Commercial Manager - Data Centre
Working in partnership with our clients, we deliver major projects and programmes with skill and precision, by focusing on outcomes and driving high performance.
Delivering innovative solutions and exceptional outcomes across our sectors, we drive the success of our client’s projects and programmes through effective planning, highly skilled teams, and rigorous controls.
Our capabilities include asset management, controls and performance, cost and commercial management, digital, procurement and supply chain, programme advisory, project management and sustainability. Backed by our extensive experience, we focus on outcomes to transform client’s projects and programmes.
With over 133 offices across 47 countries, we are an organisation of over GBP 1.5 billion turnover and 12,000+ talented team members across the world. In 2025, we are combining with CBRE’s Project Management business to create the premier, differentiated programme, project, and cost management capability globally. Through this change, our profile in Asia will scale significantly, comprising a team of over 4000 staff across all major countries in region. The combination of our programme management and project management and commercial management capabilities will provide a unique opportunity to do things for our clients. In Asia, we bring more than 4000 talented colleagues together across ten locations, supporting the region’s most iconic and critical projects and programmes. Our local track record includes high-profile projects such as Marina Bay Sands, Osaka Expo and offshore wind farms, as well as oversight of major property portfolios for major local and global brands.
The Commercial Pre Lease Manager is responsible for providing the commercial leadership, cost intelligence and financial analysis that underpin data centre investment and leasing decisions. Acting as the client's commercial advisor, the role ensures that costs, assumptions, pricing structures and commercial risks are rigorously challenged, quantified and communicated before commitments are made.
Working across multiple concurrent opportunities, the Commercial Pre Lease Manager develops robust total cost of occupancy models, benchmarks developer proposals against market intelligence and supports commercial negotiations with evidence based analysis. The role works closely with Project Managers, Technical Due Diligence Managers, developers and client stakeholders to ensure all commercial decisions are informed, transparent and aligned to programme objectives.
This is a front end transaction and advisory role focused on commercial evaluation, investment decision support and lease negotiations. It is not a delivery focused cost management or quantity surveying role.
Key responsibilities
Lead the commercial due diligence process for assigned opportunities from site evaluation through lease execution.
Develop and maintain total cost of occupancy models for all shortlisted options, assessing both initial and long term commercial implications.
Benchmark developer and landlord proposals against market intelligence, comparable transactions and regional cost data to identify anomalies, exclusions and hidden exposures.
Review and challenge pricing assumptions, escalation mechanisms, pass through costs, utility pricing structures, incentives and commercial commitments.
Validate open book budgets, development costs and reimbursable agreements, ensuring all assumptions are supported by evidence and market benchmarks.
Evaluate commercial viability and value propositions across competing developers, providers and site options.
Identify commercial risks and opportunities, quantifying financial exposure and developing mitigation strategies.
Provide commercial recommendations and negotiation strategies to support lease discussions, term sheets and build to suit agreements, as applicable.
Support the development of investment cases, approval papers and executive decision making materials.Maintain regional cost intelligence and benchmarking databases, providing market insights to inform future transactions.
Work closely with project management, technical and legal teams to ensure commercial considerations are integrated into overall transaction strategies.
Maintain clear commercial audit trails, supporting documentation and decision records throughout the transaction lifecycle.
Provide regular commercial reporting, forecasts, risk assessments and recommendations to programme and client leadership.
What success looks like
Commercial assumptions fully validated and challenged before lease commitments are made.
Accurate and transparent total cost of occupancy visibility established across all shortlisted options.
Developer proposals rigorously benchmarked against market data, with cost anomalies and hidden exposures identified and addressed.
Commercial risks clearly quantified, documented and communicated to decision makers.
Strong negotiation support resulting in favourable commercial outcomes and improved value for the client.
Investment and leasing decisions supported by robust financial analysis and evidence based recommendations.
Regional commercial intelligence continuously strengthened through market benchmarking and lessons learned.
Multiple concurrent transactions managed effectively without compromising quality, accuracy or responsiveness.
Commercial assessments, recommendations and approvals fully documented and auditable.
Recognised as a trusted commercial advisor who protects client interests and enables informed data centre investment and leasing decisions.
A solid grounding in cost management or quantity surveying, with data centre or mission-critical exposure
Working knowledge of open-book and cost-reimbursable commercial structures
Confidence challenging developer numbers with evidence, in the room
Solid cost modelling and benchmarking capability
Local market cost knowledge and language capability a significant advantage
RICS or equivalent qualification (or progress toward it) preferred
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