Project Manager Operation Spain

DATA4'S MISSION

DATA4 creates Smart & Scalable digital facilities for our customers. Our network of highly connected, resilient and sustainable data center campuses underpins our customers’ digital growth in Europe.

DATA4 Group finances, designs, constructs and operates its own data centers. Delivered through our data center campus model, we provide our customers with secure, scalable and high-performance data hosting solutions.

DATA4 VALUES

At DATA4, we are driven by our values. These are the core of everything we do – from the proactivity we show in delivering great outcomes for our clients, to the responsibility we show as a key contributor to the digital economy. Our three values are:

1. To be entrepreneurial – we are teams of doers who make things happen - with autonomy, energy and a sense of responsibility
2. To always take responsibility – for our impact on the people we work with, the society we are part of, and the environment in which we operate
3. To constantly be adaptable – our business is designed to adapt, answering not only today’s challenges, but also anticipating what’s coming next.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Project Manager within our Data Center Operations team, the role will play a pivotal role in executing mission-critical infrastructure projects for clients, growth, or to mitigate risks. This position sits at the intersection of engineering excellence and operational pragmatism, ensuring that all delivered projects meet the stringent requirements of hyperscale environments and Company needs while maintaining 100% alignment with our operational readiness standards.

Core Mission
Your primary accountability will be to lead the end-to-end lifecycle of capital projects – from initial scoping and defined requirements analysis, through to final commissioning and handover to operations. Unlike traditional PM roles, this position requires:

• Data Center-Centric Mindset: Deep understanding of the market-specific technical standards
• Ops Integration: Seamless collaboration with the Operations Team to ensure all deliverables are maintainable and serviceable post-handover
• Scale Management: Ability to concurrently manage multiple projects across geographically dispersed campuses

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Integrated Management System (IMS), Health & Safety and Compliance

• Respect and enforce Data4's Integrated Management System (IMS) policies, actively contributing to continuous improvement in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety, environmental, information security, and data protection policies and procedures.
• Coordinate supplier H&S documentation and site access through the e-coordina platform, working closely with the Health and Safety Coordinator to ensure compliance with applicable Occupational Risk Prevention (PRL) requirements.
• Ensure that contractors and project teams comply with applicable safety instructions, environmental requirements, building regulations, security protocols and company policies.
• Protect customer property, maintain appropriate site housekeeping and cleanliness, and ensure the correct segregation, handling and disposal of general and hazardous waste.
• Promote safe working practices and protect the health and safety of all personnel involved in project activities.

2. End-to-End Project Management

Lead the planning, coordination, execution, and closure of assigned capital and infrastructure projects, including:

• Capacity expansion: new data halls, power and cooling upgrades, secure conduits and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) initiatives.
• Retrofits and modernisation: Replacement or upgrade of legacy infrastructure, including UPS systems, PDUs and chillers, to improve reliability, efficiency and compliance with customer requirements.
• Civil and fibre infrastructure: Rooftop waterproofing, fibre backbone installations, underground cabling, excavation, structural reinforcements and roadworks.
• Energy and sustainability: Renewable energy solutions, solar installations, hydrogen-ready systems and rooftop initiatives.
• BMS and operational systems: BMS upgrades, energy monitoring dashboards, alarm thresholds, failover configurations and other improvements to monitoring and control systems.
• Other operational projects: Infrastructure modifications, risk mitigation, customer-driven works and initiatives supporting campus development and operational performance.

For each assigned project:

• Define the scope, requirements, deliverables, schedule, resources, budget and acceptance criteria.
• Coordinate technical assessments, site surveys, design reviews and validation of proposed solutions against project specifications and customer requirements.
• Identify and mitigate risks relating to supply chain delays, permitting, design discrepancies, construction, quality and operational continuity.
• Monitor project progress, milestones, costs, quality and performance, implementing corrective actions when required.
• Manage changes to the project scope, design and execution, ensuring that relevant stakeholders are informed and that quotations, work orders, approvals and documentation are updated accordingly.
• Coordinate commissioning, testing, verification and final acceptance before authorising project handover and closure.

3. Technical Management, Procurement and Supplier Coordination

• Contribute to the technical specification and selection of solutions, recommending appropriate manufacturers and resilient technologies with a medium- and long-term perspective.
• Prepare and validate technical requirements for RFIs and RFPs, working with Engineering, Pre-Sales, Commercial and other relevant teams.
• Obtain and evaluate quotations from multiple suppliers and contractors, supporting supplier selection through a thorough technical and commercial assessment.
• Coordinate procurement and subcontracting requirements, including material, equipment and service estimates for new installations and minimum replacement-stock levels.
• Manage supplier and contractor relationships, resources, work allocation, performance and deliverables throughout the project lifecycle.
• Organise material procurement, delivery, inspection, handling, storage and preservation, ensuring that suitable equipment and resources are available when required.
• Coordinate with manufacturers and technical specialists to assess proposed solutions and resolve technical issues.
• Ensure that all works comply with approved designs, specifications, applicable standards and customer requirements, escalating deviations to the relevant stakeholders.

4. Stakeholder and Operational Coordination

• Act as the main point of contact between Data4, suppliers and contractors for assigned projects, ensuring effective communication and coordination.
• Collaborate closely with Data Center Operations, Facilities, Engineering, IT, Fit-Out, Construction, Security, Energy and other relevant teams.
• Coordinate with customers, manufacturers, contractors and local authorities, including where permits and regulatory approvals are required.
• Ensure project alignment with customer SLAs, operational KPIs, regulatory requirements and Data4's technical and operational standards.
• Involve Operations throughout the project lifecycle to ensure that solutions are maintainable, serviceable and compatible with existing infrastructure and operating procedures.
• Coordinate project interfaces and execution activities to minimise operational risks and disruption to live data center environments.
• Resolve technical and organisational conflicts arising during project execution, escalating significant issues when necessary and providing regular updates on project status, risks, budgets, milestones and decisions to relevant stakeholders.

5. Financial Management, Risk and Performance

• Develop and monitor project budgets, including CAPEX, relevant OPEX implications, procurement costs, subcontracting and contingency requirements.
• Support contract negotiations with suppliers and contractors, seeking cost efficiency while maintaining quality, reliability and compliance.
• Monitor expenditure, forecast final project costs and identify deviations from approved budgets.
• Assess the financial and operational benefits of efficiency and sustainability projects, including expected return on investment (ROI).
• Identify, assess and mitigate project risks, ensuring appropriate contingency plans and corrective actions are implemented.
• Ensure compliance with applicable building codes, safety standards and environmental requirements, including NFPA standards and other relevant frameworks where applicable.
• Support compliance with relevant data center and sustainability standards, including Tier IV design requirements where applicable, ISO 50001 and GRESB-related commitments.

6. Quality Assurance, Documentation and Handover

• Ensure appropriate quality controls and inspections throughout project execution.
• Verify that installations, materials and equipment meet approved specifications and applicable requirements.
• Manage project technical documentation, ensuring that drawings, designs, test results, commissioning records, operating documentation and other relevant deliverables are complete and up to date.
• Review technical documentation prepared by project or documentation specialists before customer delivery or internal filing and archiving.
• Ensure that inspection, measurement and testing equipment is properly handled and maintained, and that associated records are controlled.
• Identify and classify non-conformities, technical deviations and customer complaints, analyse root causes and propose corrective and preventive actions.
• Prepare or review project-specific procedures and technical instructions when required.
• Ensure formal customer acceptance and signature of completion certificates and work reports where applicable.
• Coordinate the transfer of all relevant documentation, outstanding actions and operational requirements to the Operations team before final project closure.
• Support escalated after-sales technical interventions where required, ensuring compliance with established response times.
• Ensure all project activities, decisions, deliverables and close-out records are properly documented in the relevant project management or control tools.

7. Continuous Improvement and Company Responsibilities

• Proactively identify opportunities to improve project delivery, operational efficiency, infrastructure resilience, sustainability and cost effectiveness.
• Contribute to the achievement of Data4's departmental and company objectives.
• Maintain the confidentiality of Data4 and customer information and comply with information security and data protection requirements.
• Promote collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement across internal teams, suppliers and contractors.

Education and Certifications

• Degree or vocational qualification in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Mechanical Engineering, Building Services, or a related technical field.
• Fluent in Spanish and English.
• PMP or PRINCE2 project management certification preferred.

Professional Experience

• At least five years of project management experience in data center infrastructure, preferably in hyperscale environments, including new builds, retrofits, infrastructure upgrades or fibre projects.
• Proven experience managing capital projects with budgets exceeding €500,000 and coordinating multiple suppliers and contractors.
• Demonstrated experience in project planning, budgeting, procurement, contract coordination, risk management, commissioning and operational handover.
• Experience working in live, mission-critical environments where service continuity, safety and operational reliability are essential.

Technical Knowledge

• Strong understanding of data center infrastructure and market requirements, including power, cooling, electrical and telecommunications systems.
• Knowledge of data center operational processes, including change management, risk management, commissioning, operational readiness and handover.
• Familiarity with Building Management Systems (BMS), monitoring and control systems, networking and data center infrastructure management.
• Knowledge of fibre-optic networks, including inside-plant (ISP) and outside-plant (OSP) infrastructure, splicing standards and associated civil works.
• Understanding of applicable construction, electrical, safety, environmental and energy-efficiency standards.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant project management and technical tools, including Microsoft Project, Autodesk applications and related software.

Soft Skills

• Strong project leadership and stakeholder management skills in matrixed and international environments.
• Strategic thinking combined with operational rigour and attention to detail.
• Excellent planning, organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including risk assessment, decision-making and issue resolution.
• Effective negotiation, influencing and change management skills.
• Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams, suppliers and contractors while maintaining accountability for results.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to report to senior management and executive audiences. Proactive, adaptable and results-oriented approach, aligned with Data4's values.

Additional details:

• Category B driving licence.
• Availability for occasional travel to Data4 campuses and project sites.