Data Center IT Operations Team Lead

We are looking for an experienced and motivating Data Center Operations Team Lead to guide our team of skilled engineers and ensure the flawless execution of all data center activities. The Team Lead is a player-coach, balancing hands-on technical expertise with strong leadership and mentoring responsibilities. You will be responsible for overseeing your team's shift operations, managing complex projects, and driving the strategic goals of the data center. This role is pivotal in maintaining uptime, efficiency, and security while fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Mentoring: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Data Center Operations Engineers. Manage the allocation and progress of work orders within the ticketing system, assign tasks, monitor performance, and conduct skills assessments to ensure high-quality work and team productivity.
• Operational Oversight: Serve as the primary escalation point for all operational incidents and complex technical issues during a shift. Oversee the team's response within the ticketing system, ensuring rapid and effective resolution while meeting Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Project & Vendor Coordination: Lead small to medium-scale data center projects, such as hardware deployments, migrations, or infrastructure upgrades. Coordinate with vendors, suppliers, and internal teams to ensure projects are completed on time and within scope.
• Process Improvement & Strategy: Analyze operational metrics and team performance to identify trends and areas for improvement. Develop and refine SOPs, emergency operating procedures (EOPs), and best practices to enhance efficiency, safety, and service availability.
• Capacity & Resource Planning: Assess and report on data center capacity, including space, power, and cooling. Provide data-driven recommendations for optimizing resource utilization and planning for future growth.
• Stakeholder Communication: Act as the key liaison between the operations team and other departments. Provide clear and concise updates on incidents, projects, and operational health to management and other stakeholders.
• Quality & Safety Assurance: Uphold the highest standards of quality and safety within the data center. Conduct regular audits of the team's work, enforce all security and safety regulations, and lead safety drills.
• Hands-on Contribution: Actively participate in and perform all duties of a Data Center Operations Engineer as needed to support the team and lead by example.

Required

• Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 3+ years of experience in data center operations, with at least 1-2 years in a supervisory or lead role.
• In-depth knowledge of data center hardware, infrastructure (power, cooling, cabling), and operational best practices.
• Proven leadership skills with experience in mentoring, training, and performance management.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and project management skills.
• Ability to remain calm and make critical decisions in high-pressure situations.
• Professional working proficiency in Mandarin Chinese to facilitate clear communication and collaboration with regional teams, partners, and vendors.

Preferred

• Professional certifications such as CDCP (Certified Data Centre Professional), ITIL Foundation, or PMP (Project Management Professional).
• Experience with large-scale data center environments.
• Strong understanding of IT service management (ITSM) principles.