Operations Director – Data Centre Construction

DataX Connect; Dublin; On-site; EUR 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

DataX Connect in Dublin seeks an Operations Director to provide strategic operational leadership across a portfolio of major data centre projects. You will work with Project Directors and teams to monitor performance, identify risks, and ensure delivery, with accountability for HSE, BIM, QAQC, Commercial and Project Delivery.

The role requires senior, multi-project experience, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to move between strategic discussions in the Dublin office and on-site

Qualifications

• Significant experience in senior project or operational leadership.
• Experience overseeing multiple complex, high-value projects.
• Strong understanding of project delivery, commercial management and operational performance.
• Experience working across functions including HSE, BIM, commercial and project delivery.
• Excellent customer and stakeholder management skills.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach.
• Data centre or mission-critical project experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic operational oversight across a portfolio of major data centre projects.
• Work closely with Project Directors and project teams to monitor performance, identify risks and provide support where required.
• Act as a senior escalation point for operational and project issues.
• Work directly with customers and key stakeholders, developing strong and trusted relationships.
• Coordinate closely with HSE, BIM, Commercial and other central functions to ensure effective project support.
• Identify issues and bottlenecks across projects and drive solutions through to completion.
• Review existing processes and implement improvements to increase efficiency, consistency and accountability.
• Establish greater consistency in operational standards and processes across the project portfolio.
• Ensure lessons learned and best practice are shared across projects.
• Support project teams in resolving complex delivery challenges.
• Provide senior leadership with clear visibility of project performance, risks and areas requiring intervention.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to support the continued growth and development of the business.
• Help develop the operational infrastructure required to support a rapidly growing organisation.

Skills

Senior leadership

Stakeholder management

Project delivery

HSE coordination

BIM coordination

Commercial management

Job description

Dublin based.

The Opportunity

We are working with a leading European general contractor specialising in the delivery of major data centre and mission-critical projects.

With an exceptional track record, a strong order book and significant growth plans across Europe, the business is continuing to expand its leadership team and is looking for an experienced Operations Director to join its Dublin headquarters.

This is a senior operational role, providing strategic oversight across a portfolio of major projects while working closely with the teams delivering them on the ground.

The role will sit at the centre of the organisation, connecting project delivery with the wider business and ensuring teams have the support, structure and processes required to deliver successfully.

The Role

Based in Dublin, the Operations Director will provide strategic operational leadership across the project portfolio, working closely with project teams and the wider functional leadership team.

You will oversee and coordinate key functions including HSE, BIM, QAQC, Commercial and Project Delivery, ensuring they are aligned and working effectively together.

You will also be a key point of contact for customers and senior stakeholders, building strong relationships and providing confidence that issues are being identified, managed and resolved.

A major part of the role will be taking ownership when challenges arise. Whether an issue sits with project delivery, commercial, programme, HSE, BIM or another function, you will ensure it has the appropriate level of attention and is driven through to resolution.

You will also be responsible for continually reviewing and improving the way the organisation operates, streamlining processes, removing unnecessary complexity and creating consistency across projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic operational oversight across a portfolio of major data centre projects.
• Work closely with Project Directors and project teams to monitor performance, identify risks and provide support where required.
• Act as a senior escalation point for operational and project issues.
• Work directly with customers and key stakeholders, developing strong and trusted relationships.
• Coordinate closely with HSE, BIM, Commercial and other central functions to ensure effective project support.
• Identify issues and bottlenecks across projects and drive solutions through to completion.
• Review existing processes and implement improvements to increase efficiency, consistency and accountability.
• Establish greater consistency in operational standards and processes across the project portfolio.
• Ensure lessons learned and best practice are shared across projects.
• Support project teams in resolving complex delivery challenges.
• Provide senior leadership with clear visibility of project performance, risks and areas requiring intervention.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to support the continued growth and development of the business.
• Help develop the operational infrastructure required to support a rapidly growing organisation.

The Person

We are looking for an experienced Operations Director, Project Director or senior project delivery professional with a strong background in complex construction or engineering environments.

You will have experience operating at a senior level across multiple projects and will be comfortable working strategically while remaining close enough to project delivery to understand what is happening on the ground.

Data centre experience would be highly advantageous, although candidates from other mission-critical or complex capital project environments will be considered.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience in senior project or operational leadership.
• Experience overseeing multiple complex, high-value projects.
• Strong understanding of project delivery, commercial management and operational performance.
• Experience working across functions including HSE, BIM, commercial and project delivery.
• Excellent customer and stakeholder management skills.
• A proven ability to resolve complex issues and bring teams together around solutions.
• Experience implementing and improving processes within a growing organisation.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• The credibility to engage with senior customers and internal stakeholders.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach.

This is not a role for someone who wants to sit removed from project delivery. You will need to be visible, accessible and commercially aware, with the ability to move between strategic discussions in the Dublin office and the detail of a live project when required.

Most importantly, you will be someone who takes ownership. When an issue arises, you will be the person people turn to because you have the experience, judgement and influence to get it resolved.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to join a rapidly growing business at the forefront of the European data centre market.

You will have significant influence over how the organisation operates and the opportunity to shape the processes, structures and standards that will support its continued growth.

For an ambitious operations or project delivery leader, it offers the opportunity to take a genuinely influential role within a business delivering some of Europe\'s largest and most complex data centre projects.

If you are an experienced operational leader who enjoys solving problems, improving the way businesses operate and working directly with customers, this is an opportunity worth exploring.