Project Director

Description

The Project Director – Customer Delivery is responsible for the end-to-end execution of customer contracts, from order intake through to final handover and acceptance. This role ensures projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and to Vertiv quality standards, while maintaining strong customer relationships and protecting company margins.

The Project Director leads cross-functional teams across engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, logistics, installation, and commissioning to deliver integrated critical infrastructure solutions, including power, thermal, and IT systems.

Key Responsibilities

End-to-End Project Ownership

• Own full lifecycle delivery from order booking to customer handover
• Ensure alignment with contractual scope, commercial terms, and technical requirements
• Act as the single point of accountability for project performance

Customer & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary executive interface with the customer
• Build and maintain strong relationships with hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise clients
• Manage expectations, communications, and escalations
• Lead governance forums (steering committees, project reviews)

Commercial & Financial Management

• Own project P&L, including revenue, margin, and cash flow
• Drive cost control, forecasting accuracy, and risk mitigation
• Manage variations, claims, and change orders
• Ensure billing milestones and cash collection targets are achieved

Project Execution & Delivery Excellence

• Lead integrated project planning across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning
• Ensure adherence to schedule, quality, and safety standards
• Drive execution using Lean, Agile, and structured project management methodologies
• Monitor and report KPIs (schedule adherence, cost variance, quality metrics)

Risk & Compliance Management

• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks (technical, commercial, supply chain, regulatory)
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, local regulations, and Vertiv standards
• Lead issue resolution and recovery planning where required

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead and coordinate global, regional, and local teams
• Align internal stakeholders across:
  • Engineering
  • Manufacturing
  • Supply Chain
  • Field Services
  • Quality & EHS
• Foster a high-performance, accountable delivery culture

• Ensure alignment with manufacturing schedules and supply chain constraints
• Mitigate risks related to long lead items and logistics
• Drive collaboration between factories and project teams

• Oversee site execution, installation, and commissioning activities
• Ensure successful system integration and performance validation
• Lead final acceptance, documentation, and customer handover
• Ensure smooth transition to service and lifecycle support teams

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• On-time project delivery
• Gross margin achievement / improvement
• Forecast accuracy
• Customer satisfaction (e.g., NPS)
• Change order capture and claims recovery
• Safety performance (zero harm)
• Quality metrics (defects, rework rates)

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Project Management, or related field
• 12–15+ years of experience in data center, critical infrastructure, or EPC project delivery
• Proven track record managing large-scale, complex projects ($10M–$100M+)
• Strong commercial and contractual management experience
• Experience working with hyperscale or colocation customers preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Executive-level stakeholder management
• Strong commercial and financial acumen
• Deep understanding of mission-critical infrastructure systems
• Leadership across matrix organizations
• Risk management and problem-solving
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to operate in fast-paced, high-pressure environments

Travel Requirements

• Willingness to travel (30–50%) depending on project location

Why This Role is Critical to Vertiv

This role directly impacts customer satisfaction, revenue realization, and profitability by ensuring that complex, high-value contracts are delivered with excellence. It is central to Vertiv’s ability to support the rapid growth of hyperscale and AI-driven data center infrastructure globally.