Country Head of Compliance

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company, operating 245+ data centers across the globe and providing interconnections to all the key clouds and networks. Businesses need one place to simplify and bring together fragmented, complex infrastructure that spans private and public cloud environments. Our global platform allows customers to place infrastructure wherever they need it and connect it to everything they need to succeed.

We are a fast-growing global company with 70+ quarters of growth. Through our innovative portfolio of high-performance products and services, we have created the largest, most active global ecosystem of 10,000+ companies, including 2,000+ networks and 3,000 cloud and IT service providers in 32 countries spanning six continents.  

A career at Equinix means you will collaborate on work that impacts the world and be surrounded by endless opportunities to learn new skills and grow in varied directions. We embrace diversity in thought and contribution and are committed to providing an equitable work environment. that is foundational to our core values as a company and is vital to our success. 

Job Summary

The Country Head of Compliance function’s objective is to enable Equinix’s mission vision and strategy by ensuring these are embedded in our day-to-day Operations and management systems, enabling a compliant, measurable, and demonstrable level of internal control. As a result, risks are actively managed, minimizing any negative impact to operations and our customers.

The Country Head of Compliance is part of a functional Global pillar, reporting directly into the Country Operations Director, and is a member of the Dutch team of Directors. Resulting in a functional matrix organization driving for optimal collaboration, knowledge sharing and resource planning across the Globe.

Managing the local 1st Line Compliance team, consisting of highly skilled subject level experts, the Head of Compliance enables compliance with regulatory requirements, customer requirements, and business policy across all Dutch IBX’s (Datacenters) and drives for the consistent and aligned application of all compliance requirements across the globe. 

One of the main responsibilities for the 1st Line Compliance team is to enable local Operations by actively contributing to the continuous elevation of the level of internal control over operational risks by vigorously focusing on the continuous (plan-do-check-act) cycle of risk identification and mitigation and strive for the highest level of (risk) awareness across all layers of the organization.

The team, together with (Senior) operational management, ensure continuous compliance and certification of our management systems to industry standards and customer requirements (ISO, SSAE, PCIDSS, NIST, HIPPA, etc.) on a great variety of topics (quality, security, business continuity, health & safety, environment, energy, and many other topics).

The Country head of Compliance position has a very strong (external) focus on continuous improvement and alignment of operational processes, Customer enablement and support, and building bridges/alignment between departments, countries and regions.

The position acts as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor for all levels within our organization and is an active contributor/enabler for sales objectives by proactively monitoring regulatory and customer trends, ensuring Equinix compliance is always enabling company Strategy.

Other tasks consist of continuously ensuring and elevating the organizations awareness and knowledge levels regarding our internal control systems and external certifications. Providing up-to-date information and continuous training to all staff, where possible with standardized content across the Global and where applicable with regional specific criteria/information.

Responsibilities

Team / People Management 

• Oversees coordination of local staff, both direct and indirect teams in a matrix organization
• Sets, supports and tracks objectives for regional/global teams/staff
• Stimulates close cooperation and alignment between local 1st line of defense teams and regional/global teams
• Build and expand knowledge levels across the globe by using a “Subject Matter Expert’ model
• Ensure efficient and effective allocation of (compliance) resources by minimizing (local) fragmented initiatives and strive for a global projects management & execution model

Compliance Strategy and Budget Management 

• Sets and tracks a consistent Country compliance strategy for Equinix, in line with Global objectives
• Translate Equinix’s mission, vision and strategy into companywide policy and procedures, support Operational management with implementation, audit and advise with the objective of elevating maturity and level of Internal Control
• Sets and tracks departmental budget

 
Audit Management 

• Provides guidance and ownership of internal and external audit programs and customer driven audits
• Tracks and monitors audit performance through non-conformance corrective action and risk management
• Liaises with senior management in case of major audit findings and risk
• Reports/Distributes audit results to global and regional stakeholders
• Drives the organization to achieve 100% compliance

 
Project Management 

• Monitors and manages overall effectiveness of the compliance team on cross-regional Operations, Engineering and Construction projects
• Addressing overall communication and timing issues with projects

 
Subject Matter Expertise 

• Continuous (PDCA cycle) Risk management and internal Control
• Management systems, policy and process standards
• Information Security, Service Quality, Business Continuity, Health and Safety, Environment and Energy compliance and associated tools and software that support their administration, implementation, and operation

External Stakeholder Management 

• Owns and manages external certification body audit contracts and is responsible for relationship management with such audit vendors
• Owns and manages vendor contracts directly used/owned by the standards team
• Enable Sales objectives with a continuously evolving compliance strategy based on industry and customer requirements

Internal Stakeholder management

• Actively interfaces with all operations pillars (Projects, Cross Functional, IBX Operations) and all other relevant stakeholders (Sales, Engineering, HR, Enablement, Physical Security, Global IT)

Qualifications

• Extensive years of relevant experience
• Extensive years managerial experience with management system standards in data center operations or equivalent critical process industry preferred
• Master's degree
• Expert knowledge levels in organizational Governance, Risk and Compliance processes.
• Excellent communicator on all levels of an organization with the profound ability to build (trust) relationships and create leverage in a matrix organization.
• (Expert) knowledge level of information security requirements and business continuity measures (e.g., data privacy, physical security compliance, impact analyses, crisis management
• (Expert) knowledge level of health, safety, environmental and energy regulatory, risk and compliance requirements as related to data center operations (e.g., generator permitting and emissions, fuel/chemical spill, refrigerant handling, wastewater, legionella, electrical hazards, waste disposal, energy reduction measures, collaborative emergency response plans with local agencies, etc.)
• Extensive knowledge of data center operating requirements preferred
• Awareness level understanding of major regulatory initiatives in specific regions (e.g., data privacy, Euro6 for air pollutants or CFC refrigerant phase-out)
• Background in setting Information Security, Service Quality, Business Continuity, Health and Safety, Environment and Energy policies and procedures and identifying, running and implementing consistent tools and supporting software solutions
• Knowledge and experience in Standards Compliance processes
• Exceptional ability to collaborate with disparate teams and leverage indirect influence and management to impact decision making
• Solid skill level and experience involving written and verbal correspondence with outside regulatory agencies
• Ability to sort through complex technical issues and implement innovative solutions to resolve difficult problems
• Ability to arbitrate differing opinions and drive to the best decision quickly
• Must be able to travel internationally

Equinix is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful consideration of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy / childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, political / organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law.  (Equal Opportunity / AA / Disabled / Veterans Employer).