Director of Data Center Tools

Join the Team! Is technology your passion? Do you want to work with smart, forward-thinking individuals? Do you want to grow in a career you love? At Align, our professionals are the key to our success. We don’t just hire talent, we invest in exceptional people who are forward-thinking, results-driven, and passionate about what they do. We’re a group of tech-savvy professionals who are motivated by making an impact. Our culture is one of unbounded opportunity that celebrates the passions, skills and ideas of our team—work hard, play hard, be smart! We believe great communities lead to great companies. That’s why we offer a dynamic workplace where you feel inspired, engaged and innovative. We offer professionals opportunities to train in the leading technologies, make an impact within the industry and acquire valuable new skills whether on client sites or in one of our regional offices. ### Position Overview Align is seeking a Director of Data Center Tools to serve as product owner for the internal and external platforms supporting the Data Center Solutions practice. Internally, this role is referred to by the CEO as the “Tools Guru” position, reflecting its responsibility for enhancing our comprehensive view of Professional Services’ systems. This initiative supports our company vision and value in providing solutions through “process, people, TOOLS,” and requires a forward-looking point of view on the tool stack, translating that vision into a focused plan and roadmap to prioritize development and adoption outcomes. This position combines systems administration, IT product management, and software development oversight. The Director of Data Center Tools will serve as full product owner for Align’s DC Solutions platform and other internally built tools — responsible for their roadmap, requirements, design, development oversight, quality assurance, deployment, and ongoing enhancement. This role will also manage the full lifecycle of new initiatives, including requirements gathering, vendor evaluation, implementation, user acceptance testing, training, and adoption. ### Key Responsibilities 1. Tools & Product Strategy (Roadmap Ownership) • Maintain a single roadmap for Align’s DC Solutions platform and other internally and externally built tools supporting the Data Center Solutions Team, rather than managing individual projects in isolation. • Serve as full product owner — responsible for roadmap, backlog, prioritization, and long-term direction — for Align’s DC Solutions platform and related built tools. • Maintain a rationalized system and tool inventory (documenting ownership, purpose, and cost) for Professional Services, and identify redundant or underused tools for consolidation. • Partner with Data Center/Professional Services leaders and the CEO/CTO/COO to translate company priorities — such as scaling delivery capacity, resource and workforce planning, and AI adoption — into a prioritized systems roadmap. • Evaluate and pilot artificial intelligence capabilities, where they may improve estimating, project delivery, or reporting workflows. • Prepare and present a quarterly systems roadmap and portfolio review to executive leadership, including build-versus-buy recommendations for new capabilities. 2. Internal Tools: Product Ownership & Development • Serve as the direct, hands-on product owner for Align’s DC Solutions platform and other internally built applications, with full accountability for their roadmap, functionality, and quality. • Gather requirements from end users and business stakeholders; develop and prioritize a product backlog and user stories for each tool. • Oversee design and development — including managing internal developers or directing contract and agency development resources — and make build-versus-buy determinations as these tools mature. • Own quality assurance and user acceptance testing for releases; manage deployment, versioning, and post-release support. • Maintain technical and user-facing d…