This position is based in Damascus, Syria as Full time.
Position Objective:
The Data Centre Program Manager is accountable for end-to-end delivery of the data centre program from land identification and acquisition support through permitting, design, construction, commissioning, readiness, go-live, and steady-state operations. This role ensures the facility and all supporting subsystems are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, compliant with regulations, and ready for resilient 24/7 service.
The role leads cross-functional planning and execution across real estate, legal, design, construction, utilities, IT, security, operations, HSE, procurement, and finance.
It also drives risk management, contractor performance, change control, operational acceptance, and continuous improvement across electrical, mechanical, cooling, fire detection/suppression, network, security, BMS/DCIM, and building infrastructure domains
Job Description & Responsibilities:
- Lead the full data center program lifecycle, starting with land due diligence, acquisition support, zoning review, utility availability assessment, environmental constraints, access/logistics analysis, and development feasibility evaluation.
- Define the integrated master program covering business case, schedule, budget, procurement plan, contracting strategy, risk register, and governance structure from pre-development through operations.
- Manage design development across all critical subsystems, including HV/MV/LV electrical distribution, transformers, generators, UPS, battery systems, grounding, precision cooling, chilled water or DX systems, fire alarm, fire suppression, ELV, structured cabling, access control, CCTV, BMS, EPMS, and DCIM platforms.
- Coordinate utility providers, authorities, and permitting bodies to secure land approvals, building permits, environmental clearances, power interconnection, water access, telecom connectivity, and occupancy approvals.
- Oversee RFP/RFQ packaging, scope definition, bid evaluation, contract award, and commercial alignment for consultants, EPC contractors, specialist vendors, OEMs, and facility management providers.
- Monitor contractor and vendor performance against safety, quality, schedule, cost, and technical compliance requirements, and elevate underperformance through formal governance channels.
- Establish and control program baselines for cost, schedule, and scope, including change request review, variation assessment, contingency usage, invoice validation, and executive reporting.
- Lead site mobilisation and construction coordination covering civil works, structural works, white space build-out, MEP installation, fuel systems, security systems, ICT pathways, and integration of all owner-furnished and contractor-furnished equipment.
- Ensure testing and commissioning plans are developed and executed for all systems, including FAT, SAT, pre-functional checks, integrated systems testing, failover scenarios, black-building testing, and operational acceptance sign-off.
- Drive readiness for operations by confirming spare parts strategy, asset registers, CMMS/DCIM data population, SOP/MOP/EOP documentation, training, warranties, service contracts, and maintenance regimes.
- Manage transition to live operations, including incident escalation paths, service availability targets, cluster-wide maintenance coordination, operational risk controls, and post-occupancy stabilisation.
- Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders across operations, finance, procurement, safety, security, legal, engineering, and leadership teams, while maintaining effective communication with regulators, utility companies, landlords, and external partners.
- Identify design and execution improvement opportunities using lessons learned, operational data, and reliability findings to enhance future phases and reduce lifecycle risk.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or a related discipline is required. A master’s degree in engineering, construction, or business is preferred.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in large-scale mission-critical facilities, industrial infrastructure, or data centre programs, with at least 5 years in a lead program or project management role across multi-contractor environments.
- Proven experience delivering at least one full lifecycle data centre, critical facility, or equivalent mission-critical infrastructure program from site selection or pre-development through commissioning and operational handover.
- Strong knowledge of data centre critical infrastructure, including electrical systems, cooling systems, fire/life safety, BMS/EPMS/DCIM, security systems, structured cabling, and facility maintenance planning.
- Demonstrated experience in contract strategy, vendor management, contractor supervision, RFI/RFP processes, SOW development, change control, and commercial administration.
- Strong working knowledge of permitting, utility coordination, authority interfaces, HSE requirements, QA/QC controls, commissioning methodology, and operational readiness planning.
- Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage ambiguity, enforce governance, and communicate effectively with executives, technical specialists, contractors, and public authorities. Current role definitions emphasise this cross-functional coordination and stakeholder leadership as a core requirement.
- Practical proficiency in project controls, including master scheduling, cost tracking, risk management, reporting dashboards, document control, and issue escalation.
- Professional certifications such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, CDCP, CDCS, or Uptime-related credentials are preferred. Mechanical or electrical licensing is an advantage for roles with strong facility engineering depth.
- Experience in Tier III environments, hyperscale or colocation facilities, and live-site expansion or brownfield upgrades is highly preferred.
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