Senior Director of Development and Delivery, UK and Europe

Colt Technology Services; London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in data center development seeks a Senior Director of Development and Delivery, driving strategy and execution across Europe. Key responsibilities include overseeing site acquisition, design, delivery, and commercial management while ensuring alignment with sustainability goals and financial objectives. This pivotal role requires extensive experience in leading construction teams and managing large scale projects in a high-demand sector.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in construction leadership focused on data centers.
• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in investment environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead site acquisition strategies and oversee feasibility studies.
• Manage execution of data center construction projects ensuring timely delivery.
• Provide leadership to function heads, aligning with strategic objectives.

Skills

Market Analysis

Building and Managing Teams

Supervisory Leadership

Strategic Planning

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in business or a relevant field

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

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Senior Director of Development and Delivery, UK and Europe

Job id: 35623

Job location:

London, GB

Short Description

As a key executive within the Colt DCS Real Estate division, the Senior Director of Development and Delivery, UK and Europe will lead the strategy and execution across four core business streams: Site Acquisition and Development, Design, Delivery, Cost /Commercial Management. This role is pivotal in scaling the company’s Data Centre footprint, ensuring that capital is deployed efficiently, and that projects are delivered to the highest standards of quality, speed, and sustainability. Current developments are based around the UK, France, and Germany with €8.5 Billion of funding secured, with potential future growth in other countries across the region.

Job Summary

Key Responsibilities:
1. Site Acquisition and Development
• Drive UK and European site acquisition strategies aligned with aggressive growth targets and investor expectations.
• Oversee feasibility studies, due diligence, and risk assessments to ensure optimal site selection to achieve business objectives.
• Collaborate with legal, finance, and real estate teams to secure land, permits, and entitlements.
• Build and maintain relationships with neighbours, local authorities and regulatory bodies.
• Secure vital power contracts for large campus-style developments to ensure reliable and scalable energy supply.
• Ensure early-stage development aligns with long-term investment returns and scalability.
• Evaluate sites for power availability, connectivity, and environmental impact to support hyperscale and edge data centre models.

2. Design
• Lead the design strategy to ensure standardization, modularity, and rapid deployment to the required cost benchmarks.
• Oversee the development of scalable, future-proof design templates that align with investor-backed growth models.
• Integrate sustainability, energy efficiency, and ESG principles into all design processes.
• Collaborate with engineering, IT, security, operations, and technology teams to ensure designs meet evolving client and market demands.
• Ensure design decisions support cost-effective capital deployment and long-term asset value.
3. Delivery
• Oversee the execution of data centre construction projects in the region, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to specification.
• Establish and manage delivery frameworks across all locations, contractor networks, and performance metrics.
• Implement robust project governance and reporting structures to provide transparency to executive leadership and investors.
• Drive innovation in construction practices, including prefabrication and delivery of new technologies.
• Ensure all projects meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and operational readiness. I would move this to first.
4. Commercial Management
• Manage and oversee the Regional Procurement Strategy including a focus on optimising our OFCI program.
• Lead construction procurement processes to ensure cost-effective and timely acquisition of materials and services.
• Negotiate contracts with suppliers, contractors, and vendors to secure favourable terms and conditions. Strategic management of the supply chain.
• Cost Planning & Budget Control across the full project lifecycle.
• Supporting claims management and dispute resolution.
• Implement and manage OFCI (Owner-Furnished Contractor-Installed) models to streamline project delivery and reduce costs.

Job Description

Strategic & Investment-Focused Leadership
• Provide leadership and direction to all function heads, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and fostering a high-performance culture
• Act as a key liaison between construction operations and investment stakeholders, translating capital strategy into executable infrastructure plans.
• Provide strategic input into capital planning, ROI modelling, and portfolio expansion.
• Lead construction budgeting, forecasting, and cost control to ensure optimal use of investor capital.
• Represent the construction function in board-level discussions and investor presentations.
• Build and lead a high-performing continent-wide team capable of scaling with the company’s investment trajectory.
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Qualifications & Experience
• Extensive experience in construction leadership, with a strong track record in data centre or mission-critical infrastructure.
• Broad understanding of Regional Design practices, supporting delivery of multi-disciplined designs teams.
• Proven experience managing large-scale, multi-region construction programs in a high-growth or investment-driven environment.
• Strong appreciation of end-to-end commissioning strategies to ensure seamless integration and operational readiness of Data Centres
• Deep understanding of construction standards in Europe with a key focus on permitting, and compliance within the UK, France, and Germany.
• Strong financial acumen and experience working with investment teams or private equity stakeholders.
• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Skills

Market Analysis

Building and Managing Teams

Supervisory Leadership

Strategic Planning

Education

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in business or a relevant field

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