At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead commercial strategy for data centre projects in the UK or France.
- Company: Join Colt Data Centre Services, a leader in energy-efficient data centres.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, skill development, work-life balance, and local rewards.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture focused on collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a rapidly growing industry with innovative projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in commercial management within real estate or data centre environments.
The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 £ per year.
PLEASE NOTE - WE ARE SEEKING REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL LEADS WITH CLIENT-SIDE / DEVELOPER-SIDE EXPERIENCE THROUGH ALL PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE ONE POSITION TO BE LOCATED IN UK, AND ONE POSITION TO BE LOCATED IN FRANCE.
AS SUCH, WE ARE INVITING APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WITH THIS EXPERIENCE CURRENTLY LOCATED IN EITHER OF THESE TWO COUNTRIES ONLY.
About Colt Data Centre Services
Colt Data Centre Services (DCS) has over 20 years’ experience in designing, building and operating energy-efficient, reliable data centres – hosting significant financial, media, corporate and cloud wholesale providers across the world.
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do.
We endeavour to take a customer-led approach across our operations, striving to serve our customers with a seamless experience no matter what facility or region they are in.
Finding the right solutions for our customers starts with finding the right people for Colt DCS.
We believe in creating a healthy, learning environment for our employees to flourish.
Our vision: to be the most customer-centric data centre provider.
Job Summary
As the Real Estate Commercial Lead for UK or for France, you will act as the commercial partner to the Real Estate Country Manager, assuming full accountability for shaping, driving, and perhaps most importantly, executing the commercial strategy across the company’s data centre development portfolio in the relevant country.
Reporting into the Head of Commercials, you will provide leadership across all commercial, cost, and procurement activities, ensuring each project is delivered with financial rigour, discipline, and alignment to long‑term business objectives.
You will play a pivotal role in safeguarding investment value, optimising regional CAPEX, and driving the commercial performance of a rapidly growing development pipeline.
This is a high‑impact role requiring strong commercial acumen, the ability to influence strategic decision‑making, and the leadership confidence to manage and execute multiple complex projects concurrently.
You will collaborate closely with internal development, design, delivery, finance, asset management, and procurement teams, as well as external consultants and contractors, to drive consistent commercial excellence across the region.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial Strategy & Leadership
- Own and drive the full commercial strategy for the UK region, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, investment expectations, and long‑term portfolio value.
- Provide senior leadership into business cases, feasibility studies, bid strategies, cost benchmarking, and investment committee submissions.
- Oversee the governance framework, ensuring robust controls, accuracy, transparency, and consistency across all projects.
- Act as the regional commercial authority, challenging assumptions, validating cost positions, and ensuring strategic commercial integrity across the lifecycle.
- Cost Management & Financial Control
- Provide executive oversight of cost planning, forecasting, value engineering, and financial performance across all live and pipeline projects.
- Ensure rigorous cost validation, driving commercial efficiency through design optimisation, procurement strategy, and supply chain performance.
- Lead monthly commercial reporting cycles, delivering senior‑level insights on risk, opportunity, exposure, and budget performance.
- Steward regional CAPEX governance, ensuring investments remain within approved parameters and deliver expected returns.
- Partner with Finance to ensure robust cashflow forecasting, accrual accuracy, and disciplined financial close‑out processes
- Procurement & Contract Management
- Shape and govern the regional procurement strategy, ensuring alignment to commercial outcomes, supply chain resilience, and project delivery needs.
- Lead high‑value contract negotiations, ensuring commercial terms appropriately balance risk, performance incentives, and delivery certainty.
- Drive standardisation of contract forms, commercial templates, procurement processes, and cost databases across the region.
- Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, championing performance management and long‑term value creation across the supply chain.
- Risk & Change Management
- Provide senior oversight of the commercial risk register, ensuring proactive risk identification, quantification, mitigation, and communication.
- Govern regional change control processes, ensuring all variations are properly evaluated, negotiated, and approved in accordance with governance standards.
- Deliver clear and timely commercial impact assessments to support strategic decision‑making and portfolio reporting.
- Leadership & Collaboration
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of commercial and cost managers, promoting a culture of accountability, excellence, and commercial ownership.
- Act as the senior commercial interface with internal partners — Procurement, Asset Management, Development, Design, Delivery, Operations, Finance, and Legal — ensuring alignment of commercial priorities.
- Represent the commercial function in Project Steering Groups, Investment Committees, and regional leadership forums.
- Drive continuous improvement across commercial processes, systems, reporting, and governance to support scalable growth across European markets.
Qualifications & Experience
- Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Economics, or equivalent.
- Significant commercial management experience, ideally within data centre (ESSENTIAL FOR UK), industrial, real estate development, or mission‑critical infrastructure environments.
- Demonstrated success in client‑side or developer‑side roles managing commercial outcomes across multi‑project, multi‑market portfolios.
- Strong knowledge of European procurement processes, contract forms (NEC, FIDIC, or local equivalents), and key cost drivers.
- Proven experience building and leading high‑performing teams.
- Advanced skills in commercial analysis, negotiation, reporting, and executive communication.
- Key Attributes
- Strategically minded, commercially astute, and financially disciplined, with a strong execution mindset.
- Confident operating at senior leadership level, influencing stakeholder groups across functions.
- Capable of balancing strategic oversight with hands‑on commercial problem‑solving when required.
- Collaborative, proactive, and solution‑oriented, with a focus on value creation and commercial performance.
What we offer
Colt DCS is a growing business that is investing in its people.
We offer skill development, learning pathways and accreditation to help our people perform at their best, regardless of role and location.
In addition to offering competitive salaries and incentive plans, a range of benefits and local rewards packages are offered to staff.
Colt DCS recognises and is committed to the importance of a work-life balance.
Real Estate Commercial Leads in Portsmouth employer: Colt Data Centre Services
Join a forward-thinking organisation that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. As a Travel Adviser, you'll benefit from a supportive work culture that values collaboration and innovation, with ample opportunities for career advancement in a dynamic environment. Our commitment to compliance and best practices ensures a rewarding experience for all employees, making us an excellent employer in the UK.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Real Estate Commercial Leads in Portsmouth
✨Get Involved in Local Property Events
Dive into local property expos and networking events! Real estate thrives on connections, so attending these events helps us meet potential employers and industry leaders, plus it's a chance to show off your enthusiasm for the field.
✨Connect with Local Agents on Social Media
Follow and engage with local real estate agents and firms on platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. Sharing their posts and commenting with your insights can put you on their radar and might even lead to job opportunities at companies like Colt Data Centre Services.
✨Don’t Underestimate the Power of Cold Outreach
Got your eye on a specific company like Colt Data Centre Services? Don't hesitate to send a direct message or an email expressing your interest. Personalise your approach, maybe mentioning a recent listing or project of theirs, and it could set you apart from other candidates.
✨Utilise Property Management Platforms
Check out property management platforms and job boards tailored for the real estate sector. They often have exclusive listings, especially for full-time roles. Don't forget to visit Colt Data Centre Services's careers page directly; we love seeing passionate candidates applying through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Real Estate Commercial Leads in Portsmouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Real-Estate Savvy:When crafting your CV and cover letter, make sure to highlight any relevant experience in the real estate sector. If you've done internships, assistant roles, or even relevant coursework, lay it out clearly. We want to see your familiarity with market trends, property management, or any sales experience you've got under your belt!
Quantify Your Achievements:In real estate, numbers speak volumes! When detailing your past roles, use concrete figures to demonstrate your achievements. For example, mention how many properties you sold, the percentage increase in client satisfaction, or any successful negotiations. These metrics can give your application that extra punch it needs!
Tailor Your Documents for the Job:Every application should feel personal. When applying for the Real Estate Commercial Leads role at Colt Data Centre Services, tweak your CV to focus on aspects that are important to them. If they value client relationships, emphasise your interpersonal skills. We want to see you aligning your experiences with what they're looking for!
Keep It Professional Yet Approachable:While we want you to show off your expertise, don't forget to let your personality shine through in your cover letter. A touch of friendliness can set you apart, especially in real estate where client interaction is key. Show that you're ready not just to work with the property but also with people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Colt Data Centre Services
✨Know Your Market Trends
In real estate, it’s all about staying ahead of the curve. Make sure we brush up on the latest market trends in the area where Colt Data Centre Services operates. Being able to discuss local property values, demand, and upcoming developments will show that we’re not just interested in the job, but genuinely invested in the industry.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions during the interview. We might get asked how we’d handle different client situations or property evaluations. Preparing our responses for common real estate scenarios not only demonstrates our problem-solving skills but also shows that we can think on our feet in a client-facing role.
✨Showcase Your Connections
In full-time real estate, networking is key! Let’s think about our connections in the industry and what we can bring to Colt Data Centre Services. Whether it’s insights on prospective clients or relationships with local contractors, talking about these experiences can set us apart from other candidates.
✨Demonstrate Technical Savvy
Familiarity with different real estate software tools is a big plus. We should be ready to discuss any platforms we've used, whether it's for property management, CRM, or data analysis. Being comfortable with technology not only makes us more efficient, but also shows that we’re adaptable to the tools used at Colt Data Centre Services.
