Delivery Manager

Join Kao Data as a Delivery Manager- Drive Excellence in AI-Focused Data Centres!

Kao Data leads the industry, pioneering the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With a hyperscale-inspired and industrial scale platform, we provide our customers with a secure, scalable, and sustainable home for their compute.

The Kao Data Operations team, particularly the Data Centre Operations team, fully own and manage all operation live environments, ensuring all critical infrastructure supporting client systems remain secure, reliable and always available. The team oversees power, cooling, fire suppression, cabling and environmental stability, while proactively managing capacity and leading all preventive and corrective maintenance through rigorous change management process working with all internal/external stakeholders.

They manage the Engineering Services Provider to guarantee 100% uptime and work across Kao Data to uphold compliance, governance and stakeholder satisfaction. With responsibility for CAPEX delivery, lifecycle replacements and financial accountability, Operations also partner with Design and Construction teams to ensure seamless project handovers. They work closely with our Customer Service, QHSE, Compliance, Security and Implementation teams delivering operational excellence and are the first point of escalation for incidents, the function ensures accurate reporting, transparent communication and uninterrupted service for customers.

About the Role

We are looking for a Delivery Manager to be responsible for coordinating and delivering data centre projects through design and construction phases, ensuring alignment with programme, cost and quality objectives.  The Delivery Manager will review project processes, ensure appropriate approvals are obtained and procedures are being followed and identify any issues / gaps.

Key Responsibilities

• The end-to-end delivery management of multiple data centre projects and maintain updated budgets, schedules, and status reports for each.

• Create and communicate updates on development program & project status monthly suitable for executive level reviews. Effectively present information in a manner to support efficient decision making.

• Work with Kao stakeholders, operations, design, and construction teams to support the development and maintenance of site-wide capital replacement programmes.

• Implement and manage multi-phased site development plans to achieve time, budget, and quality standards in a predictable fashion. Continuously update a campus comprehensive plan to provide predictable statistics in a dynamic environment.

• Responsibility for the programme planning which outlines the required workstreams needed to set up the project and management of said SME workstreams, including mapping their dependencies.

• Monitor & create project budget / cost-to-date against overall project budget.

• Collation and Development of the scope documents required to appoint the appropriate external professional service teams on the project.

• Lead, manage and monitor performance of the professional services teams and contractors for design, construction, commissioning services & participate in procurement and project cost estimates and advise on appropriate solutions to best meet the dynamic aims and objectives of a programme driven by changing customer demands in line with Kao’s governance and delivery process.

• Lead weekly and monthly internal stakeholder design and construction meetings reviewing project progress and external professional services and contractor performance and key decisions required from internal stakeholders.

• Evaluate and level pricing proposals for design, construction, and commissioning services. Act as the conduit between the project cost consultants and corporate finance team ensuring monthly cash-flows are updated, articulated, and fully understood.

• Manage the internal change control process considering cost and programme implications before obtaining relevant stakeholder approvals including review and approval of monthly pay applications from the contractors

• When required, support in responding creatively to time critical Request for Proposals (RFP's) and Request for Information (RFI's) with a specific focus on procurement, programme and cost elements.

• Attending and contributing in development project co-ordination, consultant, contractor, team meetings and any other meetings, as required.

• Monitor environmental, energy-efficiency and sustainability goals through-out the project life- cycle.

• Ensure appropriate submittals are coordinated with site stakeholders including appropriate site access requirements. This includes establishing site construction security procedures in conjunction with site security team

• Ensuring all data centre deployments are executed in accordance with the Kao Data business plan and Integrated Management System (IMS) with a focus on the Corporate Environmental, Health & Safety, Information Security and Quality Standards.

• Testing & Acceptance: Plan and execute a rigorous testing program to ensure the facility functions as designed and meets the expectations of Operations and customers.

• Transition: Facilitate the hand-off of the project to site operations, ensuring all customer requirements are accommodated.

What We’re Looking For:

• Extensive experience in construction practices and procedures, including management of Lump Sum, Construction Management, and Design & Build project delivery methods from conceptual development through procurement to close out.
• Experience with delivery of projects in live mission critical data center facilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering or equivalent professional experience
• MBA, Master’s in Engineering, Management, or related field desirable
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite, specifically PowerPoint for use in communicating program updates to executive level, and Excel to create and maintain site program & individual project budgets when preparing and delivering internal stakeholder focused presentations to support strategic planning and capital allocation programmes.

• Experience with management of specialist consultancy services.
• Specialist knowledge and relevant sector experience. Can demonstrate that they can effectively acquire, apply and impart industry specific specialist, commercial, procurement, programmes and cost management professional knowledge to the Delivery and operations team.
• Willingness to travel across sites.

Why Kao Data?

• Be part of an innovative and rapidly growing AI data centre leader.
• Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
• Work in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
• Engaging team events that strengthen workplace culture and connections
• Private Medical – private health insurance including dental and optical cover.
• Holiday – 25 days annual leave plus UK Bank Holidays
• Pension – Salary Sacrifice Pension
• Parental Leave – Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave
• Life Assurance & Income Protection
• Mental health support - 24/7 access to mental health support via our employee assistance programme, and a trained team of Mental Health First Aiders
• Giving back – 2 Charity volunteering days a year.
• Electric Vehicle - Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Optical Benefit
• Access to Unum’s Help@Hand