Head of Data Centre Development and Strategy

Your new company

Ready to shape the future of Data Centre Strategy?
This is a rare opportunity to take the lead in building the physical backbone for next-generation AI and high-performance computing. We're on an ambitious journey to deploy 3GW of data centre capacity by 2030, and our client needs someone who can think big while delivering on the details.

As Head of Data Centre Development and Strategy, you'll define the roadmap that makes this vision a reality, identifying prime locations, negotiating major deals, and ensuring our infrastructure can handle the most demanding workloads. You'll work at the intersection of technology and commercial strategy, partnering with senior leadership to secure large-scale facilities and create innovative partnership models that set us apart.

Your new role
This is a chance to take on one of the most strategic roles in the industry, shaping the physical backbone of next-generation AI and high-performance computing. As Head of Data Centre Development and Strategy, you'll be at the forefront of a bold mission: delivering 3GW of data centre capacity by 2030. This isn't just about building infrastructure; it's about enabling a commercial vision through world-class partnerships and innovative deal structures.

Your role combines high-level strategy with hands-on execution. You'll define and deliver a multi-year roadmap that secures large-scale facilities primarily targeting opportunities of 25MW and above to support hyperscale AI and HPC deployments. Working closely with the CEO and CFO, you'll craft creative partnership and funding models, from co-investment and revenue-sharing to build-to-suit agreements and alternative financing solutions. Beyond the commercial side, you'll collaborate with engineering teams to set rigorous technical standards for power density, cooling, connectivity, and resilience ensuring every facility meets the demands of modern AI infrastructure.

You'll also lead strategic capacity planning, making sure we stay ahead of demand with the right infrastructure in the right locations.This role is about influence and innovation. You'll represent the organisation in industry forums, build relationships with data centre operators and infrastructure investors, and negotiate deals that balance speed to market, cost efficiency, and technical capability. You'll oversee projects from feasibility through commissioning, manage vendor relationships at an executive level, and drive governance around sustainability, compliance, and operational excellence.

AI and HPC workloads are redefining what data centres need to deliver. By joining us, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of large-scale infrastructure by bringing strategic creativity to one of the fastest-growing sectors in technology. If you thrive on complexity, enjoy building partnerships, and want to make a tangible impact on global-scale projects, this is your opportunity.

What you'll need to succeed
To succeed in this role, you'll need a deep understanding of data centre infrastructure design, construction, and operations, including electrical and mechanical systems, advanced cooling technologies, and IT infrastructure. Your expertise should extend to large-scale IT deployments, particularly AI and HPC clusters, with their demanding requirements around power density, direct liquid cooling, and high-speed networking.

We're looking for someone with proven experience in developing and implementing large-scale data centre strategies and investment roadmaps, ideally within hyperscale environments involving multi-gigawatt programmes. You'll bring strong knowledge of capacity planning, energy efficiency, sustainability initiatives, and resilience frameworks, ensuring our infrastructure meets the highest standards of performance and reliability.

Commercial acumen is key. You should have a track record of structuring and negotiating innovative deals, including creative partnership models, co-investment structures, and alternative financing arrangements. Experience sourcing, evaluating, and securing access to large-scale data centre facilities, preferably 25MW and above through partnerships or development will be essential. Alongside this, you'll have managed multi-million-pound projects and negotiated complex vendor and partner relationships at an executive level.

This role demands exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to devise innovative solutions to complex technical and commercial challenges. You'll need outstanding leadership and stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing cross-functional teams, senior executives, and external partners. Strong business instincts, combined with the ability to balance risk, return, and strategic alignment, are critical. Finally, you'll be an excellent communicator, able to translate complex technical and financial concepts into clear, compelling narratives for board-level audiences, and a skilled negotiator with experience handling high-stakes commercial discussions.

What you'll get in return

• Share options and long-term incentives
• Unlimited holiday policy
• 100% remote working with flexible hours
• A culture of internal promotion and career development
• A collaborative, forward-thinking team
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• A truly flexible and supportive workplace

What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.

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