Campus Construction Director

Virtus Data Centres Ltd; Berlin; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

VIRTUS Data Centres Ltd invites a Campus Construction Director to lead the safe, on-site delivery of a multi‑MW data centre campus in Germany. You will translate strategy into coordinated construction, infrastructure, commissioning and handover across multiple phases, guiding senior PMs, GCs and vendors with disciplined governance.

The role requires strong programme management, stakeholder engagement and commercial awareness, with a focus on safety, quality and timely delivery to plan and budget.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of progressive construction leadership experience, including multi-building campus programmes.
• Experience leading Senior Project Managers, contractors and consultants in data-centre projects.
• Strong governance, reporting, and risk-management capabilities.
• Fluent German and English, with ability to chair technical and commercial meetings.

Responsibilities

• Own campus master construction programme and drive schedule, cost, and quality.
• Lead campus leadership team, coordinate PMs, GC(s), consultants and vendors.
• Ensure compliance with German planning, building-control, environmental and permit requirements.
• Embed safety and environmental practices into execution planning.
• Provide concise executive reporting and escalate issues with options and recommendations.

Skills

Construction Leadership

Programme Management

Stakeholder Management

Commercial Awareness

Safety Leadership

German Language

English Language

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Job description

About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is a leading European data centre developer and operator, delivering secure, energy-efficient and flexible infrastructure for the growing demands of cloud, AI and digital services. With an established UK presence and a growing footprint across Europe, including Germany and Italy, VIRTUS is investing in next-generation, AI-ready infrastructure at scale. Our values are Clarity & Quality, Accountability, Customer Commitment, Purposeful Innovation, and Capability & Growth.

Job Summary

The Campus Construction Director is accountable for the safe, predictable and integrated construction delivery of a multi-MW-scale data centre campus in Germany. The role converts the approved campus strategy, design, commercial plan and master programme into coordinated building, infrastructure, utility, commissioning and RFS/handover outcomes across multiple concurrent phases.

Operating as the senior construction leader onsite, you will lead Senior Project Managers, General Contractors, consultants, specialist contractors and key vendors. This role complements the VP of Construction and Senior Construction Director - Europe by translating regional standards and executive direction into disciplined campus execution, transparent reporting and timely escalation.

This is a highly visible leadership role, requiring strong programme management, stakeholder management and commercial awareness. You will be expected to identify risks and delays early, drive corrective action and provide clear, timely reporting to senior management.

You will act as the senior delivery point of contact onsite, ensuring the campus programme progresses safely, efficiently and to the required quality, cost and schedule.

Duties and Responsibilities

Campus & Programme Leadership

• The successful candidate will be comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels — setting the direction to deliver the overall campus while maintaining sufficient visibility of day-to-day delivery to identify issues before they become programme-critical.
• Take end-to-end construction accountability for the assigned campus, including phased data hall delivery, central infrastructure, substations, utilities, external works and shared systems.
• Lead the campus construction organisation and coordinate Senior Project Managers, package leads, General Contractors, consultants, OFCI/CFCI vendors and specialist contractors.
• Implement clear governance, provide decision rights, delegated authorities, hold PMs accountable for reporting standards against recognised project controls methods and escalation routes.
• Own the integrated campus construction plan and actively manage cross-building, utility, procurement, commissioning and customer dependencies.
• Maintain strong field visibility and intervene early where safety, quality, cost, schedule or interface performance is at risk.

German Permitting, Authorities and Compliance

• Coordinate construction in compliance with German planning, building-control, environmental and operational permit conditions, including BImSchG-related obligations where applicable.
• In conjunction with the VP of Construction, maintain effective interfaces with the permitting team, authorities, utilities, fire authorities, inspectors and appointed German design and supervision functions.
• Incorporate permit conditions, approval dependencies, inspections and evidence requirements into the programme and work-package plans.
• Work effectively within German contracting and professional-services frameworks, including BGB, VOB/B and HOAI interfaces where adopted, supported by Virtus legal team.
• Track energy-efficiency, renewable-energy, waste-heat, noise, emissions, water and environmental requirements relevant to the campus.

Wellbeing, Health, Safety and Environment

• Promote and maintain VIRTUS's commitment to safety, quality and operational excellence.
• Work closely with Health & Safety, Quality, Commissioning and Operations teams to ensure safe and compliant delivery.
• Provide visible safety leadership and ensure high-risk activities are properly planned, coordinated and supervised.
• Ensure compliant logistics, permit-to-work, lifting, temporary works, energisation and emergency arrangements are in place with relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor performance, close actions and embed lessons learned with HSE specialists and delivery partners.
• Incorporate applicable German occupational safety, environmental and working-time requirements into execution planning.
• Ensure all delivery partners comply with VIRTUS standards, site requirements and applicable German legislation.

Programme Controls and Interface Management

• Own the campus master construction programme and challenge logic, productivity assumptions, float, constraints and progress measurement.
• Ensure robust programme controls are in place across the campus.
• Identify critical and near-critical paths, long-lead equipment interfaces, access constraints and utility milestones.
• Require credible mitigation and recovery plans with named owners, dates and verified closure.
• Integrate schedule, cost, risk, change, procurement, design maturity, commissioning readiness and handover data into one delivery view.

Design and Technical Coordination

• Embed construction input through design development, technical submittals, RFIs, working drawings, change and field coordination.
• Challenge proposals to improve safety, standardisation, buildability, maintainability, schedule certainty and total cost.
• Coordinate CSA, MEP, controls, security, fire, utilities and OFCI/CFCI interfaces across buildings and common infrastructure.
• Ensure design, procurement and construction readiness gates are evidence-based and programme aligned.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as the senior construction contact onsite and represent VIRTUS with customers, contractors, authorities and strategic partners.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment across all parties involved in campus delivery.
• Provide concise evidence-based reporting and escalation issues early with impact, options, recommendation, owner and decision date.
• Build and coach a high-performing, accountable campus team with clear objectives and role boundaries.
• Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders, contractors, clients, consultants and suppliers.
• Capture and implement lessons learned, standards and repeatable productivity improvements.

Commissioning and Handover

• Integrate commissioning from the start, including system boundaries, turnover sequence, energisation, testing, witnessing and operational readiness criteria.
• Ensure completion, snagging, quality records, O&M information, training, spares, asset data and statutory documentation meet acceptance criteria.
• Coordinate phased handover to Commissioning and Operations, including safe access and live-site controls.
• Drive defect close-out and transfer lessons learned into subsequent campus phases.

Commercial, Contract and Supply Chain Management

• Provide senior oversight of General Contractors and key delivery partners.
• Hold contractors, consultants and vendors accountable for scope, milestones, quality, reporting and corrective actions.
• Review contractor and vendor performance quarterly and ensure issues are addressed quickly and effectively.
• Work with Commercial and PMO teams on forecasting, payments, change, variations, claims, delay analysis, contingency and final account strategy.
• Support the commercial team in managing variations, claims, delays and contractor performance issues.
• Identify and allocate scope gaps, exclusions, assumptions and interface responsibilities early.
• Support sourcing, bid evaluation, contract strategy and mobilisation for major packages and long-lead equipment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Project Management or a related technical discipline.
• A recognised professional qualification in project or programme management such as PMP, PRINCE2, APM, or equivalent is desirable.
• Relevant professional accreditation in construction or engineering, such as Chartered Engineer, RICS, CIOB or equivalent, would be advantageous.

Job Specification

Essential Experience

• Minimum 12 years of progressive construction leadership experience in large scale or hyper scale data centres, mission-critical or comparable complex infrastructure.
• Proven delivery leadership for multi-building or phased campus programmes of comparable scale and complexity.
• Experience leading Senior Project Managers, General Contractors, consultants, specialist contractors and major equipment vendors.
• Experience in managing internal senior leadership / executive stakeholders.
• Full lifecycle experience from pre-construction and enabling works through CSA and MEP delivery, commissioning, handover and operational readiness.
• Strong critical-path, interface, recovery, commercial, change, claims and executive reporting experience.
• Experience managing high-risk works, energisation, phased handover and work adjacent to live environments.

Germany-Specific and Complementary Experience

• Proven construction delivery experience in Germany, ideally on data centres, industrial, energy or mission-critical infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of German planning and building-control processes, BImSchG permitting interfaces, BauGB and state building regulations.
• Practical familiarity with BGB, VOB/B and HOAI interfaces and the ability to work with local Legal and Commercial advisers.
• Understanding of German energy-efficiency and environmental requirements relevant to data centres, including renewable electricity and waste-heat considerations.
• Experience coordinating grid connections, substations, utilities, fire authorities, environmental bodies and statutory inspections.
• Fluent German (preferable) and English, able to chair technical and commercial meetings, negotiate and report.

Skills and Competencies

• Visible, decisive construction leadership with commitment to safety, quality and accountability.
• Strong CSA, MEP, controls, critical systems, commissioning and operational readiness knowledge.
• Ability to operate strategically and operationally while identifying issues before they become programme-critical.
• Exceptional contractor, stakeholder and interface management across organisations and cultures.
• Commercial judgement, negotiation skill and confidence to challenge weak plans or performance constructively.
• Clear communication, disciplined governance, concise executive reporting and data-led decision-making.

Role Requirements

• Campus-based presence in Germany, with travel to Berlin HQ and other European locations as required.
• Flexibility to support critical works, energisation, commissioning and escalation outside normal hours.
• Any other reasonable duties consistent with the seniority and purpose of the role.

In line with VIRTUS’ Vetting Policy, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.

VIRTUS is an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

We reserve the right to close this post for applications should sufficient applications be received.