Sr. Project Development Manager

Job Description

For years, Stream Data Centers has been a trusted partner in providing world-class data center solutions. With a focus on sustainable, secure, and reliable infrastructure, Stream empowers businesses to scale their digital operations while prioritizing environmental and social responsibility. 

Headwaters Site Development (“Headwaters”), is an emerging and rapidly growing data center site development company, and a partner company of Stream Data Centers. Its mission is to find the best data center sites with the strongest fundamentals and take the time and effort necessary to bring them to maturity - reducing lead time and risk so that the sites are ready for construction by the end user. 

Our foundation is our people. Stream’s culture thrives on attracting and retaining top talent, creating an environment where excellence, inclusivity, and a shared set of core values—Nice, Smart, Honest, Passionate—prevail.

Position Overview:  

The Sr. Project Development Manager leads development execution for new and expanding data center campuses from site control through delivery of construction-ready parcels. This role manages due diligence and development planning, oversees entitlements and permits, incentives applications, coordinates off-site infrastructure (power, water/wastewater, roadway, and fiber), and drives budgets and schedules to de-risk projects. The ideal candidate blends development expertise with strong technical fluency and stakeholder management to align jurisdictional approvals, utility delivery, incentives and commercial requirements. 

Responsibilities:  

• Lead land development planning and execution for data center campuses from site control through delivery of pad-ready/construction-ready parcels, aligning scope, schedule, budget, and risk. 
• Develop and manage the overall development strategy, including grading concepts, stormwater approach, access/roadway planning, utility corridors, and phased campus delivery. 
• Lead all commercial aspects of project development, including contract negotiations with utilities, contractors and vendors, government officials, local stakeholders, etc. 
• Lead economic development and tax incentive negotiations with state and local governments. 
• Manage community relations and local stakeholder engagement, advocating for the benefits a project will bring and tactfully addressing community concerns, often through presenting at community open houses and other public forums, interviews, and supporting the development of content for online and print materials. 
• Support Location Strategy and Site Acquisition team members in identifying target markets and sites, and conducting early stage due diligence to help down-select and acquire new sites for the portfolio. 
• Direct technical due diligence and early investigations (geotechnical, environmental/Phase I-II, wetlands/floodplain, cultural, traffic, survey/ALTA, and title) and translate findings into mitigation plans, cost, and schedule impacts. 
• Manage entitlement and permitting activities (rezoning, SUP/CUP, site plan, platting, grading permits, SWPPP/stormwater, building permits, environmental permits) by coordinating internal teams, external counsel, and local consultants through public processes. 
• Plan, scope, and oversee off-site and on-site infrastructure delivery, including power interconnection readiness, water/wastewater service extensions, roadway improvements, stormwater systems, and fiber pathways; support easements/ROW and third-party coordination. 
• Develop, manage, and report development budgets and schedules; lead procurement and management of civil engineers, environmental consultants, surveyors, and other third parties; oversee deliverables, invoices, and change management. 
• Coordinate with utility providers, municipalities, and agencies to secure capacity, define points of connection, establish schedules, and align requirements; track critical path items that impact construction start. 
• Create and maintain development pro formas and cost models (civil/sitework, off-site utilities, permitting, fees, and contingency) to support investment decisions, tenant commitments, and total cost of ownership targets. 
• Establish project governance cadence; run cross-functional meetings; track decisions and action items; and maintain rigorous documentation of entitlements, permits, consultant deliverables, and agency correspondence. 
• Partner with Location Strategy and Site Acquisition, Design/Construction, Legal, Finance, and Operations to align land development scope with campus master planning, constructability, phasing, and customer requirements. 
• Manage community and agency relationships to support approvals; prepare and participate in hearings and stakeholder meetings; ensure commitments are captured and executed. 
• Manage incentive applications with state and local jurisdictions.
• Champion EHS and sustainability objectives within land development decisions, integrating stormwater quality/quantity, water stewardship, habitat impacts, and construction logistics into development plans. 

Requirements

Basic Qualifications:  

• 5+ years of experience in land development, renewable energy or other power generation development, or civil/infrastructure project delivery supporting industrial, mission-critical, or large-scale commercial projects (data center experience strongly desired). 
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Real Estate, Planning, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience). 
• Excellent communication, contract drafting and negotiation, and stakeholder management skills with municipalities, agencies, utilities, landowners, and internal executives. 
• Demonstrated success leading multi-discipline teams to deliver entitled, permitted, and pad-ready sites, including managing civil engineers, survey, environmental, geotech, and traffic consultants. 
• Working knowledge of utility infrastructure and delivery (power, water/wastewater, and telecom/fiber) and how utility schedules and constraints impact land development and construction start. 
• Experience securing entitlements and permits and navigating zoning/land use, platting, stormwater, and environmental requirements across multiple jurisdictions. 
• Strong budgeting and scheduling capability for civil/sitework and off-site infrastructure; able to assess risk and develop mitigation plans and contingencies. 
• High integrity and sound judgment; ability to operate autonomously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams; familiarity with project controls tools and GIS/real estate or civil design platforms is a plus. 
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% as needed. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Experience delivering data center or mission-critical campus land development from site control through construction start, including phased infrastructure delivery. 
• Direct experience with civil design and permitting workflows (grading, drainage, detention, SWPPP, roadway, and utility extension plans) and managing consultant submittals through agency review cycles. 
• Established relationships with data center companies and utilities, civil engineering firms, economic development agencies, and permitting authorities across key North American markets. 
• Strong understanding of power infrastructure associated with the Data Center industry, both utility power and on-site power generation. 
• Strong executive presence with the ability to present development plans, budgets, schedules, and risk tradeoffs to internal leadership, investors, and customers. 

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Wellness Resources

The pay range for this role is between $175,000 – $200,000 (base). Individual compensation packages are based on various factors unique to each candidate, including skill set, experience, qualifications, location, and other job-related reasons. Stream Data Centers offers annual bonus, performance bonuses, benefits, flexible time off (vacation), 401k and a variety of other perks and benefits.

Stream is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, military status, or any other reason prohibited by law. Note: Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.