Project Director - Data Centres

Cumming Group UK & Europe; Region Hovedstaden; On-site; DKK 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Cumming Group UK & Europe is seeking a Project Director to lead end-to-end delivery of data centre construction across a campus environment. You will provide strong on-site leadership, overseeing safety, quality, cost, schedule and risk while coordinating across multiple workstreams and stakeholders.

The role requires 10–15 years of experience in large-scale construction, with a track record in data centres or mission-critical projects.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10–15 years of delivering large-scale construction projects.
• Experience in data centre, mission-critical, or highly serviced industrial projects.
• Proven leadership of complex campus projects with multiple interfaces and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary Project Manager and single point of accountability for delivery of data centre projects.
• Provide visible on-site leadership with focus on safety, quality and programme certainty.
• Establish, chair and minute project site meetings and maintain the Project Execution Plan (PEP).
• Coordinate interfaces with the client, consultants, vendors and contractors.
• Maintain the Project Risk Register and lead risk workshops; report progress and mitigation.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Project management

Risk management

Safety

Quality management

Budget management

Scheduling

Education

Degree in Engineering

Construction Management

Tools

MS Office

Project planning tools

Job description

The Project Director is the project-level point of contact and is accountable for the end-to-end delivery of data centre construction projects across a campus environment. The role provides strong, visible on-site leadership and is responsible for managing safety, quality, cost, schedule, risk, and stakeholder coordination across multiple workstreams.

The Project Director leads integration of base-build works with third-party interfaces such as utility connections, substations, stormwater infrastructure, and other enabling works, ensuring delivery in line with approved project objectives and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Governance

• Act as the primary Project Manager and single point of accountability for delivery of assigned data centre projects.
• Provide visible on-site leadership, including regular site walks, promoting a strong focus on safety, quality, and programme certainty.
• Establish, chair, and minute project site meetings, ensuring all stakeholders are fully informed of progress, risks, and decisions.
• Prepare, maintain, and implement the Project Execution Plan (PEP) defining:
• Roles and responsibilities of the project team
• Interfaces with the Principal Contractor, consultants, vendors, and specialist subcontractors
• Monitor consultant, contractor, and vendor performance against contractual and project requirements.

Communication, Process & Change Management

• Establish and maintain effective communication procedures between the client team, consultant team, and contractors.
• Ensure consistent application of agreed project procedures across all parties.
• Establish and manage the Change Management Process, coordinating scope clarification, technical assessment, justification, and approvals.
• Support issuance and communication of project instructions in line with contractual authorities.
• Monitor and manage queries and responses between contractors, vendors, consultants, and internal stakeholders.

Risk, Reporting & Performance Management

• Establish, maintain, and regularly update the Project Risk Register in collaboration with all stakeholders.
• Chair and manage risk workshops; agree mitigation strategies and track actions to closure.
• Provide input to quantitative risk analysis and schedule risk reviews.
• Prepare and issue:
• Weekly status reports
• Monthly Project Manager's reports
• Inputs to executive and stakeholder presentations
• Monitor programme progress, budget compliance, and forecast performance against baseline commitments.

Design, Procurement & Pre-Construction

• Coordinate with the design team to prepare scheme design and feasibility reports addressing:
• Design intent
• Cost and programme implications
• Constructability
• Risks and opportunities
• Identify specialist, proprietary, or long-lead items and support procurement strategy development.
• Review building contract scopes and consultant appointments, identifying gaps or third-party requirements.
• Liaise with utility providers, statutory authorities, and third parties to establish requirements, approvals, and interfaces.
• Support tender negotiations, value engineering, and optioneering exercises; prepare recommendations for approval.
• Monitor and report procurement progress and readiness for construction start.

Construction Phase Delivery

Safety, Quality & Site Oversight

• Review and provide recommendations on the Contractor’s:
• Construction Management Plan
• Site Logistics Plan
• Health & Safety Plan
• Quality Plan
• Conduct regular site inspections, reviewing safety, progress, and quality performance.
• Issue and track corrective actions to timely close-out.
• Coordinate inspections at fabrication, manufacturing, or testing facilities where required.

Programme, Cost & Change Control

• Monitor detailed contractor schedules (CPM), milestone achievement, and critical path activities.
• Identify and proactively address potential delays, cost pressures, or performance risks.
• Review and assess:
• Variations and change orders
• Claims and extension of time requests
• Provide advice on mitigation strategies and recovery plans.
• Evaluate payment applications and support certification through the client process.

Integration, Commissioning & Handover

• Liaise with the Integration Lead to develop and manage the Project Integration Plan.
• Monitor development and implementation of the Commissioning Plan, test procedures, and documentation.
• Coordinate with Operations teams to define O&M manual content and turnover requirements.
• Establish and manage:
• Snagging and defect management processes
• Defects administration plan
• Practical Completion and handover milestones
• Coordinate preparation and approval of:
• Test certificates
• Statutory approvals
• As-built documentation and manuals

Close-Out & Post-Completion

• Coordinate Substantial / Practical Completion activities and documentation.
• Monitor completion of remedial works and defect rectification during the defects liability period.
• Support certification of Occupancy and statutory approvals where applicable.
• Facilitate post‑project lessons learned workshops and issue final reports with improvement recommendations.
• Support settlement of final accounts and outstanding claims.

Advisory & Continuous Improvement Role

• Advise the client on opportunities to improve project efficiency, risk profile, and delivery performance.
• Identify and elevate discrepancies or inconsistencies in design documentation for resolution.
• Monitor compliance with client standards and project requirements at all times.
• Provide recommendations regarding project staffing and on‑site resourcing.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum 10-15 years' experience delivering large-scale construction projects.
• Proven experience in data centre, mission-critical, or highly serviced industrial projects.
• Demonstrated leadership of complex campus projects with multiple interfaces and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• Professional project management accreditation (e.g. PMP, APM, PRINCE2) is advantageous.

Professional Skills

• Strong leadership, communication, and decision‑making capability.
• Excellent understanding of construction contracts, change control, and commercial management.
• Proven ability to manage safety, quality, cost, schedule, and risk concurrently.
• Strong reporting, documentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficient in MS Office and project planning / reporting tools.

Language

• Fluent Danish and English, both written and verbal.