Technical Director, EMEA Data Centers

Technical Director, EMEA Data Centers - PDS

Reports to: EMEA Head of Data Centers; Matrix reporting line: EMEA Head of Operations, PDS & Tetris; Location: London; Direct reports: None, but matrix-based technical oversight of in-country delivery teams; Collaborates with EMEA Head of Data Centers, EMEA Head of Operations, Country PDS Directors, and client technical, engineering, procurement leads across hyperscale and colocation accounts.

Role Overview

The Technical Director is the senior technical authority for data center project delivery across the region, ensuring every hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise data center engagement is delivered to a consistently high technical standard, on programme, and in line with client and regulatory requirements. The role provides hands on technical leadership across live projects while building the technical capability, standards, and governance that underpin PDS's data center practice in EMEA.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Standards

  Own and continuously develop PDS's EMEA data center technical delivery framework, covering design review, commissioning, and handover standards; act as the senior technical escalation point for complex engineering, MEP, and construction issues across the regional project portfolio; set and enforce minimum technical governance standards for all data center projects, including design stage gates and quality assurance protocols; represent PDS in technical forums, industry bodies, and standards groups relevant to hyperscale and colocation infrastructure.

• Project Delivery Excellence

  Provide direct technical oversight on the region's most complex or highest value data center projects, from feasibility through to commissioning and energization; partner with Project Directors to identify and resolve programme, cost, and technical risk before it impacts delivery; drive consistent application of project controls, risk registers, and technical documentation across all markets; support recovery planning and remediation on any project falling outside agreed technical or programme tolerances.

• Client & Stakeholder Engagement

  Build and maintain trusted technical relationships with client engineering, construction, and operations leadership at key hyperscale and colocation accounts; support the EMEA Head of Data Centers in technical input to pursuits, proposals, and framework negotiations; lead technical due diligence and lessons learned reviews with clients following project completion.

• Sector & Technical Expertise

  Maintain deep, current expertise in hyperscale and colocation data center design, construction, and commissioning methodologies; track emerging technical requirements driven by AI infrastructure, high density cooling, and power availability constraints across EMEA markets; provide guidance on jurisdiction specific regulatory, planning, and grid connection considerations across core EMEA markets.

• Innovation & Digital Delivery

  Champion adoption of the Ingenious platform and other digital delivery tools across data center projects to improve programme visibility and reporting; identify and pilot new technologies, methods, or delivery models that improve speed to energisation or reduce delivery risk; partner with clients on innovation initiatives that create measurable technical or commercial value.

• Risk, Compliance & HSSE

  Ensure all data center projects meet JLL and client HSSE requirements, with zero tolerance for critical safety non compliance; own technical risk reporting into regional governance forums, flagging material issues to the EMEA Head of Data Centers and EMEA Head of Operations; ensure commissioning and handover documentation meets both client and regulatory audit requirements.

• Team Development & Capability Building

  Build technical capability across country delivery teams through mentoring, training, and structured knowledge-sharing; support recruitment and development of senior technical talent for the EMEAs data center practice; establish and lead a data center technical community of practice across EMEA markets.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree qualified in engineering, construction management, or a related technical discipline; chartered status (e.g. MRICS, CEng) preferred.
• 15+ years' experience in data center design, construction, or project delivery, including significant hyperscale or colocation experience.
• Proven track record leading complex, multi disciplinary technical delivery across multiple EMEA jurisdictions.
• Strong working knowledge of MEP systems, commissioning processes, and data center operational requirements.
• Experience engaging directly with hyperscale or colocation client technical and engineering leadership.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to influence both client and internal senior leadership.
• Fluent English; additional European language capability an advantage.
• Willingness to travel extensively across EMEA markets.

Location: On site - London, GB

Jones Lang LaSalle ("JLL") is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.