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Senior Project Manager – Data Centre (Greenfield & Brownfield)
Location: Indiana, USA
Sector: Hyperscale Data Centre Construction & Expansion
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports To: Program Director / Construction Director
Job Purpose
The Senior Project Manager will lead large-scale greenfield and brownfield data centre projects, providing complete lifecycle project management across construction, installation, commissioning, and handover for tier-one clients, including AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Meta. This individual will oversee major M&E infrastructure—including an estate comprising approximately 600 chillers—while ensuring rigorous QA/QC standards, seamless coordination with commissioning teams, and the integration of critical IT fibre networks.
This role is pivotal in delivering highly complex, technically demanding programs safely, efficiently, and in accordance with exacting global data centre standards. This role requires exceptional leadership, deep technical expertise across MEP systems, commissioning processes, IT infrastructure integration, and civil/structural works.
Key Responsibilities
Project Leadership & Delivery
- Lead end-to-end delivery of large-scale data centre projects across greenfield builds and brownfield expansions from groundbreaking through commissioning and final handover.
- Direct and mentor multidisciplinary project teams, including site management, engineering leads, QA/QC Managers and contractor supervision staff.
- Champion a collaborative leadership approach that builds high-performing teams and drives accountability across all project phases.
- Manage project scope, schedule, budgets exceeding $200M, risk, and change control processes with complete ownership.
- Provide executive-level reporting to clients and senior leadership with accurate forecasting, critical path analysis and proactive issue resolution, ensuring adherence to project milestones.
- Chair weekly progress meetings, design coordination sessions, and commissioning readiness reviews.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary internal teams and external contractors, ensuring alignment with client requirements and global standards.
M&E / MEP Oversight
- Provide senior oversight of major mechanical and electrical systems installation, including large-scale chiller plants (600+ units), CRAC/CRAH systems, UPS, LV/HV distribution, generators, BMS/controls, and HVAC systems.
- Ensure technical compliance of all M&E installations, proactively identifying design or installation issues and driving resolution.
- Ensure technical compliance and constructability of MEP designs, identifying clashes, coordination issues, and value engineering opportunities.
- Liaise closely with engineering, commissioning, and OEM partners to guarantee system integrity, performance and reliability.
- Lead coordination between mechanical, electrical, and controls contractors to ensure seamless system integration.
QA / QC & Compliance
- Establish and lead the QA/QC strategy for M&E, civil, structural, architectural, and IT infrastructure packages.
- Develop, implement, and maintain rigorous quality control procedures, hold points, inspection protocols and test plans (ITPs).
- Review and approve technical submittals, shop drawings, method statements, installation procedures and FAT/SAT documentation, and O&M materials.
- Ensure work complies with client standards, local/state regulations, and industry best practices.
- Conduct quality audits, site inspections, and contractor performance evaluations.
- Ensure full compliance with hyperscale client standards, local/state building codes, NFPA, NEC, ASHRAE, and industry best practices.
- Manage Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs), corrective actions, and lessons learned processes.
Commissioning & Handover
- Drive commissioning readiness and work with commissioning teams to align construction milestones with commissioning readiness and functional performance testing requirements.
- Work in close partnership with commissioning teams (Cx agents, OEM technicians, client operations) to sequence testing activities and system turnover.
- Ensure rigorous pre-functional and functional testing is executed, validated, and documented in accordance with project requirements and approved commissioning plans.
- Oversee integrated system testing (IST) to ensure defects are tracked and closed before practical completion and to validate end-to-end system performance before energization.
- Oversee Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) for critical equipment.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs) for all MEP systems.
- Track and close punch list items, deficiencies, and commissioning observations to achieve final acceptance.
- Ensure complete turnover of O&M manuals, as-built documentation, training materials, and asset registers.
- Manage the final handover process, ensuring complete and accurate documentation to operations teams.
IT & Fibre Network Coordination
- Collaborate and coordinate with IT network teams to integrate structured cabling, fiber distribution systems, Meet-me rooms (MMRs), main distribution areas (MDAs), and equipment distribution areas (EDAs) along with connectivity infrastructure throughout the facility.
- Ensure the proper coordination of fiber pathways, containment, and M&E interfaces supporting critical IT systems to avoid conflicts and maintain performance.
- Manage network installation sequencing to support network handover, revenue service dates and client activation milestones.
- Oversee testing and certification of fiber links, cable pulls, and termination quality.
Civil & Structural Works Management
- Oversee civil and structural construction activities, including site preparation, deep foundations, building envelope and concrete slab-on-grade construction and structural steel erection.
- -Coordinate civil and structural contractors with MEP trades to ensure proper sequencing, embedment coordination, and load-bearing considerations
- Monitor structural inspections, concrete testing, rebar placement, and welding certifications.
- Ensure compliance with structural engineering drawings, geotechnical recommendations, and seismic design requirements.
- Manage utility tie-ins, site drainage, retention systems, and roadway/hardscape construction.
Health, Safety & Environmental
- Champion a strong zero-harm safety culture across all project phases and construction activities.
- Ensure contractors operate under robust HSE standards and comply with all OSHA requirements, as well as corporate and regulatory safety standards.
- Carry out site audits, risk assessments, safety walkdowns and hazard identification exercises.
- Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action implementation.
- Monitor environmental compliance, including stormwater management, waste disposal, and air quality.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- 12+ years of project management experience within mission-critical environments (data centres, hyperscale, advanced manufacturing, hospitals, or large industrial MEP projects).
- Proven leadership of large, complex construction teams with demonstrated ability to mentor staff, resolve conflicts, and drive performance.
- Extensive QA/QC management expertise across large-scale M&E plant, ideally including chiller farms, HVAC, power systems, and associated controls, with proven inspection and test plan development.
- Deep technical knowledge of MEP systems, including large-scale chiller plants, electrical distribution, UPS systems, HVAC, controls, and fire protection.
- Extensive experience and strong understanding of commissioning processes, methodologies, and documentation requirements, including pre-functional testing, functional performance testing, IST, and handover processes.
- Strong civil and structural construction background, including foundations, concrete work, structural steel, and building envelope systems.
- Experience managing contractors and vendors on high-value, multi-phase construction programs.
- Fiber optic and IT infrastructure coordination experience including fiber networks, structured cabling, pathways, and network integration.
- Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and reporting skills.
- Proven track record delivering $200M+ capital projects from mobilization through commissioning and turnover.
- Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and client relationship skills.
- Proficiency with project controls software (Primavera P6, MS Project), BIM/coordination tools, and document management systems.
Preferred
- Data centre delivery experience for hyperscale clients (AWS, Google, Microsoft, Meta, etc or similar tier one clients).
- Professional certifications such as PMP, CCM, LEED AP, Cx Agent or equivalent professional credentials.
- Experience working within US construction environments and navigating local permitting and inspection processes.
- Exposure to both greenfield and live operational brownfield campus expansions and compressed delivery schedules.
- Knowledge of **liquid cooling systems, AI compute infrastructure, and next-generation data centre technologies.
Leadership Competencies
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving under pressure
- Ability to build and sustain high-trust relationships with clients, contractors, and internal teams
- Results-driven with strong accountability and follow-through
- Conflict resolution and negotiation skills
- Adaptability in fast-paced, dynamic construction environments
Qualifications
- Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Building Services Engineering, Construction Management, or related technical discipline.
- Equivalent experience is considered for candidates with strong MEP/commissioning backgrounds.
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive base salary, performance-based bonus scheme, relocation assistance (if applicable), comprehensive healthcare coverage, 401(k) with company match, professional development opportunities and full corporate benefits package.
Mark Evans