Data Center Senior Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Data Center Senior Project Manager to join our team. The ideal individual will have prior experience supporting large-scale construction projects. 

The Senior Project Manager provides consulting services for our financial services client account to help achieve the company's strategic business objectives. The Sr. Project Manager will lead MEP infrastructure construction projects for the client’s regional data centers including UPS power, HVAC, chillers, and fire suppression systems.

This job is part of the Project Management function responsible for the management of projects from initiation through completion. Role is onsite at our client data center in Columbus, OH.

What you’ll do

• Lead the delivery of complex data center construction projects from design through commissioning and handover, ensuring alignment with client objectives, schedule, budget, quality, and operational requirements.
• Manage and coordinate key stakeholders, including clients, architects, engineers, commissioning agents, contractors, vendors, and supply chain partners to deliver mission-critical projects successfully.
• Analyze, track, and proactively manage critical path activities and project milestones, developing mitigation and recovery plans to prevent schedule delays.
• Establish and maintain effective project governance frameworks, controls, reporting processes, and management systems throughout the project lifecycle.
• Drive the application of industry best practices, lessons learned, and Turner & Townsend delivery standards across all phases of project execution.
• Prepare and present executive-level project status reports, dashboards, risk registers, and performance updates to clients and senior leadership.
• Oversee multiple data center projects simultaneously, ensuring compliance with approved design standards, technical requirements, operational objectives, and client specifications.
• Manage interfaces between contractors, suppliers, equipment vendors, utility providers, and commissioning teams through structured meetings, trackers, and performance reviews.
• Facilitate effective communication across all project stakeholders through regular meetings, workshops, reporting, and issue resolution processes.
• Develop, monitor, and update key project milestones, delivery schedules, and readiness plans to support successful project execution and handover.
• Lead and manage design consultants and engineering teams throughout project delivery, ensuring designs meet project requirements, constructability standards, and operational needs.
• Provide technical leadership and support to owners, architects, engineers, contractors, and regional stakeholders throughout project execution.
• Drive timely review and resolution of RFIs, technical submittals, design clarifications, and field coordination issues to minimize construction impacts.
• Provide strategic guidance on cost management, value engineering, risk mitigation, constructability reviews, and procurement strategies.
• Independently review project schedules, drawing packages, submittals, change orders, cost reports, and contractor performance to ensure project objectives are achieved.
• Lead client relationship management activities, acting as a trusted advisor while identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery and expand client partnerships.
• Provide strategic direction to project teams by recommending delivery approaches that support both client goals and business objectives.
• Support project controls activities, including budget management, forecasting, change management, schedule analysis, and risk management.
• Collaborate with commissioning teams to ensure successful testing, integrated systems validation, operational readiness, and handover of mission-critical infrastructure.
• Capture and share key project lessons learned, best practices, and knowledge management initiatives across the organization.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance project delivery processes, governance controls, reporting methodologies, and management systems.

 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, civil engineering, or applicable bachelor’s degree and or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant project management experience.
• Strong organizational and management skills – the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with the broader team.
• Effective presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Procore, and construction project management tools.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Extensive experience managing mission-critical and data center construction projects, including hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, or cloud infrastructure environments.
• Strong understanding of data center infrastructure, including electrical distribution systems, UPS, generators, switchgear, cooling systems, BMS/EPMS, structured cabling, and critical environments.
• Experience delivering projects through design, procurement, construction, commissioning, integrated systems testing, and turnover.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale capital projects with multiple stakeholders, contractors, and technical workstreams.
• Strong leadership, client management, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with project controls, schedule management, risk management, and executive reporting.

Additional Information

*SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable. 

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs* 

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change. 

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this, we promote a healthy, productive, and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.  

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community. 

Please find out more about us at and  

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. 

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time. 

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.