Data Center Facilities Manager

About Backblaze

Backblaze makes storing and using data astonishingly easy. When our founding team got together, they committed to helping people save their data. Today, the Backblaze Storage Cloud provides a foundational platform around the world for a broad community of developers, IT generalists, entrepreneurs, and individuals who seek the easy, affordable, trusted solutions we provide.

We’ve managed to nurture a team-oriented culture with amazingly low turnover. Our approach is guided by honesty, transparency, and a commitment to doing the right thing. Our customers are happy, and so are our coworkers: In the most recent “Great Place to Work” survey, 97% of our team rated Backblaze as “a great place to work.” Check out what our employees are saying on Glassdoor!

Reporting to the Director, Data Center Operations, this role will manage and grow the team that is responsible for expanding our physical infrastructure footprint, providing service to over 500,000 Backblaze customers across 175 countries. The Data Center Facilities Manager will have responsibility for one or more of Backblaze’s worldwide data center locations, ensuring that our infrastructure is maintained to the highest standards, and that the space and power forecast keeps us one step ahead of our growth.

What’s in it for you?

As the Data Center Facilities Manager, you will have direct responsibility for the efficient management of the infrastructure footprint in one or more Backblaze locations. You will directly manage and mentor the local data center team, including key vendors as relevant. You will also share the responsibility of managing the demand forecast, and make key decisions regarding the efficient use of contracted space and power.

At Backblaze, we foster a positive and supportive culture, valuing the best talent and investing in the growth and development of our team members.

What will you be doing?

• Manage local employees and/or key contractor staff, observe data center engineers’ performance and provide actionable feedback
• Hire, coach and develop a team of data center engineers to meet objectives
• Ensure that data center priorities align with global data center strategy and overall company objectives
• Work with other Infrastructure teams to set and implement short-term and long-term strategies for the regional data centers
• Create, document, implement and iterate the training, coaching, and standard operating procedures for daily installation and maintenance activities
• Write and deliver performance reviews for staff
• Assist in the dissemination of information to employees via team meetings by actively contributing agenda items and effectively conveying that agenda to meeting participants
• Assist in forecasting capacity planning with regard to space and power usage
• Successfully manage multiple projects relating to data center operations from planning to execution
• Ensure monitoring coverage of power and environmental metrics (temperature, humidity, etc), and adherence to contractual SLAs.
• Help select & qualify new hardware (power infrastructure, cabling solutions, racks, HVAC, etc)
• Receive deliveries & maintain accurate inventory counts/records for data center assets
• Oversee any and all production support requirements, including troubleshooting, hardware replacement, etc.
• Be an engaged, visible, and admired leader

What do you bring to the table?

• 3-5 years of people management experience in hiring, developing, and coaching.
• Proven ability to motivate and lead a team
• Effective time management
• Understanding of data center layout and cabling best practices
• Strong knowledge of hardware concepts and component installation
• Knowledge of Linux configuration and troubleshooting
• Understanding of facility management and datacenter infrastructure as well as datacenter operations
• Possess strong analytical skills, and effective interpersonal relationship skills
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly driven, self-managed individual who demonstrates initiative and proactively seeks solutions to problems
• May be required to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Shift: Subject to essential operations staffing policy, requiring availability 24/7/365
• Travel: 15 - 20% domestic, possibly international

At this point, we hope you're feeling excited about the job description you're reading. Even if you don't meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Learning, developing, and growing are key parts of our culture. We're eager to meet people who believe in our mission and can contribute to our team in various ways. We want people to feel comfortable expressing their true selves and to come, stay, and do their best work here.

Backblaze Perks:

• Annual Company bonus plan
• RSU grants for full-time employees
• Annual bonus plan
• 100% paid healthcare for family, including dental and vision
• 401K
• ESPP program
• Flexible vacation policy
• Maternity & paternity leave
• MacBook Pro to use for work plus a generous stipend to personalize your workstation
• Childcare bonus (human children only)
• Fertility treatment and support
• Learning & development program
• Commuter benefits
• Culture that supports a healthy work-life balance

To provide greater transparency to candidates, we share base pay ranges for all US-based job postings regardless of state. We set standard base pay ranges for all roles based on function, level, and country location, benchmarked against similar-stage growth companies. Final offer amounts include candidate location, skills, depth of work experience, and relevant licenses/credentials and may vary from the amounts listed below.

The base pay range for this position is $87,000 - $108,000

At Backblaze, we value being fair and good to our customers, partners, and employees. That’s why diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of our values. We are committed to fostering a workforce where all employees feel a sense of belonging regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, socio-economic status, ability, veteran status, and education. We believe that our dedication to cultivating a diverse workspace not only allows us to better serve our customers in over 175 countries, but further reinforces our commitment to doing the right thing. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To understand more about the data we collect and process as part of your application, please view our Backblaze Employee Privacy Notice.