Development director

Development Director – PortugalDevelopment & Construction (DC) TeamAbout NscaleAt Nscale, we are building the infrastructure for Europe’s AI revolution. Nscale are developing cutting-edge sovereign generative AI solutions, powered by a new generation of high-performance, sustainable data centres and GPUs built specifically for AI workloads.The growth of artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented global demand for compute and GPU infrastructure. Nscale is positioned at the heart of this transformation — building the platforms that will enable the next decade of innovation.Nscale are working closely with the world’s most advanced AI technology providers, integrating next-gen compute hardware and GPU clusters in both partner and Nscale built facilities. This is an opportunity to join Nscale’s journey, play a key role in delivering transformative AI infrastructure, and help shape a company designed to scale rapidly across Europe and beyond.The RoleWe’re looking for an experienced and driven Development Director – Portugal to lead and oversee front-end development activities across Nscale’s projects in the Iberian region, including a significant contribution to the Stargate projects and other key Nscale developments. Reporting to the Head of Development, this role will be a cornerstone of Nscale’s regional leadership team, guiding projects from early acquisition through to handover to our Construction function, while helping build and lead a growing team of development professionals.You will play a strategic leadership role, while remaining hands-on as Nscale scales — coordinating design, permitting, and delivery across multiple jurisdictions and ensuring world-class technical and operational standards. You will be a key interface with local partners and customers throughout the region.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelopment Leadership:Lead the full lifecycle of front-end development across Portuguese data centre projects — from site identification and acquisition support, through design development, permitting, and into construction handover.Regional Strategy:Shape and drive Nscale’s development strategy regionally, ensuring alignment with company growth objectives, regional regulatory environments, and evolving AI infrastructure needs.Team Building & Leadership:Help build, establish and lead a high-performing regional team, fostering collaboration between design & development, construction, cost, GPU deployment and operational functions.Project Oversight:Oversee the development of major projects such as the Stargate projects, coordinating internal and external stakeholders to deliver best-in-class, AI-optimized data centre solutions.Permitting & Compliance:Manage permitting processes across multiple European jurisdictions; engage with local authorities, consultants, and stakeholders to secure timely approvals and mitigate regulatory risks.Stakeholder & Partner Engagement:Develop and maintain strong relationships with local partners, landowners, consultants, and public bodies. Represent Nscale in discussions on project delivery, sustainability, and infrastructure alignment.Cross-Functional Collaboration:Work closely with design, construction, and cost management teams to ensure technical, commercial, and schedule objectives are met across all phases.Governance & Reporting:Maintain clear reporting and documentation across all European developments, ensuring consistency with Nscale’s delivery standards, governance structures, and digital collaboration tools.Who You AreExperienced – 10+ years in development or project leadership roles, ideally in data centre, mission-critical, or large-scale infrastructure projects.Culture – align with Nscale’s mission, objectives and work culture. We are a fast paced, collaborative team, who provide autonomy, but require accountability.Technically Strong – Deep understanding of site development, permitting, and design coordination for complex technical infrastructure.Strategic & Hands-On – Capable of operating at both leadership and delivery levels; you’re a doer who leads by example.Collaborative – Comfortable working across regions, time zones, and disciplines. You’ll be part of a fast-growing and high-performing European team.Leadership Mindset – Experienced in building and managing teams, consultants and contractors to deliver projects with pace, quality, and precision. You will have expert knowledge of the local markets.Permitting-Savvy – Proven experience managing development and permitting processes in the Portugal is a significant advantage.Fluency in English is required; other European languages are an advantage.Startup-Ready – Flexible, proactive, and ready to help build world-leading AI systems, culture, and scale.Why Join Nscale?Join as a key member of the leadership team shaping Nscale’s expansion.Play a pivotal role in delivering the Stargate projects, other European Nscale self-build projects, Colo GPU deployments and other landmark AI infrastructure projects.Help build sustainable, high-performance data centres for leading AI platforms.Collaborate with the most advanced AI hardware and GPU infrastructure partners globally Be part of a fast-moving, high-growth company built on autonomy, accountability, and technical excellence.