About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is the UK’s fastest growing data centre provider which owns, designs, builds and operates the country’s most efficient and flexible data centres.

In May 2023 we announced our plans to expand into continental Europe, with our first data centre due to open in Berlin in 2026, to be quickly followed by two full campuses and expansion into other countries in the pipeline.

Our purpose is to serve humanity by being an active, positive participant in the 4th industrial revolution. When we talk about our purpose, we refer to our customers’ customers; the child playing a computer game, the person watching their favourite movie, booking a medical appointment, a plane ticket, a hotel or doing their online banking; those things can’t be done if we don’t do our job.

Our mission is to consistently exceed the expectations of customers through innovative, high-quality solutions and services. We employ intelligent thinkers – people with positive attitudes, who add to the quality of our customer proposition and business.

We value individual endeavour and initiative and encourage teamwork and togetherness because collective experience and expertise is VIRTUS’ greatest strength.

Competencies

• Act in capacity of Employer’s Representative and be responsible for the end to end construction delivery of Berlin and possibly Frankfurt projects, consisting of the following primary phases:
• Manage and direct design team progress and milestones
• Manage Permitting and BImSchG application process with external design team.
• Interface with AHJs and authorities as VIRTUS representative,
• Pre-construction milestone management,
• Procurement and contract strategies applicable to the German market,
• Site preparation and enabling work,
• Shell & core construction,
• MEP fit out and Commissioning scope of work ,
• Handover process to VIRTUS Operations team.

• In cooperation with the SVP of Design and Construction this position aligns metro delivery strategies to local team objectives, business processes, vendor management strategies, and cross-group collaboration efforts.
• The successful candidate will be a tireless advocate for managing a safe worksite and supporting the implementation of the high risk activity planning with our Contractor and supply chain groups to deliver collaboration methods to improve safe working and co-ordination of our construction sites.
• The role is a people manager role and will require day to day management and direction of the internal Virtus design team members as well as managing the timely progress and deliverables of external Architect & Engineering teams (AE) who will be responsible for delivering detailed designs to suit the agreed contract approach.
• The role will need to demonstrate an excellent understanding of system design both at concept level and working system design level to meet business deliverables as well as understanding AE led detailed design approaches and how and why systems are designed the way they are.
• There will be a need to have demonstrable experience to hold AEs to account for deliverables to Virtus and where necessary challenge design direction to ensure Virtus always has optimised designs for its data centre delivery programme.
• Apply influence, strategies and negotiation skills to identify options and recommend solutions for design and construction strategies.
• This position will be responsible for coordinating and reviewing vendor performance relative to cash flow and budget summaries with the project controls team, clarifying those reports in presentations to the delivery and executive chain on a cadence set by SVP of Design and Construction.
• Other responsibilities include oversight and collaboration with the SVP of Design and Construction to generate CAPEX forecasting and requests as well as advising on, Professional Consultancy requests, Change Orders, Pay Applications, etc.
• Apply ‘growth-mindset’ philosophy to the day to day tasks and ensure that any deficiencies identified within current processes/frameworks are addressed and improvements implemented.
• Be strategically focused, collaborate and identify opportunities and execution strategies to improve Time To Market.
• Identification and documentation of sub-regional safety, working hour, regulatory or compliance issues that may impact the execution of the above, and ensuring this is factored into our planning.

Responsibilities and Duties

Business Process:

• Create and/or maintain best practices to identify and incorporate cost-effective solutions in line with specification requirements and report on KPIs for the same.
• Manage the selection, contracting, and integration of multiple vendors and internal partners.
• Facilitate decision-making to drive solutions, schedules, and manage change as required.
• Apply influence, strategies and negotiation skills to identify options and recommend solutions.

Communication:

• Regularly review cost and KPI metrics, invoices, process/policy communications.
• Provide project single point of contact for project development and delivery in an End to End project management role.
• Coordinate meetings and activities of vendors, cost managers, and integration of lessons learned.
• Attend scheduled project meetings, and report as necessary.
• Deliver Project Progress status reports covering scope, schedule and budget as required to deliver schedule expectations including schedule health and metrics on a regular cadence for both internal and external customer updates if required.
• Challenge and remove barriers by working with others around a shared need or customer benefit.
• Ability to maintain a broader perspective, identify and evaluate opportunities to enhance the business through cross-group collaboration.
• Incorporate diverse perspectives to thoroughly address complex business issues.

Design

• Manage internal design team input and external AE teams to deliver our data centre designs from inception to tender, build, commissioning and handover to operations.
• Develop and drive Site Due Diligence (SDD) scopes for new site acquisition opportunities, recommending and engaging external AEs for SDD work including Geo-tech and environmental consultants as required to prove out the viability or risks of new site and GEO opportunities.
• Assist the SVP of Design and Construction in developing and then delivering campus/building utility power delivery strategies to deliver “Power On” milestones to the construction teams as required to maintain schedule.
• Manage internal and AE design reviews and be able to direct and manage AEs to incorporate any Owner Furnished Contractor Installed (OFCI) equipment in their designs.
• Contribute to the construction phase by providing SME and AE input as required to assist with GC working drawing approvals, RFIs & tech subs, commissioning plan development.
• Own and manage the production of AE As installed Information.
• Drive the SME and AE teams to produce site snagging (punch list) schedules and input to the handover process in line with Virtus requirements known as Chapter12.
• Peer review AE designs to ensure employers requirement are met and designs are functionally deliverable to meet Virtus and customer requirements.
• Ability to be customer facing as required with the ability to discuss designs in detail with customers to meet their requirements.
• Take ownership and develop, modify, review VIRTUS engineering principles.
• Set up and manage design milestone reviews with the SVP Design and Construction and internal stakeholders to gain alignment to design direction ahead of release for tender, GC engagement and execution.
• Support the SVP Design and Construction in identifying opportunities to improve site infrastructure design and reduce our power usage effectiveness.

• Support and develop the design engineering team and operation staff to increase their understanding and awareness of all our designed systems.
• Increase knowledge and quality of Data Centre design team output by involvement with manufacturers product development, construction progress and lessons learned feedback, commissioning feedback and in service operational feedback.

Vendor Management:

• Provide Vendor oversight and performance management to deliver assigned projects.
• Preparation of Request for Proposal (RFP’s).
• Review and approval of vendor scope of work and design review of site and building plans.
• Validate vendor pay-application and invoice review with cost management/project controls team.
• Manage compliance with audit results and recommendations.

Day to Day:

• Health and Safety leadership of the works across all Data Centre projects assigned.
• Day to day management of internal team workload and ability to manage and balance resources needed to meet the workloads present.
• Develop early Cx regimes and deliverables to meet the L1-L5 Commissioning approach including external vendor input and integrate DCOPs/FM teams into the process.
• Responsible for delivering early access regimes to customers and managing the construction handover process to DCOPs in line with company policy and processes, including defect close out management.
• Responsible for Preparation, submission and tracking of all necessary project spend in line with approved business case capex and run change control on a weekly triage and then change control approval basis in line with project contingency.
• Provide Project Management support on any additional works and other sites where necessary

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or Equivalent in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Construction Project Management, or Construction Management – any acceptable.

Skills and Experience

• 10 years’ minimum experience in data centre project design and construction with hyperscale data centre operators, lease providers or allied sectors such as Petro-Chem/Pharma/Process control – any heavy process sector experience valid.
• Design and Build contract strategy experience.
• Client or Contractor side Data centre design, construction management experience.
• Self-starter with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
• The role is a hybrid working approach based on Virtus working principles, meaning the expectation is the role will be a blend of remote working and in person meetings at Virtus office and Data centre locations as required to manage internal and external stakeholders in order to meet project design and construction milestones.
• The successful candidate will be expected to work within a diverse and inclusive team environment delivering large scale enterprise projects with both localised and virtual team structures and be able to judge the most efficient method of working for the particular task or aspect of the role that is being conducted.

Remuneration and Benefits

• Competitive package and benefits commensurate with the role

In line with VIRTUS’ Vetting Policy, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.

VIRTUS is an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.