Group Commissioning Director

About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is Europe’s fastest-growing data centre provider. We own, design, build, and operate some of the most energy-efficient, flexible, and secure data centres in the UK and Europe.

In 2023, we announced our expansion into continental Europe, starting with Berlin and Milan, with plans to grow further across the region.

At VIRTUS, we aim to be a positive force in the fourth industrial revolution—delivering innovative solutions while staying firmly rooted in our core values:
Clarity & Quality, Accountability, Customer Commitment, Purposeful Innovation, and Capability & Growth.

The Group Commissioning Director is accountable for the governance, strategy and consistent delivery of commissioning across all VIRTUS data centre projects, major infrastructure upgrades and lifecycle replacement works across Europe. The role acts as the owner’s commissioning authority, ensuring that critical infrastructure is designed, installed, tested, integrated, documented and formally accepted in line with VIRTUS requirements, project specifications, operational readiness criteria, applicable legislation, ISO requirements, customer requirements and industry best practice.

The role provides dedicated data centre commissioning expertise to support new build and expansion projects, management of group-wide commissioning standards and customer engagements as required. Through the commissioning team, appointed commissioning agents, contractors and suppliers, the role will lead the commissioning lifecycle from early design commissionability reviews and factory testing through site acceptance, start-up, functional performance testing, Integrated Systems Testing, defect closure and operational handover.

The role is responsible for ensuring safe energisation, resilient system performance, clear acceptance criteria, robust issue resolution, evidence-based handover and continued improvement of the VIRTUS commissioning playbook, standards and reporting framework.

The role includes but is not limited to the following:

• Own and continuously improve the VIRTUS commissioning framework, playbook and regional standards across the UK and European portfolio, ensuring clear roles, interfaces, level definitions, decision gates, acceptance criteria, escalation routes, reporting templates, evidence requirements and handover criteria.
• Build, lead and resource a high-performing regional commissioning team across the UK, Germany, Italy and other European locations, setting clear expectations, priorities and ways of working while developing capability through coaching, technical mentoring, structured development plans, knowledge sharing and succession planning.
• Lead the full commissioning lifecycle from design commissionability review through Level 1 FAT, Level 2 installation verification, Level 3 start-up and energisation, Level 4 functional performance testing, Level 5 Integrated Systems Testing, defect closure and formal operational handover.
• Ensure commissioning deliverables are planned, reviewed, evidenced and completed to the required standard, including FAT/SAT documentation, readiness checklists, test scripts, witnessing records, FPTs, IST plans, method statements, MOPs/SOPs, deficiency logs, commissioning reports and turnover packs.
• Support commissioning-related procurement, appointment and contract governance by defining scope requirements, reviewing consultant and contractor proposals, validating commissioning deliverables and ensuring contractual testing, evidence and handover obligations are clearly understood and delivered.
• Provide technical governance over critical data centre systems, including HV/LV distribution, switch gear, transformers, UPS, generators, fuel…