Senior Project Director - Data Centre

Gough Recruitment; Sydney; On-site; AUD 220,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Gough Recruitment is seeking a Senior Project Director to lead a portfolio of data centre developments in Australia. You will interface with the client daily, drive programme delivery, and manage a multi-disciplinary team to meet time, cost, quality and safety targets.

The role requires 12+ years in data centre construction, direct experience as a Project/Construction Director within PMC/EPCM/GC environments, and strong budgets, planning and contract administration skills.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in data centre or mission-critical construction project management.
• Experience as a Project Director or Construction Director within a PMC, EPCM, Construction Management or General Contractor environment
• Experience leading major data centre developments in Australia (hyperscale preferred)
• Strong budgets, forecasting, cash flow and change order experience
• Proficiency with project controls tools and reporting to executive stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery across a portfolio of major data centre developments with accountability for programme, cost, risk, quality and safety
• Act as senior client-facing lead, building trusted relationships with executive sponsors
• Oversee procurement strategy, tendering and contract negotiations for major packages
• Drive value engineering and design reviews
• Navigate planning pathways and authority approvals
• Chair meetings and ensure timely reporting to client and leadership
• Set safety culture on site and in design, implementing HSE systems
• Coach and develop a high-performing delivery team
• Contribute to business development including EOIs and pricing submissions

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Contract administration

Risk management

Data centre delivery

Client-facing

Team building

Delivery leadership

Education

Degree in Construction Management or Engineering

PMP or PRINCE2

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Job description

Senior Project Director, Data Centres

The opportunity

Data centres are among the fastest-growing sectors in Australian construction, and this is a chance to lead a major build program at the centre of it. A global project management consultancy is looking for a Senior Project Director to oversee a portfolio of data centre projects for one of Australia’s leading data centre operators.

This is a senior, high-visibility role. You’ll be the key day-to-day client interface for the program, accountable for delivering multiple mission-critical projects to time, cost, quality and safety targets, while leading a multi-disciplinary team of Project Directors, Senior Project Managers, Project Managers and Coordinators.

About the role

You’ll provide leadership and direction across the full project lifecycle: initiation, planning and design, procurement, construction and handover. Reporting to the Account Lead, you will:

• Lead delivery across a portfolio of major data centre developments, with overall accountability for programme, cost, risk, quality and safety
• Act as the senior client-facing lead, building trusted relationships with executive stakeholders and program sponsors
• Lead procurement strategy, tendering and contract negotiation for major packages, including long lead equipment
• Oversee contract administration, variations and claims, protecting the commercial interests of both the client and the business
• Drive value engineering, buildability reviews and critical review of design and documentation
• Navigate planning pathways, authority approvals and utility connections
• Chair PCG and senior stakeholder meetings, and ensure accurate, timely reporting to the client and leadership
• Set the safety culture on site and in design, and lead the implementation of HSE systems
• Coach, develop and structure a high-performing delivery team
• Contribute to business development, including EOIs, pricing submissions and thought leadership

About you

You’re an experienced data centre or mission-critical delivery leader who is as comfortable in a boardroom as on site. You’ll bring:

• 12+ years in data centre or mission-critical construction project management
• Proven experience as a Project Director or Construction Director within a PMC, EPCM, Construction Management or General Contractor environment
• A track record of leading major projects and programmes end-to-end, ideally including hyperscale or mission-critical data centre developments in Australia
• Strong commercial acumen and contract administration experience across the full pre-contract and post-contract lifecycle
• In-depth knowledge of construction methods, building codes, regulations and safety standards on complex, large-scale projects
• Proficiency in budgets, forecasting, cash flow and change order assessment, plus project controls tools such as Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project
• A solid understanding of different delivery methods (Project Management, Construction Management, Managing Contractor, Lump Sum, D&C)
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills
• A degree in Construction Management, Engineering or a related discipline (PMP or PRINCE2 highly regarded)

Experience working for Principal Contractors or in client-side project management is also highly regarded.

Why join?

• Lead a flagship program on a strong, long-term pipeline of work
• Executive-level client exposure and real influence over how the program is delivered
• Work on projects at national scale in a sector with sustained growth
• The backing, systems and global network of a leading consultancy
• A leadership role with scope to shape the team and grow the account