EMEA Data Center Infrastructure Counsel — Lead Contracts

Nscale; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Nscale is seeking a Director, Legal, Infrastructure, EMEA to act as the dedicated UK-based infrastructure counsel for EMEA, leading end-to-end contracting for data centre campuses across the region from term sheet to closeout.

You will negotiate with major counterparties, coordinate with local counsel, and maintain templates and house positions across jurisdictions while partnering with project delivery teams to drive results.

Qualifications

• 7+ years PQE in construction and infrastructure legal experience.
• Qualified solicitor or barrister in England & Wales (England & Wales qualification preferred).
• Proven track record negotiating major construction, EPC/EPCM and related agreements for large-scale projects.
• Experience across multiple EMEA jurisdictions and managing local counsel.
• Fluent understanding of risk allocation, warranties, indemnities and dispute resolution.
• Strong first-chair negotiation capability and ability to drive contracts to signature.
• Clear communication of complex legal risk to non-lawyers and stakeholders.
• Comfort collaborating with project finance, power, insurance and regulatory teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiation of owner-contractor, EPC, EPCM and design-build agreements for data centre construction across EMEA.
• Draft and negotiate design and consultancy agreements with architects and engineers, including ownership of deliverables.
• Negotiate supply, installation and O&Ms agreements for on-site power generation and critical equipment.
• Support site acquisition, development arrangements and leases, plus power procurement and interconnection.
• Maintain and improve contract templates and playbooks, including JCT/NEC/FIDIC forms.
• Run rounds of counterparty comments and harmonize positions across projects and jurisdictions.
• Manage contracts through delivery, with change orders, cost/schedule claims and dispute avoidance.
• Coordinate insurance, bonding and lender requirements; partner with external counsel as needed.
• Oversee EMEA outside counsel, budgets and quality of advice.
• Collaborate with construction, procurement, finance, real estate, energy and operations teams to deliver at pace.

Skills

Construction and infrastructure law

Negotiation

Multi-jurisdictional experience

Risk allocation & contracts

First-chair negotiator

Explain complex legal risk

Collaboration with stakeholders

Contract templates & playbooks

Coordination with external counsel

Project finance liaison

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales

Tools

JCT

NEC

FIDIC

Job description

Nscale is seeking a Director, Legal, Infrastructure, EMEA to act as the dedicated UK-based infrastructure counsel for EMEA, leading end-to-end contracting for data centre campuses across the region from term sheet to closeout.

You will negotiate with major counterparties, coordinate with local counsel, and maintain templates and house positions across jurisdictions while partnering with project delivery teams to drive results.