The Front-End Planning (FEP) organization serves as the critical bridge between infrastructure demand signals and successful project execution within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure's (OCI) Data Center Infrastructure Delivery (DCID) portfolio. Focused on the pre-contract phase of development, this role is responsible for transforming capacity demand into execution-ready projects that enable Delivery and Construction teams to execute with greater predictability, speed, and quality.
As a Senior Principal Technical Program Manager, you will lead front-end planning activities across OCI's rapidly expanding APAC data center portfolio. You will drive project readiness through strategic planning, forecasting, technical due diligence, entitlement coordination, risk management, and stakeholder alignment. Working across Design, Engineering, Construction, Operations, Real Estate, Commercial, and executive leadership teams, you will ensure projects are thoroughly developed, risks are mitigated early, and execution teams receive complete, high-quality project packages.
This highly visible role requires exceptional leadership, business acumen, and program management expertise to support multiple concurrent developments while improving delivery predictability, accelerating time-to-market, and enabling scalable infrastructure growth across the region.
Responsibilities
Front-End Planning & Project Development
- Lead front-end planning activities for mission-critical OCI data center projects across APAC, serving as the primary interface between demand planning and project execution.
- Translate business demand signals into well-developed, execution-ready projects through structured planning, forecasting, and readiness assessments.
- Drive technical due diligence, site development planning, entitlement coordination, utility engagement, and project development strategy during pre-contract phases.
- Establish project scope, assumptions, constraints, and readiness criteria to support seamless transition into execution.
Delivery Readiness & Construction Enablement
- Partner closely with Delivery, Construction, Design, and Engineering teams to ensure projects are fully coordinated and positioned for successful execution.
- Develop comprehensive project readiness packages including schedules, risk assessments, budgets, permitting status, utility commitments, and execution assumptions.
- Improve handoff quality by ensuring execution-critical information is identified, documented, and communicated prior to contract award.
- Support Delivery teams by proactively identifying and resolving issues that could impact project schedules, budgets, or execution objectives.
Forecasting, Pipeline Management & Governance
- Lead portfolio forecasting and pipeline management activities across the APAC region, providing visibility into upcoming capacity requirements and project demand.
- Develop and maintain planning metrics, readiness dashboards, milestone tracking, and reporting mechanisms to improve portfolio predictability.
- Drive governance processes, escalation management, and cross-functional accountability throughout the front-end planning lifecycle.
- Establish measurable planning performance indicators and continuously improve forecasting accuracy.
Risk Management & Schedule Optimization
- Identify project, commercial, permitting, utility, and market risks early in the development lifecycle and implement mitigation strategies before execution begins.
- Drive structured risk reviews, issue escalation processes, and decision-making frameworks to reduce execution uncertainty.
- Support schedule acceleration initiatives by reducing cycle time from demand signal through project authorization and contract execution.
- Coordinate closely with estimating, procurement, commercial, and construction teams to minimize schedule and cost impacts.
Stakeholder & Partner Management
- Collaborate with internal Lines of Business (LOBs), Engineering, Operations, Capacity Planning, Finance, and executive stakeholders to align infrastructure development priorities with business objectives.
- Manage relationships with developers, utilities, consultants, contractors, and regulatory agencies to advance projects efficiently through planning phases.
- Present project readiness, portfolio status, risks, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
Process Improvement & Operational Excellence
- Develop and implement standardized front-end planning processes, documentation standards, readiness frameworks, and governance models across the APAC portfolio.
- Leverage portfolio insights and lessons learned to improve predictability, delivery quality, and operational scalability.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen collaboration between Front-End Planning, Delivery, Design, Engineering, and Operations organizations.
- Mentor and develop high-performing planning, development, and construction professionals while fostering a culture of accountability, ownership, and excellence.
Required Skills
Front-End Planning & Development: Deep expertise in data center front-end planning, including demand signal assessment, project initiation, technical due diligence, entitlement coordination, utility engagement, site development strategy, and project readiness management. Proven ability to translate capacity demand into execution-ready infrastructure projects.
Problem Solving & Decision Making: Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with the ability to evaluate complex technical, commercial, and operational challenges, identify root causes, and implement practical solutions in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment.
Data Center Technical Knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of data center design, construction, commissioning, operations, utility infrastructure, and critical systems, with knowledge of hyperscale and mission-critical facility requirements.
Project & Program Management: Proven experience managing large-scale infrastructure programs through the front-end planning lifecycle, including scope development, forecasting, milestone planning, schedule management, dependency tracking, and readiness assessments.
Forecasting & Pipeline Management: Expertise in project forecasting, capacity planning, pipeline management, and portfolio reporting, with the ability to establish measurable planning metrics and provide visibility into future delivery requirements.
Risk Management & Mitigation: Strong capability to identify, assess, and proactively mitigate project, commercial, permitting, utility, regulatory, and schedule risks during pre-contract phases to improve execution certainty and reduce delivery impacts.
Budgeting & Commercial Acumen: Experience developing, managing, and optimizing project budgets, cost estimates, business cases, and investment plans while balancing financial objectives with project delivery requirements.
Stakeholder Management & Executive Communication: Exceptional communication and influencing skills with demonstrated success partnering across executive leadership, Lines of Business (LOBs), Design, Engineering, Construction, Operations, Finance, and external partners to drive alignment and decision-making.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Ability to lead and influence diverse, matrixed teams without direct authority while fostering collaboration, accountability, and shared ownership across multiple organizations and geographic regions.
Process Improvement & Operational Excellence: Proven track record implementing standardized planning processes, governance frameworks, readiness reviews, risk controls, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance predictability, quality, and time-to-market.
Construction Readiness & Handoff Management: Experience establishing project readiness criteria, coordinating execution-critical deliverables, and ensuring seamless transition from front-end planning to Delivery and Construction teams.
APAC Market Experience: Strong understanding of APAC development environments, permitting processes, utility coordination, cultural considerations, and regional infrastructure delivery challenges across multiple countries and jurisdictions.
Career Level - IC5