Vantage Data Centers
Planning Director, EMEA
London
Posted 2 days ago
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Planning Director, EMEA
Planning Director – Data Center Development
About Vantage
Vantage is a global leader in data center development, delivering cutting-edge infrastructure solutions for cloud service providers, enterprises, and technology companies. Our team focuses on creating scalable, high-performance, and sustainable data center facilities to meet the growing digital demands of global businesses.
Position Overview
The Planning Director is responsible for overseeing the comprehensive planning and scheduling of data center development projects from inception to delivery.
This role involves:
- Driving schedule coordination, risk management, and customer-facing stakeholder engagement across diverse regions.
- Ensuring that global data center projects are executed on time, within scope, and aligned with customer expectations.
- Requires extensive experience in large-scale infrastructure or construction projects, combined with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders across geographies.
Key Responsibilities
1. Master Scheduling & Project Coordination
- Develop, maintain, and manage master schedules for global data center projects, ensuring alignment with key milestones and deliverables.
- Collaborate with internal teams (design, construction, procurement) and external partners (contractors, vendors, consultants) to align schedules with project timelines.
- Oversee coordination of project tasks, including:
- Site acquisition
- Permitting
- Design
- Construction
- Commissioning
2. Stakeholder Management
- Lead schedule-related discussions with global customers, integrating their requirements and expectations into project timelines.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for customer stakeholders regarding schedule management, providing:
- Clear, timely updates
- Proactive resolution of concerns
- Ensure alignment between:
- Customer project teams
- Internal departments
- External contractors
- Maintain project momentum and transparency.
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3. Risk Assessment & Mitigation
- Identify potential scheduling risks, including:
- Delays in permitting
- Procurement bottlenecks
- Contractor availability issues
- Construction execution challenges
- Develop comprehensive risk mitigation strategies to:
- Prevent delays
- Ensure contingency plans for critical path activities
- Conduct continuous risk analysis and adjust schedules proactively.
- Perform detailed impact assessments for schedule deviations and collaborate with project teams to resolve conflicts.
4. Leadership in Schedule Development
- Lead the overall schedule development process for new data center projects, aligning with:
- Company standards
- Customer goals
- Local regulations
- Provide leadership in integrating discipline-specific schedules, including:
- Civil engineering
- Mechanical & electrical systems
- IT infrastructure
5. Scheduling Tools & Software Utilisation
- Use industry-standard scheduling tools (e.g., Primavera P6, MS Project) to:
- Develop, track, and update schedules in real-time
- Implement best practices across all projects
- Assist project teams with:
- Resource allocation
- Timeline adjustments
- Workflow optimisation
6. Data Analytics & Reporting
- Generate regular reports on:
- Project schedule performance
- Key variances and improvement areas
- Provide detailed schedule forecasts and risk reports for:
- Senior leadership
- Key customer stakeholders
- Ensure transparent communication of:
- Schedule changes
- Delays, with clear explanations and mitigation steps
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7. Risk Mitigation & Crisis Management
- Develop robust risk mitigation frameworks to respond to:
- Project crises
- Unexpected delays
- Lead risk workshops with internal and external teams to:
- Continuously evaluate mitigation strategies
- Adapt plans as necessary
- Communicate schedule changes and risk mitigation plans effectively to:
- All project stakeholders
- Executives
- Customers
8. Team Leadership & Development
- Lead and mentor a team of schedulers/planners to ensure:
- Team members are equipped with necessary skills and knowledge
- Drive a culture of continuous improvement by:
- Implementing new scheduling practices
- Sharing best practices across the team
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in:
- Construction Management
- Engineering
- Project Management
- Related field
- 10+ years of experience in:
- Project scheduling
- Large-scale infrastructure or data centre projects
- Proven track record in:
- Managing global stakeholders (customers, contractors, internal teams)
- Aligning requirements on scheduling and deliverables
- Expertise in scheduling software, such as:
- Primavera P6
- Microsoft Project
- Deep understanding of:
- Project lifecycles
- Critical path management
- Resource allocation
- Demonstrated experience in:
- Risk assessment and mitigation for large-scale construction projects
- Ability to:
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to:
- Present complex information clearly to diverse stakeholders
- PMP or equivalent project management certification (highly desirable)
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Skills
Project Scheduling
Stakeholder Management
Risk Assessment
Leadership
Data Analytics
Communication
Construction Management
Infrastructure Projects
Scheduling Tools
Resource Allocation
Critical Path Management
Team Leadership
Continuous Improvement
Problem Solving
Customer Engagement
Crisis Management
Location