Director, Data Centres

MGAC; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

MGAC is seeking an entrepreneurial leader to establish and grow its Australian Data Centre practice from Melbourne. You will drive market entry, win strategic projects, and build a high-performance local team to scale across ANZ.

This is a true seller-doer opportunity: lead business development and project delivery, then grow a local delivery team to support long-term growth.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of construction and project management experience, with data centres experience.
• Direct relationships with Australian and APAC data centre operators, developers, and delivery partners.
• MEP experience in ground-up construction; degree in construction-related discipline; accreditation desirable.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, problem-solving, presentation, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead market origination and business development to convert relationships into Australian assignments.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline with scope, decision makers, timing, and procurement routes.
• Represent MGAC at industry associations, conferences, and client forums as the visible face of our data centre business in the region.
• Personally lead initial commissions, then mentor teams and manage scope, schedule, and budget.
• Oversee client-facing leadership across lifecycle: due diligence, acquisitions, authorities, preconstruction, design, construction, commissioning, and handover.

Skills

15+ years experience

data centre expertise

APAC relationships

leadership

commercial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

AIPM accreditation

Job description

It’s an exciting time to join MGAC!

MGAC is a global boutique consultancy dedicated to managing and representing our clients’ best interests. Our success is rooted in hiring exceptional people who are driven to do challenging work with the unique blend of experience, integrity, creativity, and commitment that separates us from our competitors.

We have three simple goals: to do the most interesting and challenging work, to have fun working together, and to build a successful business in the process.

This is a market-building leadership role. You will help our global leadership team establish and grow MGAC’s data centre practice in Australia, operating from our Melbourne office with regular client and site presence across ANZ, subject to client needs.

The Opportunity

MGAC already operates a Melbourne office and serves global clients with active Australian operations - giving us a genuine, relationship-led route into the market.

We are seeking an entrepreneurial leader to build and grow our Australian Data Centre practice. As our first dedicated Director in the market, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our client relationships, winning strategic projects, and establishing MGAC as a leading partner in Australia’s rapidly expanding data centre sector.

This is a true seller-doer opportunity: first leading business development and project delivery, then building and scaling a high-performing local team to drive long-term growth across the country.

Unlock Your Potential

We’re looking for a leader eager to take ownership of a market and expand a business. Here’s what will set you up for success at MGAC:

• 15+ years of construction and project management experience, with a thorough understanding of site due diligence, acquisition support, management of authorities, support through authority applications, building design, and construction process. Substantial experience managing critical-environment projects (data centres in particular; labs and hospitals valued).
• Recent developer-side, PM-consultancy, or general contractor experience in the Australian data centre market. Direct, current relationships with Australian and APAC data centre operators, developers, and delivery partners.
• MEP experience in ground-up construction and familiarity with commissioning of complex critical facilities. Bachelor’s, Associate’s, or equivalent experience in a construction-related discipline; professional accreditation (e.g., AIPM) desirable.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, problem-solving, presentation, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills. Ambitious and entrepreneurial — seeking a modern, energetic business that will empower you to build and grow.

What You’ll Be Doing

MGAC’s Critical Environments team manages the delivery of data centres with deep industry expertise, acting as client representatives — resolving issues, managing conflicts, and guiding informed decisions to keep projects on track. As the Australian market lead, you will both win and deliver this work and build the team that scales it.

Market Origination & Business Development

• Convert MGAC’s existing global client relationships into Australian assignments, beginning with our priority anchor accounts. Build and deepen relationships with operators, developers, hyperscalers, contractors, consultants, utilities, and recruiters across Melbourne and Sydney.
• Develop and maintain a qualified pipeline — each opportunity defined by scope, decision maker, timing, and procurement route. Lead proposals, scoping, fee negotiation, and contracting; identify and secure add-service opportunities.
• Represent MGAC at industry associations, conferences, and client forums as the visible face of our data centre business in the region.

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Personally lead the first commissions, setting the standard for MGAC delivery in the region, then mentor and lead teams while managing scope, schedule, and budget.
• Provide client’s-representative leadership across the lifecycle: site due diligence, acquisition support, management of authorities, support through authority applications, preconstruction, procurement, design, construction, commissioning, and handover — achieving and maintaining the client’s vision as a trusted partner.
• Lead project risk management, contingency planning, and schedule and budget recovery planning.

Financial & Contract Management

• Own the commercial performance of the Australian data centre practice — revenue, margin, resourcing economics, and risk. Ensure timely invoicing and collection, and secure add-service opportunities as engagements expand.

Team & Ecosystem Building

• Identify and prequalify local project managers, cost managers, schedulers, MEP specialists, commissioning oversight, and health & safety professionals. Build relationships with independent contractors to deploy teams rapidly against secured work — growing headcount against demand, not ahead of it.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead the Australian CE team as the practice scales.

Collaboration & Communication

• Maintain collaborative relationships with clients, A&E professionals, contractors/GCs, vendors, and MGAC’s global teams. Collaborate with other MGAC Critical Environment team leads across the globe to share client leads, communicate best practices across delivery teams and focus on growing MGAC’s market footprint.
• Anticipate project and team risks; solve complex challenges and conflicts; conduct requirements gathering and needs assessments.

What MGAC Offers

• A globally credible Critical Environments platform with a large, active data centre portfolio and repeat-client track record.
• Warm access to global clients with Australian operations - a genuine head start, not a cold market entry.
• Executive sponsorship, global delivery support, and an established Melbourne office.
• The opportunity to build and lead a practice, with clear scope to grow into a broader regional leadership remit.
• Competitive remuneration with performance-linked incentives aligned to practice growth.

Salary & Benefits

Competitive base salary + superannuation, commensurate with experience.

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