Project Controls Manager – Data Centre Projects

Connecting Minds; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading project management firm in Dubai is seeking an experienced Project Controls Manager to oversee large-scale Data Centre developments. This role is crucial for ensuring governance, planning, and technical oversight across complex projects. Ideal candidates should have 8–15 years of relevant experience, especially in Data Centres, and be capable of interfacing with senior executives effectively. This position offers the opportunity to make significant impacts on project performance and management.

Qualifications

• 8–15 years of experience in Project Controls, Planning Engineering, Quantity Surveying, or Program Management.
• Mandatory experience in Data Centre projects with full lifecycle exposure.
• Strong understanding of commercial governance, CAPEX, risk mitigation, and proposal evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Lead full end‑to‑end project controls for data centre projects.
• Manage planning, scheduling, progress monitoring, and reporting.
• Support business planning and commercial evaluations.

Skills

Project Controls Management

Planning & Scheduling

Quantity Surveying

Cost Control & Benchmarking

Risk Management

Commercial & Financial Acumen

Procurement Oversight

Executive Stakeholder Management

Data Centre Project Experience

End‑to‑End Project Lifecycle Oversight

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Project Controls Manager to oversee the complete lifecycle of large‑scale Data Centre developments. This is a newly established strategic role within the leadership structure, designed to ensure strong governance, planning, commercial alignment, and technical oversight across complex mission‑critical projects. The ideal candidate will bring both deep project controls expertise and the capability to interface directly with senior executives, providing rapid, accurate insights for decision‑making.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full end‑to‑end project controls for data centre projects (inception to handover).
• Manage planning, scheduling, progress monitoring, forecasting, and performance reporting.
• Support business planning, commercial evaluations, and proposal reviews.
• Oversee quantity surveying functions, cost control, and risk management.
• Develop and maintain cost intelligence and benchmarking models (e.g., cost/MW across regions).
• Conduct due diligence for new markets and territory expansion.
• Monitor procurement activities, long‑lead items, and vendor delivery risks.
• Ensure governance, compliance, and execution alignment across all project phases.
• Provide executive‑level reporting and strategic insights to senior leadership.

Candidate Requirements

• 8–15 years of experience in Project Controls, Planning Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Program Management, or related roles.
• Mandatory experience in Data Centre projects with full lifecycle exposure.
• Strong understanding of commercial governance, CAPEX, risk mitigation, and proposal evaluation.
• Proven ability to communicate and operate effectively with senior executives (CEO/MD/VP level).
• Background from PMC firms, engineering & MEP companies, data‑centre developers, or mission‑critical service providers.
• Strong analytical capability with expertise in planning tools and cost‑management systems.
• Able to act as a trusted technical advisor, delivering fast and accurate decision support.

Key Competencies

• Project Controls Management
• Planning & Scheduling
• Quantity Surveying
• Cost Control & Benchmarking
• Risk Management
• Commercial & Financial Acumen
• Procurement Oversight
• Executive Stakeholder Management
• Data Centre Project Experience
• End‑to‑End Project Lifecycle Oversight