Senior Director, Development

NTT Global Data Centers; Frankfurt; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

NTT Global Data Centers in Frankfurt, Germany, seeks a Senior Director, Development - EMEA to lead development execution across the region, from origination to notice-to-proceed and handoff to construction.

The role partners with local and global teams to align with business, financial, and sustainability objectives, manage regional development priorities, and drive governance, due diligence, and risk management to deliver data center opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in real estate, business, engineering, finance, planning, or related field.
• Advanced degree or relevant professional certification preferred.
• 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in real estate site selection, development, or large-scale infrastructure.
• Experience advancing complex development opportunities within EMEA jurisdictions.
• Experience leading teams and communicating recommendations to senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional EMEA development execution from origination through notice-to-proceed and handoff to construction.
• Coordinate due diligence across land, power, water, permitting, utilities, and environment.
• Partner with Finance and Investment teams to evaluate project economics and capital planning.
• Lead cross-functional teams across Design, Power & Energy, Construction, Operations, and Legal.

Skills

Data center development

Financial acumen

Strategic planning

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory navigation

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Advanced degree or certification preferred

Job description

Make an impact at NTT Global Data Centers

Join NTT Global Data Centers and be part of a team that drives innovation and sustainability in the digital world. With over 150 data centers across more than 20 countries globally, we offer unparalleled opportunities to work on cutting-edge technology and transformative projects. Experience a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive workplace where your ideas are valued, and your growth is supported.

Your role at a glance

Senior Director, Development - EMEA leads development execution across the EMEA region from origination through notice-to-proceed (NTP). Reporting to the VP, Strategic Planning and Design, this role manages regional development priorities, coordinates commercial and technical due diligence, and supports a reliable pipeline of data center opportunities aligned with business, financial, and sustainability objectives. The role partners closely with local and global teams to maintain development discipline, resolve issues, and support effective project handoff to construction.

Regional Development Execution

• Execute the EMEA development plan in alignment with enterprise priorities, customer demand, approved investment parameters, and regional market conditions.
• Coordinate site origination and due diligence across land, power, water, fiber, permitting, utilities, and environmental considerations.
• Maintain visibility into the regional development pipeline, key milestones, dependencies, risks, and decisions required to advance opportunities.
• Support site readiness and structured handoff to construction in accordance with approved business cases and governance requirements.

Commercial, Financial & Governance Support

• Coordinate preparation of investment materials and validate that commercial, technical, schedule, and financial inputs are complete and traceable.
• Partner with Finance and Investment teams to support development pacing, capital planning, and evaluation of project economics.
• Apply established development governance, diligence, documentation, and risk-review standards consistently across the region.
• Track project performance and lessons learned to improve future development decisions and execution.

Cross-Functional & Team Leadership

• Partner with Design, Power & Energy, Construction, Operations, Finance, Legal, Sustainability, and other stakeholders to align development activities and resolve cross-functional issues.
• Lead and develop regional team members and external partners, setting clear expectations and reinforcing accountability, collaboration, and execution discipline.
• Provide regional insights and recommendations to senior leadership regarding market conditions, capacity, policy, competition, and delivery risks.
• Escalate material risks, trade-offs, and decisions to the VP and relevant governance forums in a timely manner.

External Engagement

• Maintain productive relationships with utilities, regulators, municipalities, developers, landowners, and public agencies to support approvals and infrastructure readiness.
• Represent NTT Global Data Centers in relevant regional forums and stakeholder discussions, as appropriate.

What we are looking for

KNOWLEDGE & ATTRIBUTES

• Strong knowledge of data center or large-scale infrastructure development in EMEA, including land, utilities, permitting, and environmental considerations.
• Sound commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to evaluate development assumptions and contribute to investment cases.
• Ability to translate strategic priorities into practical regional plans, milestones, and actions.
• Effective cross-functional leader who can influence stakeholders and drive alignment in a matrixed organization.
• Credible communicator who can engage internal leaders and external stakeholders with clarity and professionalism.
• Pragmatic and resilient, with sound judgment in complex, regulated, and evolving environments.
• Commitment to developing team capability and maintaining a culture of ownership, consistency, and collaboration.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required in real estate, business, engineering, finance, planning, or a related field.
• Advanced degree or relevant professional certification preferred.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in real estate site selection, acquisition, development, or large-scale infrastructure, preferably within data centers, technology, utilities, or industrial sectors.
• Demonstrated experience advancing complex development opportunities within EMEA jurisdictions.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and multiple concurrent projects through structured governance and decision-making.
• Working knowledge of development economics, capital planning, regulatory navigation, environmental permitting, and utility coordination.
• Experience leading teams, consultants, or cross-functional workstreams and communicating recommendations to senior leaders.

WORK CONDITIONS & OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• EMEA-focused role requiring regular collaboration across multiple countries and time zones.
• Remote or hybrid work arrangement based on location and business need, with extensive daily use of digital collaboration tools.
• Up to 15% travel, including international travel, based on business requirements.

Who we are

As the third largest data center provider, we operate over 150 data centers in more than 20 countries and regions. We understand that every business - large and small - has its own unique needs and goals. We offer local-to-global data center expertise, aligned with our connected platform of AI-ready data centers to create solutions that enable our clients to seamlessly scale their digital businesses, anywhere and anytime.