Commissioning Manager - Data Centre Developer / Construction

Are you an experienced Commissioning Manager looking to move into a genuinely client-side role where you can influence how major data centre projects are designed, commissioned and brought into operation? I'm working on behalf of an established and growing data centre developer looking to appoint a Commissioning Manager to join its London-based team. This is much more than a single-project commissioning position. You'll work across a developing portfolio of technically complex data centre projects, providing commissioning expertise from early design and pre-construction through construction, testing, handover and operational environments.

Based in London, the role will involve some international travel, predominantly within Europe, giving you exposure to multiple projects, locations and delivery teams.

The Opportunity

You'll act as a key commissioning specialist within the wider development and delivery team, helping shape the commissioning approach across the portfolio while remaining close to live project delivery. Working alongside Design, Construction, Project Management, Commercial, Operations, contractors and external commissioning teams, you'll ensure systems are thoroughly tested, integrated and ready for reliable operation.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and implementing commissioning strategies across data centre projects
• Providing commissioning input during design and pre-construction, ensuring designs are practical, commissionable and maintainable
• Reviewing commissioning programmes, milestones, resources, interfaces and dependencies
• Overseeing commissioning activities through to final integrated systems testing
• Leading and coordinating FAT, SAT and IST activities across critical systems
• Reviewing commissioning plans, method statements, ITPs, test scripts and technical documentation
• Managing specialist commissioning agents, contractors and vendors
• Identifying commissioning risks and working with project teams to resolve technical and programme issues
• Managing defects and punch lists through to successful close-out
• Ensuring commissioning activities comply with relevant standards, including ASHRAE and NETA ATS
• Working closely with Operations to ensure a successful transition from construction into the live environment
• Supporting O&M documentation, training and operational readiness
• Capturing lessons learned and improving commissioning standards and best practice across future projects
• Providing technical input into system resilience, reliability and continuous improvement

What I'm Looking For

This role would suit an experienced commissioning professional who understands the technical demands of mission-critical environments and is comfortable operating at both strategic and project delivery level. You'll ideally bring:

• Strong commissioning experience within data centres or other mission-critical environments
• Experience working on colocation and/or hyperscale data centre projects
• A Mechanical, Electrical or Building Services engineering background
• Good understanding of critical MEP infrastructure, BMS and controls
• Experience overseeing complex systems commissioning and integrated testing
• Strong knowledge of FAT, SAT and IST processes
• Experience reviewing designs from a commissioning and operational perspective
• Good understanding of the full construction lifecycle from design and pre-construction through to handover
• Knowledge of international technical standards, particularly ASHRAE
• Confidence to challenge designs, programmes and commissioning approaches where required
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Engineering degree or equivalent technical experience
• Professional membership or chartership would be advantageous but isn't essential
• Full driving licence and willingness to undertake occasional European travel
• Experience within pharmaceutical, healthcare, major distribution or similarly complex MEP-intensive environments may also be considered where there is strong relevant commissioning experience.

Why Consider This Role?

For someone coming from a contractor, consultancy or project-specific commissioning environment, this is an opportunity to move closer to the developer and asset-owner side of the industry. Rather than focusing purely on one commissioning package, you'll have visibility across a wider portfolio and the opportunity to influence commissioning strategy, design decisions, technical standards and operational readiness. You'll be joining an organisation developing complex data centre assets across multiple markets, with international exposure while remaining based in London. It's an excellent move for someone who enjoys the technical side of commissioning but wants greater involvement in the bigger picture of how data centres are developed and successfully brought into operation.

Interested? Get in touch with Andreea Hudson at Aldwych Consulting for a confidential chat and further information, or apply by sending your CV.

Aldwych Consulting values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.