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What is a data center operations manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Eric Olsen

As a Data Center Operations Manager, you will mostly work in the information technology industry. You will oversee the data center operations of the company to ensure smooth workflow and efficiency. You will set goals and guidelines, manage budgets, create schedules, coordinate with different departments, and many more.

Of course, there are special skills you need to have if you are a Data Center Operations Manager. Firstly, you need to have great business skills. You need to understand the behavior of your consumers in order to create successful products or provide them with the best services. Next are organizational skills. You need to work in an organized manner despite the heavy workload you have. Lastly, analytical skills are important as a Data Center Operations Manager. You need to be able to filter information and make sense of data before presenting them to your clients.

As a Data Center Operations Manager, you can earn an average salary of $117,698 annually with a job growth rate of 6%. You can also further your career after some years. For instance, from being a Data Center Operations Manager, you can then become a Project Manager, a General Manager, and a Regional General Manager.

What general advice would you give to a data center operations manager?

Eric OlsenEric Olsen LinkedIn profile

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.
ScoreData Center Operations ManagerUS Average
Salary
8.4

Avg. Salary $131,309

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.31%

Black or African American 6.12%

Hispanic or Latino 14.99%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.77%

Gender

female 15.69%

male 84.31%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Data center operations manager career paths

Key steps to become a data center operations manager

  1. Explore data center operations manager education requirements

    Most common data center operations manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    61.0 %

    Associate

    20.6 %

    Master's

    11.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific data center operations manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Infrastructure15.17%
    Project Management7.62%
    Process Improvement4.50%
    Cloud4.23%
    Linux4.11%
  3. Complete relevant data center operations manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New data center operations managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a data center operations manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real data center operations manager resumes.
  4. Research data center operations manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage client service levels and escalate to appropriate management if impending issues threaten to jeopardize ability to meet agree upon SLA.
    • Direct ERP BaaN 5c implementation projects and manage resources engage in design/coding/testing activities.
    • Define architecture, develop requirements, and lead the design of security framework to reduce vulnerability and risks.
    • Improve baseline compliance of UNIX and Linux platforms.
  5. Prepare your data center operations manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your data center operations manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a data center operations manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable data center operations manager resume templates

    Build a professional data center operations manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your data center operations manager resume.
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
    Data Center Operations Manager Resume
  6. Apply for data center operations manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a data center operations manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first data center operations manager job

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Average data center operations manager salary

The average data center operations manager salary in the United States is $131,309 per year or $63 per hour. Data center operations manager salaries range between $96,000 and $179,000 per year.

Average data center operations manager salary
$131,309 Yearly
$63.13 hourly

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Data center operations manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Pros

Lot's of things to implement, improve, new ways to work.

Cons

No cons as far as I'm concerned.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Cons

Operations never stops, its always up and running and you have to be available at any time


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

People Busy Money Busy and variety in a job Solving problems


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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