Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Please visit our website: www.turnerandtownsend.com

Role Overview

The Project Director – Data Centre is the client’s senior representative responsible for providing overall leadership, governance, and strategic oversight of data centre developments from early planning and design through construction, commissioning, and handover.

The Project Director ensures that all appointed consultants, contractors, and vendors deliver in alignment with client objectives, programme milestones, cost parameters, quality standards, and operational readiness requirements typical of mission-critical facilities.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Provide overall leadership and governance for one or multiple data centre projects or campuses.
• Act as the primary senior point of contact between the client and the project delivery ecosystem.
• Establish and enforce project governance frameworks, reporting structures, and decision-making protocols.
• Ensure alignment between client business objectives, technical requirements, and delivery strategies.

Project Planning & Pre-Construction Oversight

• Oversee site selection support, feasibility studies, master planning, and early works strategies.
• Lead PMC oversight of design development, ensuring constructability, scalability, redundancy, and operational resilience are embedded.
• Guide pre-construction planning to optimise programme, cost, logistics, and phased delivery for data centre readiness milestones.

Programme, Cost & Risk Management

• Define and manage baseline programme, budget, and risk registers at project and portfolio levels.
• Monitor progress against key milestones such as:
• Identify and proactively manage strategic risks impacting schedule, cost, quality, or commissioning outcomes.
• Provide informed recommendations to the client on mitigation strategies and recovery plans.

Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Leadership

• Ensure HSE requirements are fully integrated into all phases of project delivery.
• Champion a proactive safety culture across consultants, contractors, and vendors.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, client, and international HSE standards applicable to mission-critical facilities.

Technical, Quality & Commissioning Oversight

• Provide high-level oversight of design, engineering, and technical assurance processes.
• Ensure quality management systems and inspection regimes are effectively implemented.
• Oversee testing, commissioning, and integrated systems testing (IST) readiness in alignment with client operational requirements.
• Ensure handover documentation, asset data, and as-built records meet client and operational standards.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or related discipline.
• Professional registration (Ir., PE, Chartered Engineer, or equivalent) preferred.
• Project or programme management certification (PMP, PgMP, etc.) is an advantage
• Minimum 15+ years of experience in the delivery of large-scale construction or infrastructure projects.
• Strong track record delivering mission-critical facilities, including data centres (hyperscale or colocation).
• Minimum 5+ years in a senior leadership role overseeing complex, multi-package projects.
• Proven experience operating in a client-facing or PMC environment, managing multiple consultants and contractors.

Core Competencies
    •    Data centre delivery and governance
    •    PMC leadership and client representation
    •    Programme, cost, and risk oversight
    •    Interface management (Design–Construction–Commissioning)
    •    Stakeholder and executive communication
    •    Quality and operational readiness assurance
  

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance. 

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

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