Group Projects Director

JDL Recruitment; Helsingin seutukunta; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

JDL Recruitment is seeking a senior, executive-level Group Projects Director to lead delivery of a growing portfolio of sustainably powered data centre projects in Finland.

Based in Finland, you will set delivery standards, structure and teams, oversee greenfield campus developments and brownfield expansions, and coordinate with stakeholders to ensure uptime, safety and regulatory compliance across live sites.

Qualifications

• Leadership of multi-site project portfolios preferred.
• Experience with greenfield and brownfield data centre developments.
• Familiarity with Nordic regulations and the Finnish market.

Responsibilities

• Lead group-wide delivery of a multi-site data centre portfolio from pre-construction to handover.
• Own greenfield Finnish campus programme delivering capacity on time and on budget.
• Deliver brownfield expansions within live environments while protecting uptime.
• Establish a group delivery framework with governance, stage gates, cost control and reporting.
• Build and lead the group projects function across multiple countries.
• Manage consultancies, design teams, contractors and partners, including procurement for long-lead equipment.
• Oversee engineering, construction, commercial, H&S, quality and regulatory compliance.
• Coordinate with grid providers and local stakeholders on power connections and waste heat integration.
• Ensure delivery meets Finnish and Nordic legislation and safety requirements.
• Embed sustainability into delivery with renewable power and low-carbon practices.
• Report to senior leadership and investors on programme status and capital deployment.

Job description

We are seeking a senior, executive-level Group Projects Director to lead delivery of a growing portfolio of sustainably powered data center projects.

Based in Finland, the role carries group-wide accountability for project delivery across a mixed pipeline of greenfield campus developments and brownfield expansions of live, operational sites.

Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer, the successful candidate will set the delivery standards, structure and team that take the business through its next phase of growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead group-wide delivery of a multi-site portfolio, from pre-construction through to energisation, commissioning and handover
• Take direct ownership of the greenfield Finnish campus programme, delivering phased capacity on time, on budget and to specification
• Deliver brownfield expansions within live, operational environments, protecting uptime and customer SLAs throughout
• Establish a consistent group delivery framework covering governance, stage gates, cost control, programme reporting and lessons learned
• Build, structure and lead the group projects function, including project directors, project managers and site teams across multiple countries
• Manage consultancies, design teams, general contractors, subcontractors and development partners, including procurement strategy for long-lead equipment
• Oversee engineering, construction, commercial, H&S, quality and regulatory compliance across all projects
• Coordinate with grid and utility providers on power connections, and with local stakeholders on waste heat recovery integration
• Ensure delivery meets Finnish and wider Nordic legislation, planning and permitting requirements, and health and safety regulations
• Embed sustainability into delivery, including renewable power, heat reuse and low-carbon construction practices
• Report to senior leadership and investors on programme status, risk and capital deployment

Required Experience & Background

• Proven leadership of multi-project or multi-site portfolios, ideally at group or regional level
• Track record across both greenfield developments and brownfield expansions of operational facilities
• Familiarity with high-density AI/HPC infrastructure, including liquid cooling and high-voltage power, is advantageous
• Ability to operate at executive and investor level while remaining hands-on and site-focused

Local & Technical Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of the Finnish market preferred, including:
• Planning and permitting
• Grid connection processes
• Health & safety legislation
• Local contracting and commercial practices
• Wider Nordic project experience advantageous
• Applicants must be based in the region or hold right to work in Finland
• Engineering background strongly preferred; MBA or equivalent senior management qualification advantageous