Data Center Construction Manager

Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Client Environment: Data Centre
Role Type: Site-Based Construction Management / Owner’s Representative
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Construction Manager / Owner’s Representative to support the delivery of a major mission-critical construction project in Zurich.
The successful candidate will act on behalf of the end client throughout the construction, commissioning and close-out phases of the project. The role will focus on ensuring that the General Contractor, specialist contractors, equipment vendors and wider project team remain coordinated and deliver the works safely, to the required quality standards and in accordance with the agreed project programme.
This is a highly site-focused position requiring strong construction management, contractor coordination, programme management, communication and problem-solving capabilities within a fast-paced, technically complex environment.
Key Responsibilities
Construction & Contractor Management
• Administer and monitor the General Contractor’s delivery of the construction works and ensure that the project is completed in accordance with the relevant drawings, specifications and client requirements.
• Monitor the performance of the General Contractor, specialist contractors, site/developer teams and suppliers.
• Ensure effective coordination between all members of the project team, including contractors responsible for client-furnished / contractor-installed equipment.
• Identify interface risks, scheduling conflicts and potential interference between contractors and coordinate actions to resolve them.
• Support the mobilisation and briefing of the appointed General Contractor regarding project requirements, responsibilities and interfaces with other project stakeholders.
Programme & Schedule Management
• Maintain a strong focus on protection of the overall construction programme.
• Identify potential programme delays or risks at an early stage and escalate them to the client.
• Work with contractors and the wider project team to develop appropriate corrective actions and monitor their implementation.
• Identify opportunities to accelerate delivery where appropriate, including sequencing changes, additional shifts or overtime.
• Coordinate mitigation plans where activities are at risk of affecting key project milestones.
• Assess and communicate the programme implications of proposed project changes.
• Ensure decisions or approvals required from the client are identified and escalated sufficiently early to avoid impacting the programme.
Health & Safety Monitoring
• Monitor the General Contractor and other responsible parties in relation to the performance of their health and safety responsibilities.
• Maintain visibility of health and safety performance across the project.
• Immediately escalate health and safety incidents and significant concerns to the client.
• Support a strong site culture focused on safe delivery while respecting the contractual responsibilities of the parties responsible for site safety.
Quality, Inspections & Issue Resolution
• Monitor construction activities and identify quality-related concerns during project delivery.
• Review third-party inspection reports and follow identified issues through to satisfactory resolution.
• Review contractor method statements and assess whether sufficient information has been provided for client review.
• Identify project risks or activities that may prevent the project from achieving the client’s objectives.
• Coordinate with the relevant contractors and stakeholders to establish corrective actions and track them through completion.
RFIs, Information & Project Coordination
• Coordinate timely responses to contractor Requests for Information involving the client, Design Team and other project stakeholders.
• Ensure information required to maintain the construction programme is obtained and communicated promptly.
• Establish and maintain effective project communication, reporting, correspondence and drawing distribution processes.
• Monitor communication and information flow between the client and project team.
• Maintain close communication with the client’s construction and operational teams regarding project status, upcoming activities, defects, warranty matters and project issues.
Site Access Coordination
• Maintain and update site access request schedules in collaboration with the General Contractor.
• Ensure access requests for contractors, workers, visitors and client personnel are raised sufficiently early.
• Assist in resolving access-related issues that could affect project progress.
Equipment & Vendor Coordination
• Coordinate interfaces relating to Owner Furnished Contractor Installed (OFCI) equipment.
• Verify and report receipt of OFCI equipment delivered to site.
• Coordinate contractors and equipment vendors to ensure equipment installation, testing and commissioning activities align with the overall construction programme.
Commissioning Support
• Work closely with the project team, specialist contractors and equipment vendors to plan and execute the commissioning phase.
• Ensure required off-site and on-site testing is planned, completed and appropriately documented ahead of handover to commissioning.
• Confirm that required start-up, testing and project documentation is available to the client and third-party commissioning teams.
• Attend commissioning and integrated systems testing activities as required.
• Coordinate with the General Contractor, specialist contractors and equipment vendors to resolve issues identified during commissioning.
• Maintain visibility of commissioning issue logs and support timely closure of outstanding actions.
Meetings & Reporting
• Participate in weekly project meetings, construction site walks and additional ad-hoc meetings as required.
• Provide recommendations regarding meeting structure, attendees, frequency and information flow where improvements are required.
• Maintain clear and regular communication with the client’s construction and operational teams.
• Maintain project issue, snagging and close-out trackers and provide regular status reporting.
• Ensure actions, risks and outstanding issues have clear owners and are actively progressed.
Snagging, Handover & Close-Out
• Manage and maintain snagging, close-out and outstanding issue lists.
• Coordinate with the project team to ensure outstanding construction and commissioning issues are driven to completion.
• Support the transition from construction through commissioning and final project handover.
• Assist the client with the overall evaluation of project delivery.
• Support other reasonable Owner’s Representative activities required to achieve successful project completion.