Project Manager - Data Centre Build

Firmus Technologies Firmus Technologies is a global leader pioneering the development and operation of efficient AI infrastructure across Asia Pacific. Founded in Australia in 2019, our mission is to create the most efficient AI infrastructure by combining cutting-edge technology with a steadfast commitment to sustainability. At Firmus, we are unique in our approach. We design, build, and operate a new class of digital infrastructure – the AI Factory. Through our model-to-grid technology approach, we have pushed the boundaries of multi-generational liquid cooling systems, energy management, AI software orchestration, and construction. For our customers, this approach allows us to make every watt count and deliver low-cost AI tokens globally. Firmus AI Cloud Our large-scale GPU cloud platform, Firmus AI Cloud, is purpose-built to deliver energy-efficient AI compute at scale to customers. It empowers developers, enterprises, educational institutions, and government users to train and deploy AI models with unmatched efficiency and cost savings. With an ever-growing suite of services and applications, we are committed to delivering a cloud experience that is market-leading, proprietary, and built to scale. Why Firmus? As an NVIDIA Cloud and Engineering partner in Asia Pacific, you will gain skills, experience, and exposure across the AI industry and be part of shaping what this industry looks like for decades to come. We are founder-led, not a big corporate. Decisions happen fast, our leaders are accessible, and there's minimum bureaucracy between you and the work. Ownership comes early. Whatever your role, you will have a direct line to outcomes, helping shape how the business grows as we scale nationally across a long-term, large-scale roadmap. Work alongside founders and experts in AI infrastructure, energy systems and next-generation compute. What we build here has impact beyond the business. Our AI Factories are designed to operate as assets to the energy grid to actively strengthen the communities and regions they operate in rather than drawing from them. Considering applying? You don't need a perfect background to join our team. If you're driven and curious, there's a path for you. We back our people to grow into new domains and take on challenges beyond their previous experience. Role Summary The Project Manager – Capital Projects (Tailem Bend) is responsible for the delivery of the Tailem Bend project within Firmus’ South Australian capital projects portfolio. The role is responsible for the project end to end — from initial project gateway approval through to handover to the operations team — and for delivering it in line with the approved scope, budget, programme, quality and safety requirements. The role reports to the Senior Project Manager – Capital Projects (South Australia), who holds single-point accountability for the region. Design, cost and schedule changes are identified, assessed and recommended by this role, and authorised by the Senior Project Manager. The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring no change proceeds without that authorisation, and that approved changes are implemented, recorded and reflected in the project cost report and programme. Day to day, the role runs the project on the ground — directing consultants, contractors and vendors, controlling the programme and cost, maintaining safety and quality standards, and coordinating the planning, design, procurement, construction, fit-out, commissioning and deployment activities required to hand over a complete and operable facility. The role sits within the Capital Projects Team, which forms part of the Development Division under the Chief Development Officer. Key Responsibilities Project Delivery • Deliver the Tailem Bend project from initial project gateway approval through to handover to the operations team, in line with the approved scope, budget, programme, quality and safety requirements. • Manage each phase of the project — feasibility, approvals, design development, procurement, construction, fit-out, commissioning and deployment — and keep the sequence and interfaces between them under control. • Prepare the project material required for gateway and investment approvals, including scope, cost plan, programme and risk, for review by the Senior Project Manager – Capital Projects. • Progress planning approvals, authority conditions, utility and network connections and enabling works in line with the approved programme. • Run the day-to-day site delivery, including site supervision, coordination of trades and resolution of on-site issues. Programme and Cost Control • Own and maintain the project programme, protecting critical path, interface dates and key milestones. • Manage the project budget, including commitments, invoicing, variations, contingency drawdown and forecast to completion, with support from project controls. • Produce accurate, timely project reporting on progress, cost, risk, safety and readiness for the Senior Project Manager – Capital Projects. • Identify risks, delays and cost exposures early, propose mitigation, and escalate promptly rather than after impact. • Maintain complete and current project records, registers and documentation throughout delivery. Design and Change Management • Coordinate design development with consultants to ensure the design meets the approved brief, is buildable and is delivered to cost and programme. • Identify, assess and document every design, cost and schedule change, including its scope, cost, programme and risk impact. • Submit all changes to the Senior Project Manager – Capital Projects for authorisation — no change is to proceed on site without it. • Implement approved changes and ensure they are reflected in the drawings, cost report, programme and project records. • Manage requests for information, technical queries and design clarifications through to closure. Procurement, Consultants and Contractors • Support procurement strategy and packaging for the project with the supply chain and procurement functions, including long-lead equipment and specialist trades. • Manage the day-to-day performance of consultants, head contractors, construction managers, subcontractors and vendors engaged on the project. • Administer contracts, including scope definition, variations, claims, progress claims and payment recommendations, close-out and final account. • Hold delivery partners to the project programme and to the required cost, quality and safety standards. Safety, Quality and Compliance • Ensure work health and safety requirements are understood and met by all parties on site, and that safety performance is actively managed rather than assumed. • Ensure the works are delivered to the specified quality standards, with inspection and test plans, hold points and defect management applied. • Ensure compliance with permit and approval conditions, environmental requirements and applicable codes and standards. • Report incidents, near misses and non-conformances promptly and see corrective actions through to closure. Stakeholder and Authority Engagement • Act as the Firmus representative on site, maintaining working relationships with the council, planning authority, network and utility providers, neighbours and the local community. • Coordinate with internal functions — development and planning, design and engineering, project controls, energy and operations — to keep project delivery aligned with business requirements. • Support the Senior Project Manager in customer engagement relating to the project through delivery, commissioning and handover. Commissioning, Deployment and Handover • Coordinate commissioning, acceptance testing and witnessing through to a complete and operable facility. • Confirm site readiness, environmental conditions and access ahead of equipment delivery, installation and deployment. • Meet the handover readiness criteria set for the region, covering safety, quality, testing and documentation. • Compile and transfer handover documentation — as-builts, O&M manuals, warranties, asset registers, spares and operator training. • Manage defects, close-out and the transition of responsibility to the operations team. Skills & Experience Required Skills • Tertiary qualification in Engineering, Construction, Project Management or a related technical discipline • 6+ years’ experience delivering capital projects, ideally in data centres, mission-critical, energy or industrial infrastructure • Demonstrated experience running a project on site from design and procurement through construction and commissioning to handover • Strong programme and cost control, including scheduling, cost tracking, forecasting, variations and change control • Sound contract administration capability across construction management, design and construct, or traditional delivery models • Practical working knowledge of work health and safety obligations and quality management on an active construction site • Experience coordinating consultants, head contractors, subcontractors and vendors to a single programme • Experience with planning approvals, authority conditions and utility or network connections • Clear written and verbal communication, including concise project reporting to senior leadership • Familiarity with high-density compute environments and liquid or immersion cooling systems advantageous • Based in, or willing to relocate to, Adelaide or Tailem Bend, with regular travel to site • PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent project management certification advantageous Success Metrics • The Tailem Bend project progresses from gateway approval to handover on time, on budget and to the required quality and safety standards. • Project reporting is accurate, timely and trusted, giving the Senior Project Manager a reliable view of cost, programme, risk and readiness at all times. • Design, cost and schedule changes are identified early, properly assessed, authorised before they proceed, and reflected in the cost report and programme. • Risks, delays and cost exposures are escalated ahead of impact, with practical mitigation proposed rather than problems simply reported. • Safety and quality standards are met on site, with incidents, non-conformances and defects managed through to closure. • Consultants, contractors and vendors perform to programme, cost and quality, with contracts properly administered and closed out.