in the right way – responsibly, sustainably and having a positive impact on the communities we operate in.

Responsibilities

Strategy and standards

• Set the network delivery strategy for the portfolio: contracting model for telecommunications scope, carrier and service-provider strategy, standard designs and long-lead equipment approach, in alignment with Network Engineering, Sourcing and the VP, Delivery.
• Define, publish and maintain network delivery standards – carrier entrance and diversity requirements, MMR and MDF/IDF standards, pathway and structured cabling specifications, labeling and naming conventions, testing and acceptance criteria – and ensure they are incorporated into campus design templates and construction documents.
• Own the DCIM/NetBox data standard: what is captured, by whom, in what format and at what stage of construction, so that every campus is handed over with an accurate infrastructure record from day one.
• Drive continuous improvement: lessons learned from each campus are captured, standards are updated and the next campus is delivered better.

Team leadership

• Build, lead and develop the Network Delivery team: hire and assign Senior Project Managers – Network Delivery to campuses, set clear and stretch expectations, give regular feedback, manage performance and build a pipeline of network delivery talent against campus demand.
• Set delivery priorities and resourcing across campuses; resolve workload allocation and staffing with campus Project Directors and the VP, Delivery.
• Ensure all personnel, including contractors, under the team’s management are inducted and trained in line with company requirements; role-model a positive HSE culture and drive for zero harm.

Portfolio delivery and governance

• Own the portfolio network delivery schedule and ensure network milestones – carrier service turn-up, MMR ready-for-service, backbone and building network readiness – are integrated into each campus master schedule and never delay building commissioning or handover.
• Own the network delivery budget across campuses; work with project controls to maintain cost plans, forecasts and contingency; advise early of cost impacts and communicate variances to the VP, Delivery.
• Run the network delivery governance cadence: campus-level reviews with each Senior Project Manager – Network Delivery, a consolidated portfolio review for the VP, Delivery, and the consistent, concise reporting senior leadership relies on.
• Maintain the portfolio risk register for network delivery; lead risk assessments on new campuses during development and front-end engineering so that carrier access, diverse routing and entrance requirements are secured before site layout is fixed.
• Approve contract awards and change orders for network scope within delegated authority; support negotiation of major carrier, service-provider and vendor agreements.

Carrier, service-provider and vendor management

• Own the strategic relationships with carriers, service providers, telecommunications contractors and network equipment vendors; establish master agreements, standard pricing and service levels that each campus can draw on.
• Set measurable performance KPIs for carriers, contractors and vendors across the portfolio; run periodic performance reviews and act on underperformance.
• Serve as the escalation point for carrier, service-provider and vendor disputes and for off-campus route and entrance issues; engage utilities, landowners and local government where required.
• Work with Development and Network Engineering on carrier access and connectivity due diligence for prospective campuses, and on commitments made to customers and Operations on service availability.

Integration with campus delivery and engineering

• Partner with campus Project Directors so that network scope is planned, sequenced, resourced and reported as an integral part of every campus and building, with dependencies on civil, electrical, mechanical and building trades identified and managed.
• Partner with Network Engineering so that logical design, VLANs, IP addressing and equipment standards are reflected in delivery standards and in construction documents before construction.
• Coordinate the network dependencies of operational technology systems – BMS, EPMS, fire and life-safety monitoring, security, CCTV, access control, Wi-Fi and environmental monitoring – with the functions that own those systems.
• Lead the handover of network infrastructure to Operations on each campus against an agreed acceptance standard; ensure as-builts, test results, labeling and DCIM/NetBox records are complete and validated.

Communications and executive reporting

• Provide the VP, Delivery and the executive team with concise, reliable, consistent reporting on network delivery status, risks, schedule and budget across all campuses; escalate incidents, issues and concerns as required, with a recommendation.
• Represent Network Delivery with senior stakeholders inside and outside IREN – executive leadership, carriers and service providers, strategic partners and customers – with credibility and composure.
• Collaborate closely with Project Delivery, Network Engineering, Operations, Sourcing and Development leadership with a team-first, project-first mentality.

Requirements

• Minimum 12 years of telecommunications, network infrastructure or data center industry experience.
• 5+ years of proven project management and people leadership delivering telecommunications or network infrastructure on mid to large data center or mission-critical programs of similar complexity to IREN’s, including having led network delivery for a full campus or multi-building program.

• Demonstrated experience building and leading a team of project managers and managing performance across multiple concurrent projects or sites.
• Qualifications in an engineering, telecommunications or related discipline, or demonstrable experience and technical knowledge in data center network and fiber infrastructure; master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Deep technical expertise in outside-plant and inside-plant fiber, carrier and MMR delivery, campus backbone and data center structured cabling and network infrastructure.
• Proven track record establishing and managing carrier, service-provider and vendor relationships and agreements, including negotiation and dispute resolution.
• Executive presence and reporting: proven ability to document and communicate program risks, schedule and budget clearly and consistently to executive leadership, in writing and in person.
• Experience in a fast-paced growth environment and in solving complex problems with company-wide impact.
• OSHA 30.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Suite (Project, Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).

Preferred qualifications – network and telecommunications

• Outside-plant fiber and carrier delivery: long-haul and metro routes, right-of-way and permitting dependencies, diverse entrances, splicing and OTDR acceptance, carrier POP and handoff coordination, service orders and turn-up.
• Inside-plant and campus backbone: MMR design and fit-out, MDF/IDF, pathways and cable tray, structured cabling (fiber and copper), cross-connects, patch panels and labeling standards.
• High-capacity network services: 100G/400G connectivity, DWDM/optical transport, and coordination with Network Engineering on logical design, VLANs and IP addressing.
• Operational technology networks: network dependencies for BMS, EPMS, fire and life-safety monitoring, security, CCTV, access control, Wi-Fi and environmental monitoring.
• Infrastructure records: NetBox or other DCIM platforms, asset and connectivity documentation, naming conventions and as-built validation.
• Standards and program governance: authoring and rolling out design and delivery standards, templates and acceptance criteria across multiple sites.

Also highly regarded

• Experience on direct-to-subcontractor (multi-prime) delivery as well as GC-led delivery.
• PM certification (PMP or equivalent) highly regarded but not required; tertiary qualifications in project management desirable.
• Industry credentials such as BICSI RCDD or DCDC, Cisco or equivalent networking certifications, or fiber-optic technician certifications (e.g. FOA CFOT).
• Familiarity with SAP and with scheduling tools such as Primavera P6.
• Flexible approach to work hours across time zones; frequent travel to campuses.

Other important requirements

• A clear criminal record check is required.
• Must provide own steel-toed work boots; all other PPE is supplied.
• Must be based at or within reasonable reach of an IREN campus, or have plans to relocate before starting work; frequent travel across campuses is required.
• IREN operates across multiple countries and time zones; a flexible approach to work hours is required, with travel to other IREN sites as needed.

Benefits

Compensation

• Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, qualifications, and market data for the region.
• Total Compensation package may be inclusive of annual incentive bonus, equity (long-term incentive).
• Relocation (as appliable and based on successful candidate circumstances)

Health & Wellness

• 100% company paidhealth insurance premiums(medical, dental, and vision)for employees, 75% company paid coverage for dependents
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary life, critical illness, and accident coverage available
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) – when combined with the High Deductible Health Plan
• Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources

Retirement & Financial Wealth

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Access to financial planning and legal services

Time Off & Leave Programs

• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays

Growth & Development

• Internal skills training and advancement pathways
• Professional development to support certifications, continuing education, or role related training

Community & Culture

• Company events and team-building activities

We value diverse perspectives and believe that skills can be developed. If you’re passionate about this role, we want to hear from you — whether you meet every criteria or not. Your unique experiences might be exactly what we need!

IE US Operations Inc., the employing entity and proud member of the IREN group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We are committed to evaluating qualified applicants and do not discriminate against protected characteristics under applicable legislation.

IE US Operations, Inc. “IREN” participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.

By applying for this position and submitting your resume and application materials, you consent to the processing of your personal information in accordance with our Job Applicant Privacy Statement available on our website at www.iren.com.

Originally posted on Himalayas