As Amparo Garcia Puente, development manager at CyrusOne in Madrid, reached her one-year anniversary at the company recently, we caught up with her on exactly what being a data center development manager involves and the key attributes she thinks are suited to anyone looking for a job in this field.
It's hard to believe I've already been at CyrusOne for over a year, and in the industry for more than twelve! The aim of my current role as development manager is to ensure any given data center development project goes smoothly from beginning to end, from initial design and positioning to compliance and construction. It's fair to say that no day is ever the same!
Teamwork makes the dream work
My days are filled with in-person and virtual meetings with a variety of internal teams and stakeholders. Whether it's ensuring everything is in place to get a given project moving, or ensuring that all processes comply with CyrusOne standards, connecting with teams on what they're working on and what we need to prioritize that day and/or week is key for me.
The amount of daily and weekly meetings we have does fluctuate depending on how far into the project we are, but meeting with teams, ensuring all important information is handed over to operations, and that we're anticipating their needs as best we can, is imperative throughout the lifecycle of a project.
In terms of the main roles and individuals I work with on a day-to-day basis, I deal with a lot of stakeholders within the company from the very beginning of a project, from technology and implementation managers to the legal department and the sales and H&S teams. I also spend a lot of time aligning with those involved in site acquisition, project development, and energy throughout the lifecycle of a project, and once it is complete or we have hit a key development milestone, I work closely with the PR and marketing teams to ensure we are building awareness and recognition on what we've achieved.
Collaboration and alignment are so important for any successful project or development, and I'm lucky to be able to connect with so many different parts of the business in my role and see projects come to life every single day.
External factors
As well as internal team coordination, a large part of my role is working in tandem with external partners and suppliers, and complying with external elements as needed. Local market compliance and regulation can differ depending on the particular city and country; even two different plots in the same city could have different stipulations, so it's important we're on top of ever-evolving standards and compliance measures. In Madrid specifically, there are regulations involving building parameters, surfaces, parking spaces and noise levels, all of which have had to be carefully considered throughout the project lifecycle.
Depending on what phase of the project we're in, collaborating with reliable construction companies who are able to meet our deadlines and work with us and other partners in an efficient manner is also incredibly important. I regularly liaise with prospective clients to answer any questions during the RFP process and work out what they're looking to achieve, and ensure our team is set up for success from the beginning.
Taking time to build and foster relationships with external partners and suppliers is important for both the project at hand and any projects moving forward, so I ensure adequate time is placed here throughout my day-to-day work.
Key attributes of a successful data center development manager
In order to truly understand the different elements that go into a project from start to finish, it's important to see and experience the work happening firsthand and be physically on-site at any construction effort or development. I've been working in various roles across design, construction, and project management since I finished my engineering degree, and this vast insight of different roles and on-the-ground experience continues to be truly invaluable to me.
From understanding technical language and the nuances of different working environments to anticipating what's needed from internal teams and clients and getting to grips with the financial elements of a project, embracing every part of the project and having an open-minded approach will help you fully absorb the realities of the role.
No matter what you learn as part of your training or education, nothing can help you learn the ropes and understand how to problem solve more than actually doing the job; I would encourage anyone looking to get into a similar role within the industry to truly get stuck in and learn as they go.
It's hard to encapsulate every part of my role as it's so varied, but I hope the above gives an insight! My work keeps me engaged and curious and I'd recommend our industry to anyone looking for a truly fulfilling and exciting career.
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