Senior Director of Contracts

Vallum Associates; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Vallum Associates seeks a Senior Contracts Director – Data Centres to lead contract strategy across major developments, including hyperscale and AI-ready projects, with relocation to Dubai.

Based in Dubai, you will oversee lifecycles of complex contracts, negotiate high-value agreements with general contractors, EPCs, consultants and suppliers, and guide a growing team while interfacing with C-suite and international stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Significant experience at Contracts Director / Senior Director / Head of Contracts level.
• Data Centre experience is essential, ideally across hyperscale or mission-critical developments.
• Extensive experience managing major construction and development contracts.
• Experience negotiating high-value agreements with general contractors, EPC contractors, consultants and suppliers.
• Experience working across international projects or multiple jurisdictions is highly advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead the contracts strategy and governance across major Data Centre developments.
• Oversee complex contracts throughout the full lifecycle, from pre-contract and procurement through construction, delivery and close-out.
• Lead the negotiation, review and administration of major construction, consultancy, supplier and contractor agreements.
• Identify and manage contractual and commercial risk across projects and programmes.
• Provide senior-level oversight of variations, change orders, claims, EOTs, disputes and contractual entitlements.
• Establish robust contract management and change-control processes across the portfolio.
• Work closely with Development, Construction, Commercial, Procurement, Legal and Project leadership teams.
• Advise executive leadership on significant contractual exposure, risk and mitigation strategies.
• Support the selection, appointment and management of major international contractors and consultants.
• Lead and develop Contracts Managers and wider commercial/contracts teams as the international portfolio expands.
• Support negotiations and dispute resolution with key project stakeholders.
• Ensure projects maintain appropriate contractual records, notices and governance throughout delivery.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Risk management

International project experience

Job description

Senior Contracts Director – Data Centres

Location: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Data Centres / Mission Critical

Relocation: Full relocation to Dubai required – comprehensive relocation package provided

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Contracts Director to join one of the fastest-growing international Data Centre developers at a pivotal stage of its global expansion.

Backed by a major multi-billion-dollar group, the business is developing large-scale hyperscale and AI-ready Data Centre infrastructure across multiple international markets.

Based in Dubai, the Senior Contracts Director will provide strategic contractual leadership across major Data Centre developments, protecting the organisation's commercial interests while supporting the successful delivery of an ambitious international development pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the contracts strategy and governance across major Data Centre developments.
• Oversee complex contracts throughout the full lifecycle, from pre-contract and procurement through construction, delivery and close-out.
• Lead the negotiation, review and administration of major construction, consultancy, supplier and contractor agreements.
• Identify and manage contractual and commercial risk across projects and programmes.
• Provide senior-level oversight of variations, change orders, claims, EOTs, disputes and contractual entitlements.
• Establish robust contract management and change-control processes across the portfolio.
• Work closely with Development, Construction, Commercial, Procurement, Legal and Project leadership teams.
• Advise executive leadership on significant contractual exposure, risk and mitigation strategies.
• Support the selection, appointment and management of major international contractors and consultants.
• Lead and develop Contracts Managers and wider commercial/contracts teams as the international portfolio expands.
• Support negotiations and dispute resolution with key project stakeholders.
• Ensure projects maintain appropriate contractual records, notices and governance throughout delivery.

Candidate Profile

• Significant experience at Contracts Director / Senior Director / Head of Contracts level.
• Previous Data Centre experience is essential, ideally across hyperscale or major mission-critical developments.
• Extensive experience managing major construction and development contracts.
• Strong understanding of claims, variations, EOTs, change management and contractual risk.
• Experience negotiating high-value agreements with general contractors, EPC contractors, consultants and specialist suppliers.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to operate effectively with C-suite and executive stakeholders.
• Experience working across international projects or multiple jurisdictions would be highly advantageous.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation and stakeholder-management capabilities.