Project Director

ATS Global; Cyberjaya; On-site; MYR 300,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading automation solutions provider is seeking an experienced Project Director to oversee the Industrial Automation scope of a large Data Centre project in Malaysia. The candidate will manage all aspects of project delivery, ensuring quality and building strong customer relationships. Responsibilities include project lifecycle management, stakeholder coordination, and strategic oversight. Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and at least 15 years of project management experience, including 5 years as a Project Director in large-scale industries.

Qualifications

• Min 15 years of experience in project management, including at least 5 years as Project Director.
• Strong knowledge in automation systems, project management methodologies, and industry best practices.
• Excellent leadership skills to manage geographically dispersed teams of approximately 50 resources.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full Data Centre/BMS project lifecycle from initiation to completion.
• Maintain strong customer relationships and coordinate with multiple stakeholders.
• Provide strategic guidance and hands-on leadership across all project phases.
• Manage scope creep, formal change management processes, and risk mitigation strategies.

Skills

Project Management

Leadership

Automation Systems Knowledge

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

PLC

SCADA

Networking devices

BIM (3D designs)

Job description

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We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Project Director to manage the Industrial Automation scope of a large Data Centre project in Malaysia. The ideal candidate will be responsible for effectively overseeing all aspects of project delivery, with a strong emphasis on managing the triple constraints—scope, schedule, and cost—while maintaining a primary focus on quality and building strong customer relationships. You will provide strategic oversight and ensure seamless execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Management (End-to-End Delivery)
  • Lead the full DC/BMS project lifecycle from initiation to completion
  • Develop and manage comprehensive project plans (scope, schedule, budget, resources)
  • Manage triple constraints: scope, schedule, and cost, with strong emphasis on quality
  • Track schedule progress, cost-to-complete, and delivery milestones
  • Manage project documentation and reporting requirements
• Stakeholder & Customer Management
  • Maintain strong customer relationships and spend significant on-site time with customers in Malaysia
  • Coordinate with internal teams, customers, vendors, manufacturers, and construction partners
  • Facilitate collaboration across geographically dispersed and cross-functional stakeholders
  • Maintain high customer satisfaction through transparency, quality delivery, and responsiveness
• Strategic Management & Project Governance
  • Provide strategic guidance and hands-on leadership across all phases of industrial automation for Data Centre projects
  • Act as the single point of responsibility and the face of the company to the customer
  • Host monthly governance calls with senior management, providing executive-level visibility on KPIs (schedule, cost, resources, risks)
  • Align project execution with organizational and customer objectives
  • Champion continuous improvement and adoption of emerging automation trends
• Team Leadership & People Management
  • Lead, mentor, and inspire a large, diverse team (~50 engineers and managers)
  • Foster a high-performance, innovative, and inclusive culture
  • Drive accountability, performance management, and professional development
  • Provide leadership across multi-country and multicultural teams
• Regional & Site Coordination
  • Regular travel across the Asia-Pacific region to coordinate with teams and partners
  • On-site engagement with customer design teams, construction teams, and commissioning teams
  • Manage multi-location execution complexities in large-scale data centre projects
• Risk Management (Changes & Scopes)
  • Proactively manage scope creep and formal change management processes
  • Identify, assess, and maintain an up-to-date risk register
  • Plan and execute risk mitigation strategies for complex automation solutions
  • Anticipate project risks across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning phases
• Contract & Commercial Management
  • Oversee contract negotiations and vendor agreements
  • Manage procurement activities related to automation and BMS scope
  • Coordinate with vendors, manufacturers, and customer sub-vendors
  • Ensure commercial compliance and alignment with project objectives
• Quality Assurance & Compliance
  • Supervise quality assurance processes specific to data centre automation projects
  • Ensure adherence to industry standards and relevant Malaysian regulations
  • Ensure compliance with reporting, documentation, and audit requirements
  • Maintain high delivery quality across design, construction, and commissioning phases
• Health, Safety & Regulatory Compliance
  • Ensure the highest level of Health & Safety standards, especially in construction and commissioning environments
  • Enforce strict compliance with safety regulations and best practices
  • Promote a strong safety culture across all project teams and partners
• Key Skills Required Include
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Industrial Automation, Project Management or related field
  • Min 15 years experience in project management, with at least 5 years serving as Project Director on large and complex industries such as Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Discrete Manufacturing, Data Centres, or related industries
  • Strong knowledge in automation systems, project management methodologies, and industry best practices
  • Knowledgeable in electrical, mechanical, and HVAC systems in data centre environments
  • Qualified PMP, PRINCE2, SCRUM Master or similar certification preferred
  • Practice leader of PMI/Prince2/ Scrum project management principles
  • Excellent leadership in leading and managing geographically dispersed teams of approximately 50 resources
  • Proved financial acumen and a solid track record of managing substantial project budgets
  • Hands-on knowledge in managing technology projects involving PLCs, SCADA, Networking devices, IoT devices, BIM (3D designs) and cybersecurity
  • Experience with power distribution, cooling systems and fire suppression systems on IT delivery & commissioning experience
  • Experienced on complete project life cycle from sales to engineering transfer, basic design, detailed design, manufacture, testing (FAT), Site Installation, construction, commissioning and closeout/handover to customer
  • Experience in managing large projects in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills to liaise with teams, clients, and vendors
• Further Key Skills
  • Proactive and resourceful problem-solver
  • Strong sense of ownership and accountability
  • Collaborative mindset with ability to work across diverse teams
  • Negotiation and cost-optimization focus
  • Detail-oriented yet able to keep a big-picture perspective