Project Manager / Assistant Project Manager (Data Center)

Location: Japan (project site, with time at the client's Tokyo office) ·

Employment: Secondment via Regional Energy Pte. Ltd. ·

Language: Japanese and English, bilingual preferred

Role purpose

Lead delivery of a data center construction project in Japan for the Owner / EPC, from design through construction, commissioning and handover. You are the single point of accountability for schedule, budget, quality and safety on your scope, and the bridge between the international client team and Japanese contractors, consultants and authorities.

Key responsibilities

Planning and delivery

• Build and own the integrated project schedule (design, permits, procurement, construction, commissioning) and track the critical path, including long-lead equipment such as transformers, switchgear, generators, UPS and chillers.
• Run the project execution plan, milestone reviews and look-ahead planning with the general contractor and MEP contractors.
• Identify risks early, keep the risk register current and drive mitigation and recovery plans.

Design and technical coordination

• Coordinate architects, structural and MEP designers through concept, basic and detailed design, making sure the client's data center standards are met (redundancy such as N+1 / 2N, power density, cooling, security).
• Lead design reviews, RFIs, submittals and technical queries; keep BIM coordination and clash resolution moving.
• Manage design changes so their cost, schedule and capacity impact are assessed before approval.

Contractors, permits and stakeholders

• Manage the general contractor and key subcontractors day to day, holding them to contract, programme and quality.
• Drive Japanese permits and authority engagement, including building confirmation (確認申請), fire department (消防) and high-voltage power-receiving (受電) with the utility.
• Report to the client's Project Director and global team in English; work with local contractors, utilities and authorities in Japanese.

Cost, change and reporting

• Work with the Costing and Procurement & Contract Managers to keep the project within budget, review change requests and approve variations within delegated authority.
• Produce weekly and monthly progress reports covering schedule, cost, safety, quality and risks.

Safety, quality and handover

• Champion site safety under Japan's Industrial Safety and Health Act (労働安全衛生法) and the client's EHS standards.
• Oversee QA/QC inspections, punch lists and defect closure.
• Lead integrated commissioning (Level 1–5) with the commissioning agent, then handover to operations with as-builts, O&M manuals and training.

Requirements

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• Degree in civil, architectural, mechanical or electrical engineering, or construction management.
• Manager: 10+ years in construction project management, at least 5 on data center, semiconductor, pharma or similar mission-critical projects. Assistant Manager: 6+ years, at least 3 on such projects.
• Experience delivering projects in Japan, with working knowledge of the Building Standards Act (建築基準法), Fire Service Act (消防法) and Construction Business Act (建設業法).
• Strong grasp of data center MEP: MV/HV power, UPS, generators, cooling (chillers, CRAH, liquid cooling) and BMS / EPMS.Japanese and English for daily work, ideally JLPT N2+ and business-level English.

Preferred

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• Hyperscale or colocation projects of 10 MW+ IT load, on the owner or EPC side.
• 一級建築施工管理技士, 一級電気工事施工管理技士, 一級管工事施工管理技士, 一級建築士, PMP or PRINCE2.
• Primavera P6 or MS Project; familiarity with BIM (Revit / Navisworks).
• Working conditions
• Regular site presence with PPE; site walks and inspections are part of the role. Extended hours may be needed around critical milestones, energization, commissioning and handover.