Project Controls Manager – Data Centre Projects

Job description / Role

We are seeking an experienced Project Controls Manager to oversee the complete lifecycle of large-scale Data Centre developments. This is a newly established strategic role within the leadership structure, designed to ensure strong governance, planning, commercial alignment, and technical oversight across complex mission-critical projects.

The ideal candidate will bring both deep project controls expertise and the capability to interface directly with senior executives, providing rapid, accurate insights for decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full end-to-end project controls for data centre projects (inception to handover).
• Manage planning, scheduling, progress monitoring, forecasting, and performance reporting.
• Support business planning, commercial evaluations, and proposal reviews.
• Oversee quantity surveying functions, cost control, and risk management.
• Develop and maintain cost intelligence and benchmarking models (e.g., cost/MW across regions).
• Conduct due diligence for new markets and territory expansion.
• Monitor procurement activities, long-lead items, and vendor delivery risks.
• Ensure governance, compliance, and execution alignment across all project phases.
• Provide executive-level reporting and strategic insights to senior leadership.

Candidate Requirements

• 8–15 years of experience in Project Controls, Planning Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Program Management, or related roles.
• Mandatory experience in Data Centre projects with full lifecycle exposure.
• Strong understanding of commercial governance, CAPEX, risk mitigation, and proposal evaluation.
• Proven ability to communicate and operate effectively with senior executives (CEO/MD/VP level).
• Background from PMC firms, engineering & MEP companies, data-centre developers, or mission-critical service providers.
• Strong analytical capability with expertise in planning tools and cost-management systems.
• Able to act as a trusted technical advisor, delivering fast and accurate decision support.

Key Competencies

• Project Controls Management
• Planning & Scheduling
• Quantity Surveying
• Cost Control & Benchmarking
• Risk Management
• Commercial & Financial Acumen
• Procurement Oversight
• Executive Stakeholder Management
• Data Centre Project Experience
• End-to-End Project Lifecycle Oversight

About the Company

Connecting Minds HR Services FZE is an Executive Recruitment agency that focuses on providing the right fit and tailored approach to help our clients to obtain the right match.

Our Jobs influence our life ! A business is only as good as the people within it. We invest in time, we talk to our clients to understand the business needs, motivation and the goals.

We provide world class services such as Executive Search and Selection through our office located in the UAE. We take pride to get the right fit as we personally interview each candidate for the role. This provides a touch of personalized service that goes an extended way with both the candidate and company. It also gives us the sense of the right match required to make both parties contented.

We come with unique experience in Recruitment, Outsourcing and PRO Services.

We provide search and selection recruitment service in the staffing across different industries.