Principal Project Manager - Data Centres

Location/s: Huesca or Zaragoza, Spain
Recruiter contact: Maria Cervantes

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit

Mott MacDonald’s Advisory and Programme Delivery (APD) unit delivers both project, programme & commercial management (PPCM) services and advisory solutions across the built environment, defence, energy, water, environmental, transportation, health and care sectors.

We deliver tailored solutions that directly address our clients’ key challenges, combining our world-leading project expertise with unrivalled programme delivery capabilities and advisory services.

APD delivers services to projects ranging in scale and complexity up to £20bn, through the technical disciplines of programme management, project management, project controls, scheduling, cost management, estimating, infrastructure finance, management consulting, digital consulting and education, health and care management. 

Overview of the role

As a Principal Project Manager, you will provide strategic leadership across a portfolio of major data centre developments, acting as a senior advisor to clients and executive stakeholders.

You will be responsible for leading the delivery of some of the most complex and high-value mission-critical infrastructure programmes, driving project excellence while supporting business growth, client development and operational leadership.

What you will contribute to the team:

• Lead major hyperscale data centre programmes from planning through construction, commissioning and handover
• Serve as Executive Project Lead on high-profile client engagements
• Develop and maintain senior client relationships across investors, developers, operators and contractors
• Provide strategic oversight of project governance, risk management and delivery performance
• Lead project directors, senior project managers and multidisciplinary teams
• Provide executive-level reporting and strategic advice to client leadership teams
• Identify and manage programme-level risks, opportunities and commercial considerations
• Support business development, market growth and key account management initiatives
• Contribute to organisational capability development, technical excellence and thought leadership within the data centre sector
• Mentor and develop future project leadership talent

Candidate specification

Essential:

• Extensive experience delivering large-scale mission-critical or hyperscale data centre construction projects
• Proven track record leading major capital programmes valued in excess of €100m+
• Significant experience managing executive-level client relationships
• Demonstrated success leading geographically dispersed and multidisciplinary project teams
• Deep understanding of construction delivery, commissioning, operational readiness and programme governance
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing complex contract environments
• Experience supporting business development and strategic growth initiatives

Qualifications:

• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related discipline
• Chartered Professional status or equivalent highly desirable
• Advanced project or programme management qualifications desirable

Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional leadership and influencing capability
• Strategic thinking and executive-level decision-making skills
• Outstanding client relationship and business development capability
• Advanced commercial, negotiation and risk management expertise
• Ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams
• Strong communication and presentation skills with board-level stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to shape project delivery strategies and organisational best practice

Languages

• Native-level Spanish
• Fluent English (written and spoken)

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to travel across Spain and internationally as required
• Valid Spanish or EU driving licence

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. 

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• Competitive annual leave
• Pension scheme 
• Life insurance
• An annual professional institution subscription
• Private medical insurance 
• Optional benefits via salary sacrifice (restaurant voucher/transport card/day care voucher)
• Continuous development opportunities – because we want you to thrive  
• Agile/flexible working – because life isn’t 9-5  
• Annual bonus scheme  
• Wellbeing support including access to an independent Employer Assistance Scheme, wellbeing champions and access to learning and support resources 
• Access to our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability and parents/carers communities 
• The opportunity to make a difference; learn more about our social outcomes

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Agile working 

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.