Data Center Project Manager (Pre-Lease) - Japan

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 62 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Please visit our website: www.turnerandtownsend.com

Job Description

The Project Manager (Pre Lease) is responsible for leading and integrating data centre transactions from site identification through to lease execution. Acting as the client's representative, the role coordinates technical, commercial, legal and delivery stakeholders to ensure informed decision making, effective risk management and successful transaction outcomes.

The role serves as the primary integrator across all due diligence activities, challenging developer proposals, validating assumptions through evidence and translating complex technical findings into clear recommendations for client leadership. Working across multiple concurrent opportunities, the Project Manager drives transaction schedules, manages stakeholder engagement and ensures all requirements, commitments and risks are fully captured and transferred into delivery following lease execution.

This is a front end transaction and advisory role focused on enabling successful investment and leasing decisions. It is not a construction delivery position.

Key responsibilities

Lead assigned data centre transactions from site identification through lease execution, managing all associated actions, milestones and stakeholders.

Act as the central point of coordination across all workstreams to ensure alignment and timely decision making.

Manage the end to end due diligence process, including site, utility, infrastructure, environmental, planning, permitting and developer assessments.

Assess power, water, cooling, connectivity and other critical infrastructure requirements to determine site suitability and identify material risks.

Challenge developer proposals, technical assumptions and delivery commitments, validating claims through evidence and independent assessment.

Compare proposed solutions against client standards and requirements, identifying gaps, risks and mitigation measures.

Develop structured site and developer appraisals with clear recommendations to support investment, leasing and transaction decisions.

Maintain transaction risk registers, action trackers, decision logs and document controls, ensuring issues are identified and escalated in a timely manner.

Coordinate technical, commercial and programme inputs into lease negotiations, technical schedules, performance requirements and contractual commitments.

Manage engagement with developers, consultants and client stakeholders, driving accountability and resolution of outstanding actions.

Prepare regular transaction status updates, risk reports and decision papers for programme and client leadership.

Drive transaction schedules and critical path activities to maintain momentum across multiple concurrent opportunities.

Prepare and own the lease handover package, ensuring all requirements, assumptions, commitments, risks and obligations are clearly communicated to downstream delivery teams.

Qualifications

Proven project management experience on data centre, mission-critical or complex real estate transactions

Experience coordinating multidisciplinary due diligence under deal pressure

Rigorous document and tracker discipline — nothing falls through

Confident stakeholder management across client, developer and internal teams

Strong written English; local language capability a significant advantage

Willingness to travel in-market to sites as deals require

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

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Department: Real estate