Senior Director, Development

About the role

Crusoe is seeking a Senior Director, Development to serve as the strategic architect and executive lead for our flagship AI data center campuses. These are not just buildings; they are multi-billion dollar infrastructure assets that represent the frontier of AI compute. In this high-impact leadership role, you will own the end-to-end development lifecycle for our largest capital investments. You are responsible for transforming raw land and power into operational excellence, navigating the complexities of large-scale industrial development, and mitigating executive-level risk. You will lead a multidisciplinary ecosystem of internal experts and external partners to deliver the physical engine of Crusoe's growth. This role demands a leader who thrives on building what has not yet been built and solving problems at the intersection of energy, infrastructure, and technology. You will partner closely with our executive team to ensure that every project advances our mission to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Executive Project Ownership: Lead the strategic execution of multi-billion dollar AI campuses, serving as the ultimate point of accountability for delivery, budget, and quality.
• Strategic Lifecycle Management: Drive the full development stack - from site selection and entitlement strategy to complex municipal negotiations and final commissioning.
• High-Stakes Stakeholder Diplomacy: Act as the primary face of Crusoe to government officials, utility executives, and community leaders to secure critical entitlements and infrastructure.
• Advanced Risk Orchestration: Anticipate macroeconomic, regulatory, and technical bottlenecks before they manifest, implementing sophisticated mitigation strategies to keep "speed-to-market" as a competitive advantage.
• Team Collaboration: Work alongside a world-class team of construction managers, engineers, and consultants, fostering a culture of high-performance and "pathfinding" in uncharted development territory.
• Financial & Contractual Stewardship: Oversee complex EPC contracts and master project budgets, ensuring fiscal discipline across massive capital outlays.
• Regulatory Navigation: Guide projects through intricate environmental reviews, ensuring compliance with CEQA and NEPA while advancing aggressive timelines.
• Utility Strategy: Orchestrate the complexities of large-scale power acquisition and interconnect agreements to secure the foundation for AI compute infrastructure.
• Governance Leadership: Establish rigorous governance frameworks that align cross-functional teams and maintain unwavering focus on project economics.
• Solution Development: Design innovative approaches to overcome land use, supply chain, and logistical constraints that typically delay major infrastructure builds.
• Partnership Development: Forge strategic relationships with key vendors, authorities, and industry partners to de-risk execution and unlock new capabilities.
• Portfolio Thinking: Evaluate how individual projects contribute to the broader Crusoe campus network, optimizing for long-term strategic value.
• Continuous Improvement: Embed lessons learned across projects to enhance standard processes and elevate the execution playbook for future developments.
• Board Readiness: Prepare high-impact materials and narratives that clearly articulate progress, risks, and strategic options to the Board and C-suite.
• Safety & Sustainability Leadership: Champion best-in-class safety standards and sustainable practices throughout the development and construction lifecycle.

Requirements

• Experience: 15+ years of progressive leadership in large-scale real estate development, with a track record of delivering projects in industrial, life sciences, or energy infrastructure.
• Strategic Acumen: Deep expertise in navigating the "Pre-Development Gauntlet" - entitlements, environmental CEQA/NEPA processes, and complex utility interconnects.
• Executive Presence: Proven ability to influence at the C-suite and Board level, as well as with external public-sector stakeholders.
• Operational Rigor: A mastery of master scheduling and a "bias for action" that allows you to thrive in a fast-paced, vertically integrated environment.
• Technical Depth: Strong fluency in construction law, sophisticated project finance structures, and the engineering requirements of high-density infrastructure.

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Location: Based in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area.

• Track Record: Demonstrated success in managing projects with budgets in the billions of dollars and timelines spanning multiple years.
• Collaboration Style: Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization where decisions must align with both business and technical stakeholders.

Nice to have

• Direct experience in the Data Center or Renewable Energy sectors.
• An entrepreneurial background or experience scaling infrastructure in a high-growth startup environment.
• Advanced degree (MBA, MS in Real Estate Development, or JD).

Practical notes

• This role is required to be in-office 5 days per week in our San Francisco, CA office.
• Competitive compensation and equity packages
• Restricted Stock Units
• Paid time off, paid holidays & leave of absence programs
• Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance
• Employer contributions to HSA account
• Paid parental leave
• Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
• Professional development & tuition reimbursement
• Mental health & wellness support
• Commuter benefits (parking & transit)
• Cell phone stipend
• 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary
• Volunteer time off
• Global travel insurance & emergency assistance
• Daily meal stipend for in-office days