Senior Advisor, Data Center Construction (Global)

Evolution Cloud Services (EVOCS)

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Advisor, Data Center Construction is a senior-level owner’s representative and strategic advisor responsible for guiding the successful planning, execution, delivery, and operational handover of large-scale data center and critical infrastructure projects across North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific. This role brings deep expertise in pre-construction planning, contractor selection and performance management, construction delivery, commissioning, and “Day 1” readiness—ensuring projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to rigorous quality and reliability standards. This position will also partner closely with the Director of Artificial Intelligence to identify, envision, and define opportunities for AI and automation to enhance functional processes and the IT technology/solutions used in large, mission-critical construction programs. Preferred location proximity: Denver, CO; Northern Virginia; London, England; Frankfurt, Germany; Singapore; or Sydney, Australia Travel: International travel required, approximately 25%

Requirements

15+ years of progressive experience delivering large-scale data center projects and/or comparable mission-critical/critical infrastructure (e.g., hospitals, semiconductor, industrial, power, telecom).
Demonstrated global delivery experience across North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.
Proven expertise in:
Pre-construction planning and engineering collaboration
GC selection, contracting strategies, and contractor performance management
Construction execution oversight on complex, high-value projects
Commissioning strategy, phased turnover, and handover to operations
Strong understanding of typical data center delivery components (site development, structural, MEP systems, electrical distribution, cooling systems, controls, and critical systems integration).
Ability to influence without authority—credible advisor who can drive alignment across diverse stakeholders.
Strong commercial acumen: budgets, contracts, change control, claims avoidance/management, and vendor negotiations.
Excellent communication skills (executive-ready written and verbal) and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting or leading multi-site programs (portfolio delivery) with standardized governance.
Demonstrated use of digital construction tools and data-driven delivery methods (e.g., BIM workflows, PMIS platforms, commissioning management tools, analytics dashboards).
Exposure to AI/automation initiatives in construction, engineering, project controls, or enterprise delivery processes.
Relevant certifications (preferred, not required): PMP, CCM, PE/Chartered Engineer, LEED, OSHA/NEBOSH, or regional equivalents.

Responsibilities

Program & Project Advisory Leadership
Serve as a trusted senior advisor to project executives and cross-functional stakeholders on the delivery of hyperscale and/or mission-critical infrastructure projects.
Provide strategic oversight across the full project lifecycle: feasibility, pre-construction, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover to operations.
Establish and reinforce best practices, delivery standards, and governance that scale across global regions and multiple concurrent sites.
Pre-Construction & Engineering Collaboration
Partner with pre-construction and engineering teams to validate constructability, scope clarity, phasing strategy, schedule logic, and cost plans.
Review design development milestones and ensure alignment with operational requirements, reliability targets, maintainability, and safety standards.
Advise on value engineering and risk mitigation strategies without compromising long-term operational performance.
Contractor Selection & Construction Delivery Oversight
Lead or advise on general contractor (GC) selection, contracting strategy, and bid evaluations (including technical, commercial, and risk assessments).
Establish performance expectations, KPIs, reporting cadences, and governance for GCs and key trade partners.
Monitor and influence delivery outcomes: safety, quality, schedule, cost, change control, logistics, and on-site execution discipline.
Drive consistent application of construction management processes across regions, including field QA/QC, site readiness reviews, and adherence to local regulations.
Risk, Safety, Quality & Compliance
Promote a strong safety culture and ensure projects align with applicable global and local standards (e.g., health & safety, permitting, environmental, labor, and code compliance).
Identify delivery risks early and guide mitigation planning (schedule, procurement, labor availability, supply chain, commissioning complexity, interface risks).
Ensure quality management systems are effective and that critical systems are installed, tested, and validated to required reliability standards.
Commissioning, Turnover & Operational Readiness
Guide commissioning strategy, integrated systems testing planning, and phased turnover approaches.
Ensure smooth handover to operations with complete documentation, as-builts, training, spares, warranties, and operational acceptance criteria.
Partner with operations teams to ensure maintainability, lifecycle considerations, and operational workflows are embedded in the delivery process.
Executive Stakeholder Management
Communicate clearly and credibly with executive leadership, internal partners, and external stakeholders across different cultures and regions.
Provide concise, actionable insights on project health, trends, escalations, and decisions needed to keep delivery on track.
Support regional teams through complex negotiations, issue resolution, and contractor performance interventions.
AI, Automation & Digital Construction Enablement (In Partnership with Director of Artificial Intelligence)
Engage with the Director of Artificial Intelligence to envision and define AI/automation opportunities that improve functional processes and project delivery outcomes.
Identify high-impact use cases across construction and infrastructure delivery, such as:
Automated progress tracking and reporting (including structured data capture and analytics)
Predictive risk identification for schedule, cost, and quality deviations
Automated document control, submittal/RFI workflows, and change management insights
Enhanced commissioning management and turnover quality assurance
Improved procurement and supply chain forecasting for long-lead equipment
AI-assisted lessons learned capture and knowledge reuse across global builds
Help evaluate, pilot, and scale enabling technologies (e.g., construction management platforms, BIM coordination workflows, digital twins, asset data strategies), with an emphasis on practicality, adoption, and measurable ROI.
Contribute to an enterprise roadmap for integrating AI and automation into delivery governance, tooling, and operational handover processes.