Program Director (Civil Engineering – Datacenter Projects)

Business Alliance HR is recruiting a Program Director (Civil Engineering – Datacenter Projects) for a Regional Digital Support Provider/Telecom Company located in Erbil, Iraq. Job Summary: The Program Director is responsible for leading and overseeing all datacenter programs end-to-end, with a primary focus on civil engineering works and infrastructure development, while ensuring full integration with MEP, ICT, and security systems. The role requires a strong Civil Engineering foundation, combined with professional Project/Program Management qualifications, and proven experience managing datacenter construction and mission-critical infrastructure projects. The Program Director will provide overall oversight of the PMO, ensuring that datacenter projects from design through commissioning are delivered on time, within budget, and in full compliance with Tier standards, safety regulations, and engineering best practices. Contract Type: Permanent/ Full-time. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Program & Portfolio Management Lead and manage the company’s portfolio of datacenter and critical infrastructure programs, including new facility builds, expansions, upgrades, and modernization initiatives. Ensure all datacenter programs are aligned with corporate strategy, capacity planning, and operational requirements. Drive strong cross-functional coordination and seamless integration across Datacenter Engineering, Operations, ICT, Procurement, and Finance. PMO Leadership & Governance Oversee the PMO and enforce standardized Tier-aligned governance frameworks, documentation templates, dashboards, and milestone controls. Implement PMI-based methodologies for planning, forecasting, quality assurance and quality control, risk management, and reporting. Review and approve detailed implementation plans for civil, electrical, mechanical, ICT, and security systems. Program Execution & Delivery Excellence Lead end-to-end execution of all datacenter programs across the following domains: Coordination of Civil and structural works. Coordination of Electrical systems, including UPS, generators, switchgear, grounding, and earthing. Coordination of Mechanical systems, including cooling, containment, HVAC, and fire suppression. Coordination of ICT backbone infrastructure, including networks, cabling, racks, and cross-connects. Coordination of Security systems, including CCTV, access control, BMS, and environmental monitoring. Ensure all projects achieve Tier compliance, commissioning readiness, and full adherence to OEM specifications. Conduct regular weekly and monthly reviews with contractors, consultants, and internal stakeholders. Resolve design conflicts, scope variations, schedule delays, and resource constraints. Additional responsibilities include: Ensure all projects meet Tier compliance, commissioning readiness, and full adherence to engineering specifications. Conduct regular weekly and monthly reviews with contractors, consultants, and internal stakeholders. Resolve design conflicts, scope variations, schedule delays, and resource constraints. Risk, Compliance, & Quality Assurance Lead comprehensive risk assessments covering technical, operational, financial, and regulatory risks across all datacenter workstreams. Ensure strict compliance with Tier standards, QA and QC requirements, safety regulations, and contractual obligations. Identify and mitigate single points of failure, design gaps, and operational vulnerabilities. Financial & CAPEX/OPEX Governance Partner with Finance and the COO on datacenter program budgeting, forecasting, and CAPEX planning. Review and validate PR and IR submissions, subcontractor payments, cost variations, and milestone-based invoices. Maintain strong cost control across civil works, MEP packages, ICT systems, and OEM procurements. Stakeholder Management & Reporting Act as the primary interface between the COO and all datacenter-related teams. Deliver clear, high-level reporting including progress dashboards, forward-looking plans, risk registers, financial tracking, and commissioning readiness status. Lead coordination forums with Engineering, ICT, Operations, Procurement, Finance, Legal, and external partners. Leadership, Team Development, & Culture Build, lead, and continuously develop a high-performing PMO focused on datacenter delivery excellence. Implement competency development frameworks and performance monitoring systems. Promote a culture of precision, safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. Requirements Required Skills & Competencies: Proven experience delivering Tier III and Tier IV datacenter projects or large-scale MEP and ICT facilities. Experience leading PMOs and multi-disciplinary engineering teams. Ability to manage OEMs, contractors, and multiple parallel workstreams effectively. Excellent communication and decision-making abilities. Proven ability to manage large teams with diverse engineering backgrounds. Strong analytical, strategic, and problem-solving skills. High resilience under pressure and tight project timelines. Technical Skills: In-depth knowledge of: Power systems, including UPS, generators, switchgear, and grounding Cooling and mechanical systems, such as CRAC/CRAH units, chillers, containment, and HVAC. ICT systems, structured cabling, and IP/MPLS backbones. Fire suppression, BMS, security, and environmental monitoring. Tier standards, commissioning procedures, and load testing. Strong contractual, financial, and risk management capabilities. Years of experience: Minimum of 10 years in program or project management, with a focus on datacenter or mission-critical infrastructure. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, or Telecom Engineering. A master’s degree is a plus. Professional certifications such as PMP/PRINCE2 are highly preferred. Tier-standard, datacenter, or commissioning certifications such as Uptime, BICSI, or DCPro are highly preferred. Location: Erbil, Iraq. Languages Required: Fluent in English and Arabic.