Data Center Development Manager

Data Center Development Manager

Company: IronHorn Enterprises

Location: East Syracuse, NY preferred; remote candidates considered

Department: Development

Employment Type: Full-time or part-time

About IronHorn Enterprises

IronHorn Enterprises is a growing, vertically integrated commercial real estate investment and development firm specializing in industrial properties. Our in-house teams span acquisitions, leasing, finance, legal, construction, facilities, and asset management. We value initiative, accountability, and collaboration as we continue to grow our portfolio and expand into new development opportunities.

Position Overview

IronHorn is seeking an experienced Data Center Development Manager to identify, evaluate, and advance data center development opportunities. This position requires direct experience throughout the entire data center development life cycle, from site selection and feasibility through entitlements, design, construction, commissioning, and operational handoff.

The ideal candidate understands what makes a site viable for data center use and can translate that assessment into a practical development plan. This includes evaluating power availability, utility infrastructure, zoning, environmental constraints, market demand, project costs, and delivery timelines.

This role will work closely with IronHorn’s development leadership and our Acquisitions, Legal, Finance, Construction, and Leasing teams, as well as utilities, municipalities, engineers, consultants, and prospective operators or tenants. Full-time and part-time arrangements will be considered. An on-site presence in East Syracuse is preferred; remote candidates will be considered, travel may be required for site visits, public meetings, and project coordination.

Key Responsibilities

Site Selection and Feasibility

• Identify and evaluate potential data center sites based on location, market demand, infrastructure, development constraints, and long-term suitability.
• Lead site feasibility studies addressing power capacity and delivery timelines, utility service, fiber connectivity, water and cooling requirements, access, topography, and environmental conditions.
• Coordinate due diligence, including surveys, title review, geotechnical studies, environmental assessments, and preliminary engineering.
• Develop clear recommendations on whether to pursue a site, outlining key risks, costs, timelines, and conditions necessary for development.
• Support site acquisition negotiations and coordinate due diligence milestones with the Acquisitions and Legal teams.

Entitlements and Municipal Coordination

• Manage zoning reviews, entitlement strategies, land-use approvals, permitting, and related municipal processes.
• Coordinate applications, presentations, supporting studies, and responses to municipal or community questions.
• Work with local officials, land-use counsel, engineers, and consultants to address project requirements and approval conditions.
• Anticipate and address concerns related to noise, water use, traffic, visual impacts, and other site-specific issues.

Power and Infrastructure Planning

• Work directly with electric utilities and other infrastructure providers to confirm service requirements, capacity, upgrade needs, and delivery schedules.
• Coordinate power studies, service applications, and infrastructure planning with technical consultants and utility representatives.
• Evaluate how utility costs, infrastructure improvements, and service timelines affect project feasibility and phasing.
• Track critical infrastructure dependencies and communicate risks that could affect project execution.

Development Execution

• Manage development schedules, budgets, milestones, and consultant deliverables from initial evaluation through project completion.
• Coordinate site planning and design with architects, civil engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers, and other specialists.
• Partner with IronHorn’s Construction team on preconstruction planning, budgeting, procurement, construction sequencing, and project delivery.
• Support commissioning, completion of approval requirements, and turnover to the operator, tenant, or facilities team.
• Identify project risks early, recommend solutions, and keep internal stakeholders informed of progress and decisions needed.

Financial Analysis and Development Strategy

• Work with Finance and Acquisitions to develop project budgets, feasibility models, and investment recommendations.
• Evaluate land, infrastructure, utility, entitlement, and construction costs against projected project value and returns.
• Support discussions with prospective tenants, operators, investors, and development partners.
• Prepare concise project summaries and presentations for leadership review.

Qualifications

• Direct experience in data center development is required, with involvement across the full development life cycle.
• Demonstrated experience conducting or managing data center site feasibility studies and due diligence.
• Experience presenting projects and participating in town, planning board, and zoning board meetings.
• Strong understanding of data center site requirements, including power availability, utility infrastructure, fiber connectivity, cooling considerations, and redundancy.
• Experience navigating zoning, entitlements, permitting, and municipal approvals.
• Ability to evaluate development budgets, schedules, financial assumptions, and project risks.
• Experience coordinating utilities, engineers, consultants, contractors, legal counsel, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong communication, negotiation, organization, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple opportunities, take ownership of deliverables, and move projects forward with limited supervision.
• Willingness to travel for site evaluations, municipal meetings, and project needs.
• A degree in real estate, engineering, construction management, urban planning, business, or a related field is preferred.

Benefits

Benefits are available for full-time employment only and include medical, dental, and vision coverage; disability insurance; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; Paid Time Off; and a retirement plan with a 3% company match.

Why Join IronHorn

Help shape IronHorn’s data center development efforts while working directly with senior leadership and an experienced, in-house real estate team. This position offers the opportunity to influence site selection, guide development strategy, and carry projects from initial concept through delivery in an organization where initiative and dependable execution matter.

IronHorn Enterprises is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of the organization.