Pre Construction Lead

Your role
As a Pre-Construction Lead, you will play a critical role in the planning and preparation phase of construction projects. You will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing all pre-construction activities, including project analysis, budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation. Your expertise and attention to detail will ensure the successful execution of construction projects by setting the groundwork for a smooth transition from planning to execution.
The role reports into the Director of Pre-Construction and is responsible for day-to-day Pre-Construction activities of the assigned new data centres projects. The main aim of the role is to manage the new data centre project from conception to hand over to the Construction Management team making sure we follow global standards on process, procurement, reporting and design as much as is possible so that we deliver the right product for the defined intended customer mix at the right time whilst optimising the cost of our new data centres.
The Pre-Construction Lead role is a vital role responsible for the definition, and execution of pre-construction projects in EMEA (Gates AG1 – G2), within the approved processes and governance of the business, co-ordinating and communicating with all key stakeholders, to ensure the successful delivery within approved cost, programme and technical design constraints.
To a large extent the purpose of the role is leading a cross country and cross functional team and by adopting global standards in order to make use of the long track record within the global organisation and provide consistency to our global customers. This role will require extensive stakeholder management across many senior roles within the organisation including but not limited to Sales, Portfolio Management Group, Country MD’s, Local Operations, Legal, Engineering and Design & Construction. This role should also establish alignment among other Directors within DE&C. This should lead to consistent, efficient, predictable, timely and high-quality execution of our construction projects.
Responsibilities and Duties
Project Analysis:
Conduct thorough analysis of project requirements, including architectural plans, engineering specifications, and client expectations.
Collaborate with the project team to identify potential challenges, risks, and opportunities during the pre-construction phase.
Evaluate feasibility and constructability of proposed designs, providing input to optimize construction processes.
Budgeting and Cost Estimation:
Develop accurate and comprehensive cost estimates for materials, resource, equipment, and other resources required for the project.
Collaborate with subcontractors, and suppliers to obtain competitive pricing and ensure cost-effectiveness.
Continuously monitor and update project budgets to reflect changes throughout the pre-construction phase.
Scheduling and Planning:
Create and manage project schedules, ensuring all activities are properly sequenced and coordinated.
Identify critical path activities and potential schedule risks, proposing mitigation strategies as needed.
Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to align project timelines and ensure timely delivery of required inputs.
Permitting and Regulatory Compliance:
Work closely with regulatory authorities to obtain necessary permits and approvals for the construction project.
Ensure compliance with building codes, safety regulations, and other relevant legal requirements.
Collaborate with architects, engineers, and consultants to address any design modifications required to meet regulatory standards.
Resource Allocation:
Identify and allocate resources, including labour, equipment, and materials, to meet project requirements.
Collaborate with procurement teams to source and secure necessary resources within project budget and timelines.
Maintain accurate records of resource allocation, tracking utilisation and costs throughout the pre-construction phase.
Team Collaboration and Communication:
Serve as a liaison between the pre-construction team and other project stakeholders, such as PMG, Sales, Design, Procurement as well as architects, engineers, clients, vendors and subcontractors.
Foster effective communication and collaboration among team members to ensure alignment on project objectives, timelines, and deliverables.
Additional Duties and Responsibilities
Take best practice and implement a set of criteria for Change Request approval and oversee adherence and reporting.
Lead the preparation and distribution of RFP’s to GC suppliers and specialist consultants.
Assist with applying a standardised approach to designs as much as possible to enable Digital Realty to reduce costs, improve time-to-market, leverage buying volume and reduce operational cost.
Develop the DFSMA strategy for DE&C
Manage a governance, communication and reporting structure involving senior stakeholders as well as individual country stakeholders to maintain constant synchronisation in order to help efficient and effective project execution
Direct and monitor project budgets, providing regular cost reporting and forecasting against approved project budgets. Monitor and support the creation of initial ROM budgets (Gate 1-1) through to presentation of a BTT1-5 at Gate G1 to the establishment of BTT2-3 and 2-6 to support a Gate G2 approval and forming the baseline for the agreement of a BTT5-3 Final Account.
Ensure a full pre-construction project quality assurance process is introduced and maintained establishing quality standards through bench marking, sampling and regular inspections.
Co-ordinate and liaise with potential and existing customers where applicable and manage both their needs and expectations.
Provide timely and accurate project reporting to sector leads (Design, Construction & Procurement)
Co-ordinate the interface between customer requirements and base build scope
Develop procurement strategies for each project in conjunction with Project Controls Team
Co-ordinate the development and approval of the Project Execution Plan for the project(s)
Develop and maintain detailed risk and opportunity management procedures and exercises
Assist in negotiating contracts with consultants and General Contractors as necessary.
Responsible for delivery and handover of Project(s) to Construction Management in accordance with Series 2 of the Gating Governance
Lead and chair Partner performance reviews setting KPI’s and cadence for reviews
Develop performance KPI’s across the DE&C portfolio Co-ordinate and maintain design & construction standards, in line with business demands, practices and standard to ensure the most cost effective and technically innovative facilities.
Participate lessons learned exercises ensuring they are shared and implemented across the region in compliance with gating governance Series 6
Manage multiple projects simultaneously as required and prioritise the demands of these projects.
What you’ll need
Essential:
10-15 years’ experience working construction project management, preferably in data centres.
Strong background in Project Management methodologies
Experience in managing a multi country project structure
Experience in 3+ Experience in Continuous Process Improvement and defining and managing associated metrics and KPIs
Experience in data centres or a similar mission critical environment is considered a significant advantage though not essential this will be a key consideration should multiple candidates be assessed for suitability.
Good understanding of the role of Pre-Construction
Reasonable understanding of Contract Models
Experience of working in a European multi-cultural environment
Competencies:
Proven experience in pre-construction or construction project management.
Strong knowledge of construction processes, techniques, and best practices.
Proficient in project management software and tools for scheduling, budgeting, and cost estimation.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess project feasibility and constructability.
Solid understanding of building codes, regulations, and permit processes.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
Strong background in Project Management methodologies
Experience in managing a multi country project structure.
Experience in Continuous Process Improvement and defining and managing associated metrics and KPI’s
Experience in data centres or a similar mission critical environment is considered a significant advantage though not essential this will be a key consideration should multiple candidates be assessed for suitability This Position Summary has been created to be used as a guideline for the position and it is not intended to be a complete description of the duties, responsibilities or qualifications required of this position. Other duties, responsibilities and qualifications may be required of this position. Job Description 3
Continuous improvement mindset
High levels of attention to detail and ability to join the dots in ambiguous environments
Well-organized with ability to prioritize and work towards tight deadlines and corporate objectives
Self-motivated, goal oriented and an excellent team-player
Work collaboratively with Global, EMEA and country management and other departments
Have a responsibility for development projects (Pre-Construction) in any one of the EMEA countries including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, France Italy, Greece, Croatia, UK, Ireland, Israel and Africa (currently Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana and Nigeria) and possibly other countries as the company develops its business
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree (Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management or similar) and project management experience of technically complex projects required.
Equivalent work experience may be considered with demonstrated core competencies in a similar role with experience
Skills:
Problem-solving skills
Project management skills
People Management and influencing skills
Analytical
Stress-resilient
Communication skills, sensitive to cultural differences
Pro-active
Customer focus
Flexible & mobile
Attention to detail
All round team player
Languages:
English needs to be excellent, both oral and written
Another European language much preferred
A bit about us
Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL, the company's global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 50+ metros across 25+ countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What we can offer you
Our rapidly evolving business sector offers the opportunity to be part of a courageous and passionate team who work together to understand and meet the changing needs of our global customers. Join us and you’ll be part of a supportive and inclusive environment where you can bring your whole self to work. As part of our team, you’ll get to work with people from different business areas, challenge the way we do things and put your ideas into action. We’ll also give you plenty of development opportunities so you can build a rewarding and successful career with us. This is an exciting time to join our business so apply now and make your mark on our future.
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