Senior Construction Manager - Data Centres (FIFO/DIDO)

Turnertownsend; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is recruiting a Senior Project/Construction Manager for a major data centre project in Invercargill, NZ. The role is FIFO/DIDO with flexibility for the right candidate, embedded within the client's team to ensure delivery to time, quality and cost.

You will challenge contractor performance, maintain critical paths, and provide rigorous programme recovery and reporting. A GC background and data centre experience are essential.

Qualifications

• 15 to 20 years' total experience in project and construction management.
• 8+ years delivering data centre projects specifically.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Construction Management, Civil/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related field; postgraduate PM qualification (e.g., Master's or PMP) highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Act as client’s primary on-site representative and oversee programme delivery.
• Lead site visits, roundtables, and key stakeholder meetings to drive accountability.
• Identify risks early and pursue acceleration to protect the critical path.
• Deliver bi-weekly site reporting and milestone updates to the client.

Skills

Project management

Construction management

Risk management

Stakeholder mgmt

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Job description

Due to the continued growth of our Data Centre business across Australia & New Zealand, we are currently recruiting for an experienced Senior Project/Construction Manager to join our team on a major data centre project in Invercargill, South Island New Zealand. This is a FIFO/DIDO role, offering flexibility of location for the right candidate while placing you at the heart of a complex, high-value delivery.

As Turner & Townsend's senior representative embedded within the client's team, you will act as the client's primary point of oversight on the ground, sitting above the developer and contractor to ensure the programme is delivered to the standard, timeline and quality the client demands. You will lead weekly and bi-weekly site visits, chair Developer roundtables, and hold the developer and their contractor accountable to their commitments on the client's behalf. This is not a coordination role - it demands the experience and confidence to challenge developer and contractor performance, identify risk before it reaches the client, and pursue acceleration where the programme demands it. You will protect the critical path with rigour, surface blockers and friction points early, and confirm inspection readiness across all scopes, ensuring the client is never exposed by gaps in developer or contractor delivery. Your reporting outputs - bi-weekly site visit reports, roundtable minutes and action logs, an acceleration and recovery opportunity log, and milestone and critical path status updates - will form the evidentiary record that keeps the client informed, protected and in control at every stage of construction.

This role is offered on a FIFO/DIDO basis. We are open to candidates based across New Zealand who can commit to the required site presence.

• 15 to 20 years' total experience in project and construction management
• 8+ years delivering data centre projects specifically
• General contractor background strongly preferred, or equivalent direct site experience in a senior delivery role
• Thorough understanding of the full project lifecycle from mobilisation through to construction completion
• Proven ability to manage GC, EC and MC interfaces and drive accountability across contractor and developer teams
• Strong critical path management skills and experience in programme recovery
• Ability to thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline; a postgraduate qualification in Project Management (such as a Master's or PMP/AIPM certification) is highly regarded

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