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About Sovereign AI
Sovereign AI is a data centre developer, owner and operator focused on the AI data centre submarket. Backed by industry-leading investors and strategic partners, we are building the critical infrastructure that will power the next generation of AI compute.
This Role
You will lead data centre projects from the point land has been acquired and power secured, taking them through design development, permitting, procurement and construction — including critical engineering installations and data hall fit-outs — through to completion of testing and commissioning.
You'll work from a standard Basis of Design (BOD) reference document provided by our global engineering team, localising it for the Japanese market and agreeing deviations where necessary. Given the constraints of Japan's General Contractor and MEP sub-contractor market, you'll appoint contractors through Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) — experience with this methodology will be essential to your success in the role.
Key Responsibilities
Develop scopes of work for external design consultants — architectural, structural, civil, mechanical & electrical, ICT and environmental impact assessment specialists — and oversee development from Concept through Schematic and Detailed Design to support permitting and approvals
Appoint General Contractors and MEP sub-contractors through Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), navigating Japan's constrained labour market and competition from other sectors
Develop and maintain the project master schedule covering design, approvals, procurement, construction, testing & commissioning and handover to the operations team
Appoint and oversee a Project Management consultant, including preparation of the Project Execution Plan, procurement strategy and reporting cadence
Select and oversee a cost management firm across all design stages, supporting value engineering, change management and project close-out
Identify, measure and mitigate project risk at every phase, escalating high-likelihood or high-impact items for regular discussion
Prepare and present regular technical progress reports to project stakeholders and steering committees, covering plan progress, approvals, key activities, cost summaries and risk
Work closely with overseas manufacturers on modular and containerised mechanical and electrical components, supporting shop drawing design to enable fast-track, high-density delivery
Experience
8+ years managing projects with a high degree of critical engineering, ideally within data centres or comparable complex technical construction
Proven experience delivering projects from land acquisition and power procurement through to testing & commissioning
Direct experience using Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) as a procurement methodology
Track record managing multi-disciplinary design consultants alongside General Contractor and MEP sub-contractor relationships
Experience preparing for and presenting to steering committees or senior oversight bodies
Skills
Strong working knowledge of Japanese design and construction contract formats, including OFCI and related variations
Native-level Japanese with working-level English
Confident scheduling, cost management and risk management capability across multi-phase construction programmes
Clear stakeholder communication and technical reporting
Comfortable coordinating with overseas manufacturers on modular/containerised build components
Qualifications
Degree in architecture or engineering
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