Data Center Regional Operations Director
Tokyo
Permanent
Negotiable
Data Centers
PR/590208_1777361732
Data Center Regional Operations Director
Company Overview
A global owner, developer, and operator of mission‑critical digital infrastructure, delivering highly resilient, secure, and scalable facilities across Europe and Asia Pacific. The organisation supports some of the world's largest technology, cloud, and enterprise customers, operating infrastructure that underpins national digital economies. With continued expansion across Japan, the business is strengthening its regional leadership to ensure consistent operational excellence aligned with global standards while meeting local regulatory and cultural requirements.
Position Summary
An opportunity has arisen for a Regional Operations Director - Japan to take full accountability for the end‑to‑end operational performance of a growing portfolio of mission‑critical facilities across Japan.
Reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer, with an indirect reporting line to the Japan Country Head, this role acts as the most senior in‑country operational authority. The position will provide strategic, operational, and people leadership, ensuring safe, compliant, and highly reliable operations while embedding a globally consistent operating model.
The role works closely with global operations, HSE, security, PMO, and support functions, and serves as a key interface with customers, regulators, and local authorities.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Performance & Availability
- Take full accountability for 24/7 safe and resilient operations across multiple mission‑critical sites in Japan
- Ensure industry‑leading availability, meeting or exceeding contractual SLAs and internal performance targets
- Own operational risk management, proactively identifying and mitigating hazards, vulnerabilities, and single points of failure
- Lead governance and response for major operational incidents, including escalation, communication, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement
Safety, Security & Compliance
- Act as the senior sponsor for Health, Safety & Environment across Japan operations
- Ensure full compliance with internal policies, local legislation, and regulatory requirements
- Oversee implementation of security and operational compliance standards, audits, and inspections
- Build strong relationships with local authorities, regulators, and emergency services
Customer Experience & Service Excellence
- Champion a customer‑first operational culture across all sites
- Support key customer relationships through participation in operational reviews, audits, and incident governance
- Ensure operational teams consistently deliver agreed service levels and professional standards
Leadership & People Management
- Provide visible, credible leadership to site and country operations teams
- Build and develop a high‑performing leadership bench with robust succession planning
- Foster a strong safety culture, accountability mindset, and continuous improvement ethos
Strategy, Standardisation & Growth
- Implement and embed the global operating model, standards, and KPIs across Japan
- Drive operational efficiency, cost optimisation, and capability uplift initiatives
- Support the transition of new facilities into live operations, ensuring Day‑1 readiness
- Provide operational input into expansion, capacity growth, and major customer onboarding activities
Requirements
Experience & Background
- Senior leadership experience within mission‑critical, asset‑intensive, or highly regulated environments
- Direct data center experience is not required; candidates from relevant industries such as power generation, utilities, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, transportation infrastructure, or similar are encouraged
- Proven accountability for multi‑site operations with complex stakeholder environments
- Experience operating within a global, matrixed organisation
Technical & Professional Skills
- Strong understanding of availability management, operational risk, and incident management
- Experience with regulatory compliance, audits, and operational governance
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on operational engagement
Leadership & Personal Attributes
- Calm, decisive, and accountable under pressure
- Strong people leader with the ability to influence across cultures and functions
- Customer‑focused, safety‑led, and standards‑driven
- Fluent in both Japanese and English
Why Apply / Career Opportunity
- Take on a senior, visible leadership role within a rapidly expanding critical infrastructure platform
- Influence and shape operations across one of the most strategically important markets in Asia
- Work at the intersection of global standards and local execution
- Exposure to large‑scale expansion projects and long‑term career progression within a global organisation
FAQs
Congratulations, we understand that taking the time to apply is a big step. When you apply, your details go directly to the consultant who is sourcing talent. Due to demand, we may not get back to all applicants that have applied. However, we always keep your resume and details on file so when we see similar roles or see skillsets that drive growth in organizations, we will always reach out to discuss opportunities.
Yes. Even if this role isn’t a perfect match, applying allows us to understand your expertise and ambitions, ensuring you're on our radar for the right opportunity when it arises.
We also work in several ways, firstly we advertise our roles available on our site, however, often due to confidentiality we may not post all. We also work with clients who are more focused on skills and understanding what is required to future-proof their business.
That's why we recommend registering your resume so you can be considered for roles that have yet to be created.
Yes, we help with resume and interview preparation. From customized support on how to optimize your resume to interview preparation and compensation negotiations, we advocate for you throughout your next career move.