Senior Commercial

Senior Commercial & Strategy Director

Location: Paris, France

Salary: €200,000 (plus 25% bonus)

The Opportunity

A leading data centre developer and operator is seeking three senior leaders to join its European platform in Frankfurt, Paris, and London. This is a highly strategic, client-side leadership role, positioned above Project Director level, with a clear focus on growth strategy, commercial decision-making, and risk leadership across large-scale data centre developments.

The role is not delivery-led. Instead, it is designed for a commercially astute leader who can shape markets, define long-term development strategies, and influence major investment and growth decisions at country level.

Role Overview

Reporting directly into the Country Lead, the Senior Commercial & Strategy Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the organisation's development and expansion strategy within their assigned market. The role combines strategic planning, commercial oversight, and senior stakeholder engagement, acting as a key advisor to the country leadership team.

This position requires someone comfortable operating in a client-side, executive environment, influencing outcomes across feasibility, investment, risk, and governance rather than managing day-to-day project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Growth

• Lead the development of country-level growth and expansion strategies for large-scale data centre developments
• Create and own long-term development roadmaps, capacity planning, and investment strategies
• Advise the Country Lead on market entry, timing, scale, and commercial positioning

Commercial Leadership

• Own the commercial strategy for data centre developments from early feasibility through to execution
• Lead financial and commercial modelling, including ROI, value optimisation, and cost-risk trade-offs
• Drive informed, client-side decision-making aligned with wider European objectives

Risk & Governance

• Lead risk identification, mitigation, and scenario planning across the development portfolio
• Provide senior oversight of key development risks including planning, land, power, supply chain, and programme
• Ensure strong governance frameworks are embedded from concept through delivery

Senior Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a senior external-facing representative, engaging with clients, investors, partners, and authorities
• Influence and align internal stakeholders across development, delivery, finance, legal, and operations
• Operate credibly at executive and board level, shaping strategic discussions and outcomes

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience

• Proven experience operating above Project Director level within:
  • Data centres
  • Mission-critical infrastructure
  • Large-scale, capital-intensive real estate or infrastructure developments
• Strong client-side background (developer, operator, investor, or senior advisory role)
• Demonstrable experience leading growth strategy, commercial planning, and risk management
• Experience working within complex European markets; experience in Germany, France, or the UK preferred

Key Skills & Attributes

• Highly commercially driven with strong financial and strategic acumen
• Comfortable shaping strategy rather than managing delivery teams
• Able to influence without direct authority in a matrix environment
• Executive presence with confidence engaging at C-suite and board level
• Strategic thinker with a pragmatic, outcome-focused mindset

What's on Offer

• Base salary circa €200,000
• 25% bonus
• Flexible hybrid working (3–4 days on site)
• Opportunity to play a key role in shaping a European data centre growth platform