Manager, DC Performance & Innovation

Khazna was founded in 2012 and has grown rapidly into becoming the leading and trusted wholesale Data Center provider in the Middle East and North Africa region. Through our Data Centers, we provide industry benchmark levels of power supply and cooling services to better serve the growing need for data center operations in the UAE and wider region.

We are looking for a Manager, DC Performance & Innovation which is a centralized role reporting to the Executive Director – Command & Control Center and part of Command & Control Center – DC Performance Optimization. This role is responsible for driving operational efficiency, continuous improvement and technological innovation across data center operations. It ensures optimal data center performance through data-driven strategies, automation and process enhancements while aligning with business objectives and industry best practices. The role fosters collaboration across teams, standardizes performance monitoring frameworks and drives a culture of operational excellence.

Key Accountabilities:

• Develop and implement data center performance optimization strategies, metrics and initiatives to enhance efficiency, resiliency and uptime.
• Lead innovation initiatives by integrating AI, automation, IoT (Internet of Things) and digital twin technologies to optimize data center operational workflows and predictive maintenance.
• Ensure data center KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), SLAs (Service Level Agreements) and OLAs (Operational Level Agreements) are measurable, relevant and aligned with Khazna’s evolving business needs, enabling data-driven decision-making.
• Establish data center performance measurement frameworks to track efficiency, sustainability metrics such as PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) and WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness), capacity utilization and cost optimization.
• Manage data center capacity planning, infrastructure utilization and sustainability initiatives, optimizing power efficiency and reducing operational costs.
• Implement approved data center performance improvement initiatives with defined objectives, measurable outcomes and ROI (Return on Investment) tracking over a set evaluation period.
• Collaborate with Data Center Operations, Engineering and Data Analytics teams to drive continuous improvement projects and ensure best practices are implemented across all facilities.
• Develop advanced BI (Business Intelligence) dashboards and reports to provide real-time visibility into data center operational performance, infrastructure health and energy efficiency.
• Work closely with data teams across CCC departments to resolve reporting discrepancies and establish a single source of truth for data center operational metrics.
• Maintain a centralized repository of data center reports, dashboards and analytics models to ensure accessibility for performance tracking and benchmarking.
• Define and translate business requirements into measurable data center performance metrics, ensuring alignment with operational and financial objectives.
• Develop and adjust KPIs at different audience levels (centralized, regional, site-specific) to provide tailored insights for various operational teams.
• Evaluate individual data center site performance against portfolio-wide benchmarks, identifying outliers and implementing remediation strategies accordingly.
• Review power and water efficiency KPIs in collaboration with Energy and Utility Management teams to enhance sustainability efforts across Khazna data centers.
• Document and communicate data center operational targets, ensuring execution teams are aligned with performance expectations and continuous improvement goals.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering (Electrical / Mechanical / Computer Science).
• Six Sigma, Lean or ITIL certifications preferred.

Job-Specific Skills (Generic/ Technical):

• 6+ years of experience in data center operations, performance management or innovation roles.
• Proven experience in performance optimization and innovation management.
• Experience in leading enterprise change management.
• Strong understanding of data center technologies and infrastructure.
• Strong background in IT infrastructure, cloud computing and automation technologies.
• Experience with performance monitoring tools and analytics platforms.
• Excellent project management and leadership skills.
• Proven expertise in process optimization and change management.

Additional Skills:

• Ability to assess large-scale performance metrics identify trends and develop data-driven recommendations for optimization.
• Strong ability to engage with diverse stakeholders including Operations, Asset Management, Engineering and Compliance teams to drive performance improvements.
• Skilled in leading digital transformation initiatives integrating new technologies and fostering a culture of continuous innovation

Trainings/Certifications Preferred:

• ITIL v4 Foundation
• Six Sigma Black Belt
• Certified Data Center Professional (CDCP)
• Business Process Automation Training