Senior Operations Manager

Job Type: Full-time|Location: Sweetwater, Texas| Department: US Operations|Reporting to: Site & Construction Manager |Work Location Type:#onsite

IREN is a leading AI Cloud Service Provider, deliver large-scale GPU clusters for AI training and inference. IREN's vertically integrated platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of grid-connected land and data centers in renewable-rich regions across the U.S. and Canada.

The Senior Operations Manager plays a critical leadership role at the heart of a large-scale data center campus leading skilled, multi-disciplinary teams across electrical, mechanical, HVAC, and facilities trades, while partnering closely with engineering, construction, and trusted contractors to deliver uptime and operational excellence - all within a culture that values safety, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

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

• Lead and model a zero-compromise safety culture across all operations and contractor activities, ensuring compliance with site and regulatory requirements including OSHA 1910.269, NFPA 70E, LOTO, energized work controls, and permitting processes.
• Enforce and continuously improve safe work practices such as job briefings and pre-task planning, switching orders and LOTO verification, arc-flash and shock boundary compliance, and contractor safety onboarding, audits, and field coaching.
• Maintain operational excellence across critical infrastructure systems including high-voltage substations and distribution (e.g., 138kV/345kV, transformers, breakers, ring-bus systems), UPS systems, generators, ATS/STS, switchgear, power monitoring, and mechanical/HVAC systems including cooling plants and advanced or liquid-to-chip cooling.
• Support site reliability by ensuring systems operate within design limits, alarm response standards, and maintenance expectations, and by leading coordinated responses to abnormal events such as alarms, equipment trips, and system failures with calm urgency and sound decision-making.
• Own site maintenance performance and execution quality, including preventive maintenance planning and verification, corrective maintenance prioritization and closeout, work order quality and documentation standards, and field readiness and verification audits.
• Lead, develop, and support a multi-trade operations workforce providing 24/7 coverage by setting clear expectations, reinforcing accountability, delivering consistent coaching, and managing performance.
• Foster a professional operations culture grounded in respect, integrity, teamwork, and high standards of execution.
• Manage relationships with key contractors and service partners by defining scope, coordinating schedules, enforcing safety and quality standards, reviewing proposals and quotes, and validating completed work.
• Partner with Engineering and Construction teams to support energization, commissioning, cutovers, and expansion milestones while ensuring operational readiness through validation of documentation.
• Maintain accurate operational documentation and field controls, including switching procedures, LOTO plans, permits, authorization workflows, underground utility coordination and excavation permitting (as applicable), equipment logs, oil/DGA sampling, and incident follow-ups.
• The duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be all-inclusive and may be modified, expanded, or reassigned as necessary to meet business needs.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent; technical degree preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in critical infrastructure operations (data centers, substations, industrial power, manufacturing, or similar environments).
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary operations teams in a mission-critical data center or critical infrastructure environment supporting 24/7 operations and uptime expectations.
• Strong understanding of electrical safety practices, including LOTO and energized work controls.
• Ability to plan and execute complex work in a high-risk, uptime-critical environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to lead in the field and provide clear executive-level updates.
• Proven experience supporting MV/HV power systems (switchgear, breakers, transformers, substations) and coordinating switching, cutovers, and energization activities preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in NFPA 70E, LOTO control, and high-risk work planning with working knowledge of OSHA requirements preferred.
• Experience driving high-quality PM/CM programs, backlog management, work order verification, and asset reliability improvements using a CMMS preferred.
• Working knowledge of BMS, EPMS, SCADA, or DCIM monitoring platforms, including alarm response workflows and performance trending preferred.

Other important requirements:  

• Pre-employment screening, including background check and substance testing, may be required per company policy.
• Work performed in outdoor substations and energized electrical environments.
• Must provide own steel-toed work boots; all other required PPE will be supplied.
• Ability to walk job sites, climb ladders and stairs, and perform field inspections and oversight.
• Must be able to reliably commute to the work site daily or relocate prior to start.
• Must be comfortable working a rotational schedule, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
• Must be able to respond during off-hours for emergency events.
• Employees working night shifts receive a 15% shift premium for hours worked during night shifts.

Benefits