Head of Site Acquisition

CDC; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CDC Academy

CDC Day

Parental Leave

Volunteer Leave

Employment Assistance Program

CDC Social Events

Job summary

CDC Data Centres in Australia and New Zealand is seeking a Head of Site Acquisition to shape our growth across Australia and New Zealand. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will lead identification, assessment and acquisition of strategic sites, from early opportunity through to handover into development.

This senior role collaborates with landowners, utilities and government authorities to secure favourable outcomes, build a long-term development pipeline, and drive

Qualifications

• Significant experience in site acquisition, land strategy, infrastructure development or major projects.
• Strong commercial judgement and relationship-driven approach.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and influence diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead site acquisition strategy and pipeline aligned to long-term objectives.
• Manage site selection, feasibility, due diligence and viability reviews.
• Drive negotiations with landowners, agents and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with utilities, network providers and authorities on requirements.
• Present business cases and acquisition strategies for investment decisions.
• Partner with development, construction and ops teams for smooth handover.

Job description

• Lead the development and execution of CDC's site acquisition strategy, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of development opportunities, enabling our future growth!
• Make your mark in a newly created role, reporting into our Chief Development Officer
• Role open to both Sydney and Melbourne-based candidates

About Us:

Established in 2007, CDC Data Centres is Australia and New Zealand's leading operator of secure, world-class data centre facilities. CDC plays a unique role in the fabric of the nations in which we operate, and we take this responsibility very seriously.

With multiple facilities across Australia and New Zealand, CDC's diversified operations provide large-scale secure data centre campuses that support co-location, dedicated and hyperscale compute environments, with all campuses interconnected with high-speed carrier grade networks.

At CDC, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We believe that everyone's unique experiences enable us to deliver meaningful benefits for our people, our clients and communities. Our mission is to attract, retain and grow the world's best data centre team.

Our people are committed, tenacious and meticulous in supporting our customers. Together, we configure the landscape to meet the security, reliability, connectivity and sustainability needs for today and tomorrow.

About the Role:

Reporting into our Chief Development Officer, the Head of Site Acquisition will play a critical role in shaping CDC's future growth strategy through the identification, assessment and acquisition of strategically important sites across Australia and New Zealand. This role will provide leadership across CDC's site acquisition function, helping build a long-term development pipeline that supports future customer demand and campus expansion. Working at the intersection of property, infrastructure, and development, you'll lead site acquisition initiatives from early-stage opportunity identification and feasibility through to transaction execution and handover into development. This is a highly visible role that partners across, landowners, utilities, government agencies and industry advisors, driving favourable outcomes for the business.

• Lead the development and execution of CDC's site acquisition strategy, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of development opportunities aligned to long-term business objectives.
• Manage site selection activities, including feasibility assessments, due diligence and development viability reviews.
• Drive negotiations with landowners, agents, advisors and other key stakeholders to secure land and property interests.
• Collaborate with utilities, network providers and government authorities to assess power, infrastructure and service requirements.
• Prepare and present business cases, commercial recommendations and acquisition strategies to support investment decisions - ensuring recommendations are commercially sound, technically viable, and aligned to business priorities.
• Partner closely with development, construction and operational teams to ensure a seamless transition of acquired sites into delivery.

What's in it for you:

CDC offers excellent employment conditions and benefits such as:

• CDC Academy - Make your mark by enhancing your professional development with the CDC Academy. Enrol in specialised training courses that will help you develop skills and ensure you thrive in your chosen career.
• CDC Day - An additional day of paid leave dedicated to nurturing your health and wellbeing.
• Parental Leave - Inclusive and above legislative tenure of parental leave entitlements to help you start, grow and care for your family.
• Volunteer Leave - Make a meaningful difference with 2 days of volunteering leave for any cause or charity of your choice.
• Employment Assistance Program - Be confident that you and your family are supported with access to our comprehensive Employee Assistance Program.
• CDC Social Events - CDC's offers staff and their family's inclusive events that nurtures relationships, connection and friendships across the business. CDC hosts BBQs, family picnics and community events, bringing together CDC staff in different settings.

About You:

Combining significant experience in site acquisition, land strategy, infrastructure development or major projects, you are a commercially savvy leader who knows how to identify opportunities, navigate complexity and influence diverse stakeholder groups to achieve successful outcomes. With strong commercial judgement and a relationship-driven approach, you're comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on delivery to secure favourable outcomes for the business.

• Experience in site acquisition, infrastructure development, property development, energy, utilities, renewables or other large-scale critical infrastructure environments.
• Strong commercial acumen - leading negotiations, supporting investments decisions, property transactions, and due diligence capability.
• Understanding of site selection, feasibility and infrastructure, electricity, and utility constraints.
• Proven ability to negotiate and influence a diverse range of stakeholders through a collaborative and relationship-driven approach.
• Ability to work through ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and seek continuous improvement in process and tools.

Australian Citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain a NV1 Security Clearance.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are valued and respected. We believe that diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences leads to innovation and success. We actively promote equality and strive to create a welcoming environment for all employees. We are dedicated to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community and encourages everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.