Senior Director, Project Controls & PMO

VIRTUS Data Centres is the UKs fastest-growing data centre provider. We own design build and operate some of the most energy-efficient flexible and secure data centres in Europe.

In 2023 we announced our expansion into continental Europe starting with Berlin and Milan with plans to grow further across the region.

At VIRTUS we aim to be a positive force in the fourth industrial revolutiondelivering innovative solutions while staying firmly rooted in our core values: Clarity & Quality Accountability Customer Commitment Purposeful Innovation and Capability & Growth.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and highly credible Senior Director to establish and lead a best-in-class Project Controls & PMO function supporting a multi-billion-pound construction and projects portfolio across the UK and Europe.

Reporting to the SVP of Design & Build this role is accountable for portfolio-wide governance programme control cost assurance and delivery transparency.

The function will provide the structure discipline and insight that enables consistent predictable delivery across all construction and operational projects.

This is a hands-on leadership role. The Senior Director will build and lead the Project Controls & PMO function while remaining closely engaged with major programmes challenging assumptions validating plans and intervening where performance risk or governance standards fall short.

Key Responsibilities

PMO Leadership & Portfolio Governance

• Lead and grow a best-in-class Project Controls and PMO function integrating schedule cost risk and governance disciplines across the portfolio

• Define and enforce standardised governance frameworks stage gate approval methodologies and controls across all projects

• Ensure clarity of roles responsibilities and decision rights across PMO project teams and delivery functions

• Act as the central authority for portfolio governance and assurance

Programme Controls & Performance Management

• Own portfolio-wide programme controls including schedule risk dependency and performance tracking together with a structured stage gate approval process linked to agree gate milestones and deliverables.

• Drive consistency and rigour in planning standards and execution baselines

• Monitor delivery performance and identify early warning indicators of risk or deviation

• Ensure issues are surfaced early and managed proactively not retrospectively

Cost Assurance & Commercial Oversight

• Provide independent oversight of CAPEX forecasting cost performance and change control

• Ensure robust financial governance transparency and consistency of reporting

• Provide independent challenge to project and programme teams ensuring plans assumptions and forecasts are robust evidence-based and aligned to delivery reality.

Commissioning Assurance & Readiness

• Ensure commissioning is fully integrated into programme planning and governance frameworks in line with VIRTUS Cx plan of record.

• Provide assurance that readiness testing and handover requirements are clearly defined and tracked and tagging evidenced and uploaded to VIRTUS preferred Cx record information platform.

• Escalate any gaps or risks to operational readiness.

Reporting & Executive Insight

• Own the portfolio reporting framework and templates providing clear accurate and decision-ready insight to the Executive Leadership Team

• Ensure reporting focuses on safety performance progress schedule certainty financial oversight key risks required decisions utility progress.

• Drive improvements in forecast accuracy data quality consistency across GEOs and transparency.

Intervention & Assurance

• Act as an independent authoritative voice on delivery performance across the portfolio

• Challenge project teams and senior stakeholders where standards assumptions or plans are not robust and processes are not followed.

• Lead or support targeted interventions on high-risk or underperforming projects without assuming delivery ownership.

• Ensure that recovery plans are credible structured actively managed and approved by the senior leadership team.

• Work closely with Design Construction Commissioning Operations Finance and Commercial teams to ensure alignment between governance and agreed delivery objectives.

• Engage with external partners contractors and consultants to reinforce standards and expectations.

• Ensure PMO frameworks are adaptable to regional requirements including:

  • Strong alignment with structured governance documentation and regulatory expectations.

  • Effective navigation of local delivery practices stakeholder dynamics and operational complexity.

• Build a PMO function that is respected not bypassed; seen as enabling delivery rather than slowing it down.

• Set a clear tone of discipline transparency and accountability across the organisation.

• Balance rigour with pragmatism adapting approach without compromising standards.

• Develop a team capable of operating across multiple countries cultures and project environments.

• Stay sufficiently close to delivery to add value not just report on it.

Experience & Capability

• Proven experience leading a PMO or programme controls function within large-scale construction or infrastructure environments.

• Experience overseeing complex multi-site multi-country capital programmes.

• Strong expertise in programme controls governance frameworks and portfolio management.

• Demonstrated ability to operate as a hands-on leader able to engage at both executive and project levels.

• Strong commercial awareness particularly in cost control forecasting and change management.

• Experience working across European markets ideally including Germany and/or Italy.

• Degree-qualified in Engineering Construction Management or related discipline (or equivalent experience).

• Highly structured and detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple projects with variable complexity and challenges to maintain clarity at scale.

• Confident and credible able to challenge senior stakeholders constructively.

• Calm under pressure with strong judgement and decision-making capability.

• Pragmatic and adaptable across different cultural and regulatory environments.

• Clear and direct communicator able to translate complex data into meaningful insight.