Middle Project Manager, Compliance

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About the Role

Aligned is looking to add a Project Manager, Compliance to support our growth.  This role leads enterprise-wide compliance projects that enable the company to obtain, maintain, and expand sustainability and energy certifications across its data center portfolio. The Project Manager is operationally focused: they run the work in live, mission-critical environments, drive cross-functional execution, and keep audit-ready evidence, schedules, and decisions moving until certification or recertification is complete.

The ideal candidate has a compliance-analyst foundation and/ or is knowledgeable with controls, evidence, findings, and auditors.  Additionally, they will have proven experience leading end-to-end enterprise projects. They partner daily with External Audit firms and internal owners in Finance, IT, Legal, Operations, Facilities, EHS, and Sustainability. Success is measured by on-time certification outcomes, clean audit cycles, and disciplined project control.

What You Will Own

• Lead end-to-end project plans for enterprise sustainability and energy compliance initiatives (examples: ISO 27001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, SOC2, PCI, or equivalent portfolio programs).
• Build and maintain integrated schedules covering evidence collection, gap remediation, internal readiness reviews, external audit windows, and certification body submissions.
• Serve as the single operational point of contact for External Audit teams: coordinate site access, document requests, interviews, findings responses, and management representations.
• Coordinate stakeholder mapping with Finance, IT, Legal, Operations, Facilities, EHS, and Sustainability so owners, due dates, and artifacts are unambiguous.
• Track scope, risks, issues, dependencies, and change control; escalate early when audit findings, data gaps, or operational constraints threaten the critical path.
• Ensure projects do not compromise uptime, change-management discipline, or physical/cyber security requirements in live data centers.
• Establish a repeatable evidence repository (policies, SOPs, meters and utility data, training records, incident logs, contractor controls) that can be reused across sites and audit cycles.
• Prepare executive and steering-committee status: milestone health, open findings, budget vs. plan, and go/no-go recommendations for audit and submission dates.
• Drive post-audit remediation and recertification cadence so certifications remain current as the portfolio grows or operating conditions change.
• Capture lessons learned and harden standard work so subsequent sites and programs require less reinventing.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Compliance, Operations, Engineering, Environmental/Energy Management, Business, or equivalent experience.
• 3 or more years as a Project Manager leading Operational projects end-to-end.
• 3 or more years as a Compliance Analyst (or equivalent compliance / internal-controls / audit-support role) supporting enterprise or multi-site programs.
• Additional experience leading end-to-end enterprise-level projects from kickoff through close, including schedule ownership, stakeholder management, and delivery against committed dates.
• Demonstrated work with third-party auditors or certification bodies: evidence requests, findings, and remediation tracking.
• Working knowledge of at least one energy or environmental management / certification framework relevant to data centers (ISO 27001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, SOC2, PCI, or comparable), or clear ability to apply a compliance-analyst skill set to those frameworks.
• Ability to run projects in live 24x7 operations without disrupting availability or violating change-control standards.
• Strong written communication for audit narratives, evidence indexes, and executive status.
• Proficiency with project tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, or equivalent), AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude, and the Microsoft 365 suite.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct data center, oil and gas, renewable energy, public utility, or comparable industry experience.
• PMP, CAPM, or equivalent project management credential.
• Experience coordinating enterprise PMO governance, internal audit, SOC-style evidence processes, or customer sustainability questionnaires alongside formal certifications.
• Prior partnership with Big 4, specialist sustainability consultants, or accredited certification bodies.

Competencies That Distinguish Success:

• Compliance analyst rigor; knows the difference between a policy, a control, and proof the control operated.
• Enterprise project leadership; can take a multi-function certification program from charter to closed audit.
• Operational discipline; treats audits like production events: sequenced, documented, and reversible if something slips.
• Cross-functional gravity; can get Finance, Legal, IT, and site ops to produce the same artifact on the same date.

Benefits & Perks:

Aligned Data Centers is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our team members. Eligible employees have access to:

• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts:  HSA with employer contribution for eligible participants.  FSA's offered for health and dependent care to increase tax savings.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company match
• Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay
• Company-Sponsored Insurance: Short-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability (with medical election)
• Optional Benefits: Voluntary life, critical illness, legal, and additional disability coverage
• Wellness Programs: Employee assistance program (EAP), Wellhub gym membership, and other wellness initiatives

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job.  It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

At Aligned, we are committed to transparency and fostering a positive employee experience from your very first interaction with us. In compliance with Illinois pay disclosure requirements, when you join Aligned, you’ll have access to the following benefits: medical, dental, vision, short and long disability, life insurance and other voluntary benefits, 401k with employer match, bonus opportunities, paid time off, wellness benefits and professional development opportunities, all designed to support your well-being and career growth. We want you to have a clear understanding of what we offer, so you can make informed decisions about your future with us.

Aligned is equally committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and providing equal employment opportunities for all employees. We ensure that all applicants and team members are considered for employment, advancement, and all other employment-related matters without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you require reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of your job due to a disability or medical condition, please contact our People & Culture team. Accommodation requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable laws. Aligned will make reasonable accommodations where necessary to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their role.