Data Center Development Director

Verne; Vantaa; On-site; EUR 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Verne is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead the early-stage development of strategic data centre projects. You will guide initiatives from concept through planning consent and developed design, ensuring investment- and permit-readiness for execution.

The role spans technical, commercial, regulatory, and stakeholder contexts to enable sustainable digital infrastructure. You will oversee pre-construction activities, develop business cases, governance roadmaps, and manage budgets

Qualifications

• Experience leading development projects through planning and pre-construction phases.
• Strong understanding of planning, permitting, and governance processes.
• Experience with utility infrastructure planning and development strategies.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, and risks across complex programs.
• Demonstrated capability in stakeholder engagement and commercial negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-construction development activities and provide strategic oversight throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop project business cases and investment packages.
• Establish governance frameworks and development roadmaps; manage budgets, schedules, and risks.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary consultant teams and coordinate development options.
• Define permitting strategies and interface with utilities, landowners, authorities, and environmental consultants.
• Drive value engineering and ensure solutions meet cost targets and objectives.
• Identify and mitigate planning, utility, environmental, commercial, and schedule risks.

Skills

Development leadership

Planning & permitting

Stakeholder management

Budget governance

Governance & design management

Multidisciplinary teams

Risk identification & mitigation

Commercial negotiations

Leadership & communication

Job description

Job Title: Development Director
Shape the Future of Sustainable Data Centre Development
Verne is growing, and we are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Development Director to lead the early-stage development of strategic data centre projects across our portfolio. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for advancing projects from initial concept through planning consent and developed design (RIBA Stages 0–3), ensuring they are investment-ready, permit-ready, and positioned for successful execution. Working across technical, commercial, regulatory, and stakeholder environments, you will play a key role in enabling the next generation of sustainable digital infrastructure.

What You'll Be Doing

As Development Director, you will lead all pre-construction development activities and provide strategic oversight throughout the project development lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop project business cases and investment approval packages.
• Establish project governance frameworks and development roadmaps.
• Manage development budgets, schedules, risks, and executive reporting.
• Lead engagement with:
• Utility providers
• Municipal authorities
• Planning agencies
• Environmental consultants
• Landowners and key stakeholders
• Define project permitting and planning strategies.
• Procure, manage, and coordinate multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Oversee concept design development and evaluation of development options.
• Drive value engineering and project optimisation initiatives.
• Validate project solutions against:
• Constructability requirements
• Cost targets and business objectives
• Operational requirements
• Sustainability goals
• Customer requirements
• Coordinate utility connection strategies and long-lead infrastructure planning.
• Proactively identify and manage:
• Planning risks
• Utility risks
• Environmental risks
• Commercial risks
• Programme and schedule risks

What We're Looking For

We are seeking a strategic leader with a strong track record in complex infrastructure, property development, data centre, energy, industrial, or large-scale construction projects.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Extensive experience leading development projects through planning and pre-construction phases.
• Strong understanding of:
• Planning and permitting processes
• Utility infrastructure and connection strategies
• Design management and project governance
• Commercial negotiations and stakeholder management
• Experience leading multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholders and balance competing priorities.
• Strong commercial, analytical, and business case development capabilities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Proven ability to identify risks and drive solutions in complex project environments.

Desirable

• Experience in data centres, mission-critical facilities, renewable energy, or major infrastructure developments.
• Familiarity with RIBA project stages and development governance frameworks.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory environments.

Why Join Verne?

At Verne, we're building the digital infrastructure that powers the world's most demanding applications. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and our data centres are designed to deliver industry-leading performance while supporting the global transition to a greener digital future.
Join a collaborative, ambitious, and innovative team where your expertise will directly influence the development of strategic projects that shape the future of digital infrastructure.