Project Director - Data Centre

At Cumming Group, you will work on some of the world's most innovative and technically complex projects across the Hi-Tech sector, in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where your success is measured by the impact you make.

As a Project Director, you will provide senior-level consultancy, project leadership, and strategic oversight across multiple large-scale, high-value projects, from early feasibility and design coordination through to commissioning and operational readiness.

You will be responsible for ensuring delivery excellence, driving commercial performance, and developing strong, trusted relationships with major clients in the advanced technology, semiconductor, data centre, life sciences, and industrial manufacturing markets.

You will lead multi-disciplinary teams and act as a strategic partner to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that all projects are delivered to the highest standards of quality, safety, and performance.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for large, complex projects or programmes, ensuring successful delivery from inception through completion.
• Oversee the implementation and governance of the full range of Project Management processes within the Hi-Tech sector.
• Take full responsibility for client engagement, acting as a trusted advisor and ensuring long-term, strategic relationships.
• Manage commercial performance, including fee management, resource planning, procurement strategies, and financial reporting.
• Provide oversight on design coordination, technical interface management, commissioning readiness, and operational transitions typical of advanced manufacturing and technology projects.
• Facilitate risk, value, and opportunity management workshops; oversee the development and maintenance of project risk registers.
• Lead contract administration activities, including negotiation, change control, progress reporting, and chairing high-level project meetings.
• Ensure that project outputs are delivered to the highest standard of quality, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Oversee compliance with all internal procedures, particularly Health & Safety, Quality Assurance, and information security.
• Ensure adherence to clients' governance frameworks, approval pathways, and stage-gate requirements.
• Support business development activities, including proposal writing, bid strategy, presentations, and securing repeat work.
• Champion knowledge capture, innovation, and the application of leading practices in project delivery.
• Mentor and support the development of junior staff and project team members.
• Drive a culture of excellence, ethical practice, and collaboration across all assigned projects.
• Represent Cumming Group at senior stakeholder meetings, industry events, and client forums.

Knowledge & Skills Required

The ability to

• Deliver exceptional results in a senior, client-facing role, taking ownership of client satisfaction and strategic project outcomes.
• Provide confident, solutions-focused advice to clients and know when to escalate high-risk or high-impact issues.
• Navigate large-scale, complex, and highly technical project environments with resilience and strategic judgement.
• Coordinate and influence a wide range of stakeholders including design teams, technical specialists, contractors, and client leadership.
• Demonstrate integrity, sound ethical judgement, and leadership aligned with Cumming Group's values.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to project teams.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability within rapidly changing priorities common to the Hi-Tech sector.
• Facilitate consensus among diverse stakeholders and manage high-pressure technical discussions.
• Lead, motivate, and manage multidisciplinary teams, including supply chain partners, to achieve client and project objectives.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Degree qualified (industry or non-industry).
• Chartered status or working toward MAPM / MRICS / equivalent professional qualification.
• Advanced Project Management credentials (e. g., PRINCE2 Practitioner, MSP, Certified Project Manager, Risk Management).
• Extensive experience (8+ years) delivering complex capital projects, ideally within Hi-Tech, semiconductor, biotech, data centre, or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Deep knowledge of construction and engineering processes within controlled, high-precision, or fast-cycle project environments.
• Strong understanding of industry-standard forms of contract, including NEC and JCT.
• Demonstrated success leading multiple projects or programmes across the full project lifecycle.
• Strong understanding of HS&E legislation; formal training desirable.
• Excellent written and oral communication, with strong presentation and negotiation skills.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong relationships at all organisational levels.
• Demonstrated commercial awareness and ability to manage project financials.