Data Center Strategy Expert

Start Date: ASAP

Duration: 6 months with the possibility of extension

Work Location: Brussels & remote

Work Regime: Full-time

Service Description:

In the evolving landscape of digitalization, we are preparing our infrastructure for a data-intensive future. As a Data Center Strategy Expert, you will be responsible for drafting a comprehensive data center strategy to guide the organization through its upcoming infrastructure transformations. This includes evaluating needs, exploring options, addressing constraints, and delivering actionable recommendations aligned with business ambitions and technical requirements. The strategy will support the transition to a hybrid cloud infrastructure, ensure robust application resilience, and account for the growing reliance on IT systems driven by real-time operations and AI.

Key Responsibilities:

• Needs Assessment: Align data center strategy with business objectives, including the transition to hybrid cloud and application refactoring. Address capacity planning for resilient applications, testing environments, and redundant production systems. Define a phased roadmap for integrating systems to support real-time operations.
• Options Evaluation: Evaluate scenarios for co-location, building new data centers, developing in-house infrastructure, or co-creation. Provide insights into opportunities for edge computing and deliver a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis for each scenario.
• Sovereign Cloud Expertise: Develop a strategy to integrate sovereign cloud solutions, assessing implications on security, compliance, data sovereignty, and cost management.
• Constraints Analysis: Define redundancy, resiliency, and disaster recovery approaches. Analyze the impact of network topology on data center location and size. Assess infrastructure requirements for robust, scalable, and interconnected IT environments.

Deliverables:

• A strategic document including different scenarios with pros and cons.
• A phased implementation plan detailing steps and timelines.
• Cost-benefit analyses for selected scenarios.
• Risk and mitigation strategies for operational resilience.
• A comprehensive financial plan for implementation.

Requirements:

• Experience: Minimum 10 years in data center strategy development and implementation. Proven track record in evaluating and executing options like co-location, building new data centers, and hybrid models. Experience in writing and evaluating tenders for critical datacenter infrastructure.
• Technical Skills: Expertise in cloud infrastructure (including hybrid and sovereign cloud). Strong knowledge of edge computing, virtual substation technology, and network backbone design. Familiarity with resilience requirements for critical IT applications in real-time environments.
• Strategic Acumen: Ability to translate complex technical requirements into actionable strategic recommendations. Skilled in cost-benefit analysis, risk mitigation, and phased implementation planning.
• Communication: Exceptional ability to structure and present complex information for executive decision-making. Fluency in English (written and spoken); native proficiency in either French or Dutch.
• Autonomy and Collaboration: Self-driven and capable of working independently while aligning with internal teams.