Director, Underwriting & Investment Analysis – Design, Build & Operate (Global) in London

Director, Underwriting & Investment Analysis – Design, Build & Operate (Global) in London

London Full-Time 100000 - 150000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Submer Inc.

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead global investment analysis for cutting-edge AI data centre projects.
  • Company: Join Submer, a leader in sustainable AI infrastructure solutions.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, performance incentives, and equity participation.
  • Other info: Dynamic, entrepreneurial environment with significant ownership opportunities.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of AI growth with impactful investment strategies.
  • Qualifications: 10+ years in infrastructure investing and strong financial modelling skills.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ per year.

Location: London, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

Start: ASAP

Contract: Full-Time / Permanent

Travel: International (as required)

About Submer

Submer designs and delivers end-to-end AI data center infrastructure built around industry-leading liquid cooling. Through our Design, Build & Operate (DBO) model, we provide fully integrated infrastructure solutions—from site origination and development through to delivery and ongoing operations—enabling customers to scale AI with speed, efficiency, and sustainability.

What Impact You Will Have

The Director, Underwriting & Investment Analysis – DBO is a critical commercial leadership role responsible for evaluating, structuring, and underwriting Submer’s global data center investments. You will sit at the center of capital deployment decisions, ensuring that every project—land acquisition, power strategy, design, construction, and operations—meets rigorous financial, strategic, and risk criteria. This role enables Submer to scale with discipline, balancing speed-to-market with return on capital, risk management, and long‑term platform value creation.

What You’ll Do

  • Investment Underwriting & Deal Evaluation
    • Lead underwriting of DBO projects across global markets
    • Build and own detailed financial models for:
      • Greenfield developments
      • Build-to-suit projects
      • Modular deployments
      • Strategic partnerships / JVs
    • Evaluate returns (IRR, NPV), capital efficiency, and risk-adjusted performance
    • Assess sensitivity to key drivers (power costs, utilization, build cost, financing assumptions)
    • Support go/no-go investment decisions with clear, data-driven recommendations
  • Capital Allocation & Investment Strategy
    • Partner with executive leadership to define capital deployment priorities across markets and projects
    • Establish underwriting standards, return thresholds, and investment frameworks
    • Ensure alignment between investment decisions and Submer’s broader DBO growth strategy
    • Support portfolio construction across geographies and customer segments
  • Cross-Functional Commercial Leadership
    • Work closely with Land Acquisition & Energy (site and power inputs), Engineering & Design (cost and technical assumptions), Construction & Delivery (capex, timelines, risk), and Operations (opex, lifecycle performance)
    • Translate technical and operational inputs into robust financial assumptions
    • Ensure commercial discipline is embedded throughout the full DBO lifecycle
  • Financial Modeling & Analysis
    • Develop and maintain sophisticated financial models incorporating capex and phasing, power pricing and escalation, revenue structures (colocation, wholesale, AI infrastructure services), operating costs and lifecycle maintenance
    • Conduct scenario analysis, stress testing, and downside case modeling
    • Standardize modeling approaches across projects and regions
  • Investment Committee & Stakeholder Management
    • Prepare and present investment materials to internal leadership and investors
    • Support engagement with financial partners, lenders, and strategic investors
    • Translate complex financial concepts into clear narratives for executive decision-making
    • Act as a key interface with Finance, Strategy, and external advisors
  • Market & Competitive Intelligence
    • Monitor data center, AI infrastructure, and energy market dynamics
    • Benchmark build costs, power pricing, and return expectations across regions
    • Provide insights to inform market entry, pricing strategy, and investment timing

What You’ll Need

  • 10+ years of experience in infrastructure investing, project finance, private equity, or corporate development
  • Strong background in financial modeling and investment underwriting for capital-intensive projects
  • Experience in one or more of the following: data center infrastructure, energy/power infrastructure, real assets/industrials/logistics, or digital infrastructure (cloud, fiber, edge, AI)
  • Deep understanding of project finance structures, capex-heavy investment cycles, and risk allocation across development, construction, and operations
  • Proven ability to operate in a cross-functional, technically complex environment
  • Strong commercial judgment and ability to influence senior stakeholders
  • Experience working internationally and across multiple jurisdictions a plus

What We Offer

  • A central role in shaping Submer’s global investment strategy and capital deployment
  • Direct exposure to high-value infrastructure projects at the forefront of AI growth
  • Opportunity to work across the full lifecycle of assets—from origination through operations
  • A fast-scaling, entrepreneurial environment with significant ownership
  • Competitive compensation, performance incentives, and long-term equity participation

Submer is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.

Director, Underwriting & Investment Analysis – Design, Build & Operate (Global) in London employer: Submer Inc.

Submer is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and entrepreneurial work environment in the heart of London. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide opportunities to shape global investment strategies in cutting-edge AI infrastructure projects, alongside competitive compensation and long-term equity participation. Our inclusive culture fosters collaboration across diverse teams, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued as we drive innovation in sustainable data centre solutions.

Submer Inc.

Contact Details:

Submer Inc. Recruitment Team

We think you need these skills to ace Director, Underwriting & Investment Analysis – Design, Build & Operate (Global) in London

Investment Underwriting
Financial Modelling
Capital Allocation
Risk Management
Data Analysis
Cross-Functional Leadership
Market Intelligence