Associate Director Project Management
2 days ago
City of London
Associate Director – Project Management Global DC Services Provider 💼 Senior Leadership Role – Data Centre Construction & Engineering 💰 £95,000–£120,000 + 2.5x Monthly Salary Bonus every May 🚗 £5,650 Car Allowance / Paid on monthly salary 🧭 Travel Allowance up to £5,000 / Paid on monthly salary About the Opportunity Join one of the world’s leading data centre service providers as an Associate Director – Project Manager, where you will shape the delivery of complex, high-value engineering and construction projects across a mission-critical global estate. You will act as a senior leader within the Projects function, driving excellence across Business-as-Usual programmes and major capital developments. This role requires deep technical understanding, strong commercial awareness, and the ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams in high-resilience environments. If you thrive in complex engineering settings, enjoy leading people, and take pride in delivering to the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance — this is a career-defining role. Your Impact Strategic Leadership & Team Management • Lead, coach, and develop the Project Management pod, acting as a senior escalation point throughout all project phases., • Drive high performance, structured delivery, and technical excellence across a portfolio of data centre projects., • Mentor emerging talent and ensure consistent application of best practice across the function. End-to-End Project Delivery • Plan, manage, and deliver engineering and construction projects across live data centre environments., • Act as Employer’s Representative for major new-build and refurbishment schemes, ensuring business objectives are met., • Guarantee compliance with corporate governance, technical standards, and statutory requirements. Health, Safety & Risk Control • Champion a safety-first culture; identify, manage, and report H&S risks., • Lead or support incident investigations and ensure lessons learned are embedded into future delivery., • Maintain risk registers, ensure mitigations are actioned, and drive proactive risk management. Programme & Resource Coordination • Monitor progress against master programmes and drive recovery strategies when required., • Assess resource gaps and secure specialist project support as needed., • Coordinate internal engineers, design teams, contractors, and suppliers to ensure seamless delivery. Commercial & Procurement Oversight • Lead procurement of design teams, specialist equipment, and contractors., • Prepare and review tender documents, manage clarifications, evaluate bids, and support contract negotiations., • Oversee budgets, cost plans, forecasting, and cashflows, ensuring robust financial governance. Technical, Design & Quality Management • Work closely with internal and external design teams across all RIBA stages., • Review, challenge, and approve design proposals, ensuring alignment with technical standards and operational needs., • Conduct inspections, benchmark quality, and ensure compliance with project requirements. Energy, Environmental & Sustainability Leadership • Promote energy efficiency and environmental considerations throughout design and construction., • Support compliance with relevant legislation, sustainability targets, and ISO frameworks. Change, Contract & Compliance Management • Implement formal change control procedures for variations in cost, scope, or programme., • Administer construction and consultant contracts, escalating issues where appropriate., • Ensure all planning, environmental, and statutory consents are in place and properly managed. Testing, Commissioning & Handover • Oversee development and execution of testing and commissioning plans with engineering teams., • Coordinate attendance, track defects, and ensure all anomalies are resolved., • Lead Section/Practical Completion processes, manage snagging, and deliver complete documentation packages., • Ensure a seamless transition to Operations teams, including training and handover support. Communication & Stakeholder Engagement • Chair progress meetings, prepare reports, and maintain strong cross-functional communication., • Deliver updates and presentations to senior leadership and business stakeholders., • Foster collaboration across engineering, operations, commercial, and external delivery partners. What You’ll Bring Essential • 5+ years working in data centre or mission-critical environments (e.g., hyperscale, colocation, critical infrastructure)., • 10+ years’ technical and project management experience., • Strong leadership capability with experience managing teams across multiple projects., • Excellent communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills., • Proven ability to deliver complex projects in controlled and compliance-driven environments., • Strong commercial awareness with demonstrated cost, contract, and vendor management experience., • Comfortable working in high-pressure environments with strict deadlines and risk profiles. Desirable • Degree in Engineering, Construction, Project Management or related field., • Membership of a relevant professional institution (APM, PMI, ICE, IMechE, etc.)., • Experience with EDMS systems and workflow management tools (ASite preferred)., • Familiarity with IET MF/1 and JCT construction contract forms. Your Strengths & Attributes Analytical • Methodical • Professional • Honest • Quality-driven • Focused Exceptional interpersonal skills • Confident with Microsoft Office & project management tools How You Work Customer First You build trust, communicate with clarity, and resolve issues quickly. Collaborative You work well with multi-disciplinary teams and share knowledge freely. Ownership & Accountability You take initiative, challenge inefficiencies, and continuously improve delivery. Performance Driven You commit to deadlines, exceed targets, and deliver consistently high outcomes. Transparent & Courageous You communicate openly, challenge constructively, and seek better ways of working. Energy & Enthusiasm You motivate teams and represent the organisation with pride. Ready to Lead Mission-Critical Projects? This is a unique opportunity to influence major programmes across a rapidly growing global data centre portfolio. If you're a project delivery leader who thrives in complex, technical environments, we’d love to hear from you. APPLY NOW!!!!!!!!!!