The Construction Director will lead the delivery and execution of large-scale data centre capital projects across the UK and EMEA region. The role is responsible for ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest technical and quality standards.

This role requires a proven leader with:

• Strong operational process experience. (Probably with Tier 1 experience)

• Robustness of operational excellence (ie knowing what the right thing is to do and when to do it to mitigate risk, avoid disputes, maximise margin and keep clients happy)

• Exceptional client relationship management

• Endearing Personality

Extensive mission-critical construction experience is not a must but they specialise in both Retro Fit (upgrades, life cycle replacement and expansion and smaller Co-Lo New Build schemes. The wider business can expose the design and construction teams to Hyper Scale schemes in the future if the margin and risk profile are right but not to build.

Key Responsibilities
Project & Construction Leadership

• Lead end-to-end delivery of mission-critical construction projects from pre-construction through commissioning, client handover, and operational readiness.

• Oversee greenfield, brownfield, expansion, retrofit, and live operational data centre projects.

• Provide leadership across construction management, project controls, scheduling, quality assurance, and delivery execution.

• Ensure consistent delivery excellence across multiple concurrent projects and regional programs.

Technical & Operational Delivery

• Whilst you wouldn’t be expected to write every tender program and CIP, your PMs will and whilst they are supported by a planning function, ownership of the program sits with the Operational function so the ability to interrogate your PMs programs across the board is critical. It cant just be the ‘planners job’

• Provide senior leadership on Structural and Architectural installation activities.

• Provide senior leadership on MEP systems, critical power infrastructure, cooling systems, BMS, resilience, and commissioning activities.

• Ensure projects meet operational uptime, reliability, and resilience requirements expected within mission-critical environments.

• Collaborate closely with design, engineering, commissioning, and operations teams to ensure seamless project execution.

• Develop, monitor and report on design, procurement and build programs, including mitigation measures implementation and protection of time relating to the Contract.

• Drive continuous improvement in construction methodologies, safety standards, and delivery performance.

Health, Safety & Quality

• Champion a zero-harm safety culture across all project sites and delivery teams.

• Ensure full compliance with HSE legislation, CDM regulations, company standards, and client requirements.

• Lead quality assurance and quality control initiatives to maintain best-in-class delivery standards.

• Promote proactive risk identification and mitigation across all phases of delivery.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as senior construction lead for strategic client relationships and executive stakeholder engagement.

• Work collaboratively with clients, consultants, contractors, supply chain partners, and internal teams.

• Support business development efforts, strategic pursuits, and market growth initiatives across EMEA.

• Represent Salute within the mission-critical and data centre construction sector.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor construction managers, project directors, site leadership teams, consultants, and subcontractors.

• Drive Pre-Construction, Design Team and Technical Compliance partners to ensure deliverables are achieved.

• Ensure close liaison with Commercial Director to ensure Consultant, Supply Chain and Supplier Orders are processed to meet critical program time scales to the highest standard.

• Build high-performing project teams focused on collaboration, accountability, and delivery excellence.

• Support recruitment, capability development, and succession planning within the construction function.

Required Experience

• Minimum 15 years’ experience in construction leadership roles within data centres, mission-critical infrastructure, or challenging MEP-led projects.

• Proven track record delivering multiple challenging, highly services buildings in a design and build environment with in house design teams is important.

• Strong technical understanding of UPS systems, generators, cooling infrastructure, BMS, commissioning, and operational resilience.

• Experience managing large, complex, multi-site capital programs across EMEA.

• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary construction and project delivery teams.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified in Construction Management, Engineering, or related discipline ideal but not a necessity.

• Chartered status preferred (MCIOB, CEng, or equivalent).

• SMSTS and strong CDM/HSE knowledge required.

Key Competencies

• Construction and program leadership

• Technical expertise in mission-critical infrastructure is ideal but highly serviced buildings. MEP knowledge is key.

• Safety leadership and operational excellence

• Strategic stakeholder management

• Decision making and problem solving

• Communication and influencing skills

• Team leadership and people development

• Client-focused delivery mindset