Fancy being the technical voice clients turn to before they commit to a data centre design?
Our client is a consultancy that advises investors, developers, operators and enterprise clients on major data centre developments, and they are hiring an Associate Director to lead that advice. You would work across the full development lifecycle, from site selection and feasibility through design, procurement and construction to commissioning strategy, on a varied international portfolio.
The appeal is where you sit in the process. Rather than delivering one part of one project, you would be advising on decisions about design, resilience, procurement, phasing and delivery strategy while they are still open, which is where the money and the risk actually get decided.
What the role involves
Advising clients on data centre design and programme delivery
Leading and supporting technical due diligence and feasibility assessments
Providing design oversight and technical reviews
Advising on procurement and construction strategy
Acting as subject matter expert across MEP systems, critical infrastructure, layouts, resilience, phasing and buildability
Working alongside designers, engineers, project managers and senior client stakeholders
Producing technical reports, risk assessments, design reviews and client recommendations
Supporting construction oversight and commissioning strategy
Keeping clients current on emerging technologies, market developments and industry standards
Representing the consultancy in client meetings, workshops and industry discussions
What you need
A career built in data centre design, construction or project delivery, typically over five to ten years, gained with an operator, engineering consultancy, main contractor or specialist contractor
Strong knowledge of critical data centre systems, including mechanical, electrical and cooling infrastructure
A solid grasp of data centre design and construction best practice
Experience across complex design or delivery programmes
The confidence to hold your own with senior clients and technical stakeholders
The ability to turn a complex engineering problem into a clear commercial recommendation
Strong communication and presentation skills
Comfort running several projects and stakeholder groups at once
A degree in engineering or a related discipline
Chartered status is welcome but not essential.
Why this one is worth a look
The variety is the point. You would move across different projects, clients and stages of the development lifecycle rather than being tied to a single programme, and you would see how different investors, developers and operators approach data centre development, which is a perspective very few engineers get.
It is also a growing, entrepreneurial environment, so there is room to shape the wider technical advisory offering alongside the client work, and the hybrid arrangement is built around delivery rather than attendance.
