Senior Associate, Pre-Construction Manager EMEA

Ares Management; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Ada Infrastructure, supported by Ares Management, seeks a commercially minded Pre-Construction Manager for the EMEA region. The role combines time in the London office with site visits and travel across Europe to initiate development from site selection through design and permitting, ensuring readiness for construction.

The ideal candidate has 12+ years in technical/commercial development, 6+ years in data centres, hyperscale exposure, and a related degree.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in technical or commercial development role.

Responsibilities

• Lead upfront development activities, feasibility assessments, due diligence, entitlement and permitting processes.
• Lead project planning and preconstruction activities with schedules, cost, procurement and delivery objectives.
• Lead procurement and contractor engagement to meet cost and schedule goals.
• Lead risk, governance and compliance with regulatory and safety requirements.
• Lead stakeholder and programme management across the portfolio.
• Oversee transition from preconstruction to construction and handover readiness.

Skills

Office proficiency

Project scheduling

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Multitasking

Team collaboration

Analytical mindset

Decision making

Urgency & pace

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Project

Primavera

Procore

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Job Description

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee‑focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high‑performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Ada Infrastructure is a global data centre business committed to being a positive force for technology, people, and the planet. With a world‑class team of trusted industry leaders, Ada Infrastructure’s global presence, and the capital‑raising, investment, and asset management expertise of Ares Management Ltd, Ada Infrastructure is positioned to lead the industry in reliable, safe, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure. With nine in‑flight campuses across Japan, the UK, and Brazil, we have over 1 GW of power currently available and more than 1.5 GW in our global pipeline. To learn more about Ada Infrastructure, visit www.adainfrastructure.com.

Summary

We are seeking a commercially minded and proactive individual to join Ada’s Design and Delivery team as a Pre‑Construction Manager for the EMEA region. The role is to initiate site development from site selection, design and permitting and prepare for the transition to construction. The ideal candidate will have the technical, scheduling and commercial experience to facilitate speed to market and schedule certainty for development opportunities. This position will require an individual who embraces change and thrives in a dynamic work environment. The role will require a split of time between the London office, our development sites and travel across EMEA.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead upfront development activities, feasibility assessments, due diligence, entitlement and permitting processes, utility and infrastructure evaluations, risk identification and mitigation, and support for master planning and campus development strategies to enable successful project delivery.
• Lead project planning and preconstruction activities by defining scope, deliverables and phasing strategies, developing and maintaining integrated project schedules, establishing execution and logistics frameworks, and aligning programme milestones with cost, procurement and delivery objectives.
• Support the development and management of project budgets from early design through GMP, and reviewing contractor cost submissions to ensure accuracy, value and alignment with project objectives.
• Lead procurement and contractor engagement activities by developing delivery and sourcing strategies, managing tender and RFP processes, evaluating contractor proposals, overseeing contractor and trade partner selection, coordinating long‑lead equipment procurement, and supporting contract negotiation and execution to achieve project cost, schedule and delivery objectives.
• Lead project risk, compliance and governance activities by managing risk registers and reporting, ensuring compliance with regulatory, environmental and safety requirements, coordinating permits and approvals, and assessing commercial and contractual risks to support informed project investment and delivery decisions.
• Lead stakeholder and programme management activities by serving as the primary interface between development and design teams, facilitating cross‑functional collaboration, providing executive reporting on project performance, and aligning multiple projects across the portfolio to achieve strategic business objectives.
• Lead preconstruction process management and project controls by defining and enforcing key deliverables, monitoring consultant and contractor performance, establishing reporting and data management systems, and ensuring all commercial, technical and operational requirements are in place to support a successful transition into construction.
• Lead the transition from preconstruction to construction by ensuring seamless handover to delivery teams, finalising contracts, budgets and baseline schedules, and confirming site readiness, logistics arrangements and early works planning to support successful project execution.

Skills & Experience

• 12+ years of experience in technical or commercial development role
• 6+ years of data centre specific experience
• Experience working on hyperscale or high‑density data centre projects
• Bachelor's degree in a related professional qualification
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), project management and scheduling tools (MS Project, Primavera, Procore)
• Excellent organisational and time‑management skills with attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proactive problem‑solver with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment, operate with a strong sense of urgency, and turn in quality work quickly, under strict time constraints.
• Ability to work collaboratively.
• Self‑starter with superior analytical skills; a problem solver with an astute attention to detail.
• Possesses good judgement, honesty, and utmost integrity.
• A positive, upbeat individual who thrives in a team environment and fosters a welcoming workplace culture.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing priorities and multitask effectively

Reporting Relationships

Principal, Design Lead EMEA

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.