Overview

Vice President – Tenant Fit Out – Data Center Developer Jobs in Chicago, IL at Appleton Finn

Senior Vice President, Tenant Fit-Out – Data Centers / Mission Critical

Industry: Data Centers / Mission Critical / Hyperscale Infrastructure

Location: Chicago, IL (Travel as required to clients, project sites and other offices)
Job Type: Full-Time

Position Overview

A leading data center developer and operator is seeking a Senior Vice President of Tenant Fit-Out to lead customer-specific buildout and delivery programs across large-scale data center and mission critical facilities.

This executive-level role will oversee tenant fit-out strategy, project execution, white space delivery, MEP coordination, commissioning readiness, customer turnover, and operational handoff across multiple active and upcoming data center projects.

The Senior Vice President, Tenant Fit-Out will work closely with executive leadership, construction, development, design, engineering, critical operations, sales, finance, legal, contractors, consultants, commissioning agents, and customers to ensure each deployment is delivered safely, efficiently, on schedule, within budget, and aligned with customer requirements.

The ideal candidate will have deep experience in Leading Business units but also leading data center tenant improvements, hyperscale deployments, data hall fit-outs, white space delivery, MEP infrastructure coordination, commissioning, and customer-facing technical delivery programs.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead the overall tenant fit-out strategy for data center and mission critical projects across the portfolio
  • Oversee customer-specific buildouts from initial requirements through design coordination, construction execution, commissioning, turnover, and operational handoff
  • Manage multiple concurrent tenant fit-out programs across campuses, shell buildings, data halls, and phased delivery environments
  • Partner with development, construction, design, engineering, operations, sales, finance, legal, and customer teams to align project execution with business and client commitments
  • Develop and manage tenant fit-out execution plans, including budgets, schedules, procurement strategies, risk plans, quality standards, and delivery milestones
  • Lead coordination of customer requirements, technical specifications, lease obligations, service level commitments, and project delivery timelines
  • Oversee white space delivery, data hall readiness, power distribution, cooling integration, security systems, network infrastructure coordination, equipment placement, and containment solutions
  • Ensure MEP/F systems, electrical distribution, UPS systems, generators, switchgear, cooling systems, controls, fire protection, and life-safety systems are aligned with customer and operational requirements
  • Collaborate with design and engineering teams to review drawings, specifications, BIM models, equipment layouts, constructability, and system coordination
  • Drive procurement strategy for long-lead equipment, critical infrastructure, owner-furnished equipment, customer-driven scope, and vendor deliverables
  • Monitor project performance against budget, schedule, safety, quality, commissioning, and customer delivery expectations
  • Identify project risks early and implement mitigation plans to protect schedule, cost, quality, and customer commitments
  • Lead executive-level reporting on tenant fit-out status, schedule risks, budget exposure, commercial impacts, customer readiness, and operational turnover
  • Manage internal and external stakeholders, including customers, contractors, consultants, commissioning agents, design partners, vendors, utility providers, and authorities having jurisdiction
  • Oversee change management related to customer scope changes, design revisions, schedule acceleration, procurement impacts, and commercial adjustments
  • Ensure customer-driven modifications, change orders, directives, claims, and cost impacts are properly documented, priced, negotiated, and executed
  • Establish consistent tenant fit-out delivery standards, governance processes, reporting tools, quality controls, and best practices across the portfolio
  • Implement and manage quality control programs including first-in-place inspections, benchmark reviews, deficiency tracking, punch list management, and final acceptance protocols
  • Coordinate commissioning activities including equipment startup, functional testing, integrated systems testing, Level 1–5 commissioning, IST, and turnover documentation
  • Partner with critical operations teams to ensure smooth transition from construction to live operations
  • Support customer onboarding, phased occupancy, data hall energization, post-turnover issue resolution, and operational readiness
  • Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing tenant fit-out delivery team, including project executives, project managers, engineers, and support staff
  • Promote a culture of accountability, safety, urgency, collaboration, customer service, and operational excellence
  • Drive continuous improvement across fit-out delivery, customer experience, cost predictability, schedule certainty, and data center readiness

Required Qualifications

15+ years of progressive experience in data center construction, mission critical delivery, hyperscale infrastructure, tenant fit-out, or highly technical construction environments in a GC, EPCM, Owner, or Developer capacity.

  • Required: Significant experience leading tenant fit-outs, data hall deployments, white space delivery, customer-specific buildouts, or phased data center delivery programs
  • Prior senior leadership experience managing multiple projects, programs, regions, teams, or portfolio-level construction delivery initiatives
  • Strong technical understanding of data center MEP systems, including electrical distribution, mechanical cooling, UPS systems, generators, switchgear, controls, fire protection, security, and life-safety systems
  • Proven experience managing customer requirements, technical delivery obligations, executive stakeholders, and commercial commitments
  • Strong understanding of data center design, construction sequencing, procurement, commissioning, operational turnover, and live environment constraints
  • Experience leading cross-functional teams across construction, design, engineering, development, operations, finance, legal, sales, and customer success
  • Demonstrated success managing large capital budgets, aggressive schedules, technical risk, and complex stakeholder environments
  • Strong knowledge of contract administration, lease-related delivery obligations, change management, cost control, forecasting, and risk mitigation
  • Ability to review and interpret construction drawings, technical specifications, BIM models, MEP coordination drawings, commissioning plans, and project schedules
  • Experience working with hyperscale customers, cloud providers, colocation providers, enterprise clients, or large technology organizations strongly preferred
  • Excellent executive communication, leadership, negotiation, presentation, and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth, high-accountability environment
  • Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered
  • Professional certifications such as PE, PMP, LEED, or similar industry credentials are a plus

Preferred Experience

  • Hyperscale data center construction
  • Business Unit Leadership
  • Colocation data center delivery
  • Tenant improvement / tenant fit-out leadership
  • White space deployment
  • Mission critical construction
  • MEP infrastructure coordination
  • Commissioning and integrated systems testing
  • Customer-facing executive delivery
  • Multi-site or regional portfolio leadership
  • Live data center environment experience

Work Environment

This role includes executive office responsibilities, customer-facing engagement, and regular site presence across active data center construction environments.

Candidates must be comfortable walking active construction sites, accessing mechanical and electrical spaces, reviewing field progress, leading executive meetings, and managing multiple high-priority deployments at the same time.

Travel will be required based on project locations, customer commitments, and portfolio needs.

What’s Offered

  • Competitive executive compensation package: 300k+ Base, 150% Bonuses, LTI Equity program.
  • Comprehensive benefits package
  • Opportunity to lead major data center and mission critical tenant fit-out programs
  • Senior leadership role with direct impact on customer delivery, operational readiness, and portfolio growthExposure to hyperscale infrastructure, advanced MEP systems,
  • AI-ready data center environments, and complex phased deployments
  • Long-term growth opportunity with a leading data center developer and operator
  • Collaborative executive environment focused on speed, safety, quality, accountability, and customer successIdeal

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a senior data center construction leader with proven experience delivering customer-specific tenant fit-out programs in mission critical environments.

This individual should be comfortable operating at both the executive and project level, capable of leading teams, managing customer expectations, resolving complex delivery challenges, and driving high-performance execution across multiple active projects.

Only candidates with significant Data Center, Mission Critical, Hyperscale, or Tenant Fit-Out delivery experience will be considered.

Apply today for immediate consideration on current and upcoming data center projects.

INDAF

Pay: $280,000.00 – $320,000.00 per year

Benefits:

  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) 4% Match
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Disability insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Relocation assistance
  • Retirement plan
  • Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

  • How many years of Mission Critical Senior Leadership experience do you have?
  • Do you have a Strong background with a GC, EPCM, Developer, or Owner?

Experience:

  • Mission Critical: 8 years (Preferred)

Willingness to travel:

  • 50% (Preferred)

Work Location: On the road

Title: Vice President – Tenant Fit Out – Data Center Developer

Company: Appleton Finn

Location: Chicago, IL

 

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