Commercial Manager, India

Commercial Manager, India

Who we are:

Digital Edge is a trusted and forward-looking data center platform company, established to transform digital infrastructure in Asia. Backed by Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets, Digital Edge has in excess of US$1.6 billion in committed equity capital with investors including some of the worlds largest institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Digital Edge’s vision is to be the leading provider of sustainable, next generation digital infrastructure in Asia. Our mission is to build the foundation for the world’s digital future, helping organizations to grow sustainably and empowering populations they serve.

Founded in 2020, the company has grown rapidly across multiple markets in the region, and currently provides data center and fiber services across Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and China. The Company now owns and operates 21 data centers with over 500 MW of critical IT load in service and under construction and development, with another 300 MW held for future development,

This role is an exciting opportunity to join our fast growing team as we further expand our footprint across Asia.

Our values:

• Respect: We embrace diversity and collaboration.

• Innovation: We share ideas and solve problems.

• Strive: We are driven and determined.

• Excellence: We seek to deliver the best.

• Responsibility: We do what’s right for our people and the planet.

What we need:

Reporting to the Head of Finance, this role will be for shaping and executing the full commercial strategy for a new data centre development project, from construction, commissioning, and long-term operations. This role ensures that the data centre is delivered within financially viable parameters, under commercially competitive contracts. The Commercial Manager will lead all commercial negotiations with suppliers and construction partners. This role will work cross-functionally with development, design, engineering, construction, legal, finance, and operations teams to ensure the project’s commercial success. This role will be based at our site office in Navi Mumbai.

Key responsibilities:

Commercial Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and own the commercial strategy for the data centre project, aligning it with corporate growth plans.
• Lead the creation of business cases, market analysis, and financial parameters to support investment decisions.
• Establish commercial governance, processes, and risk-management frameworks for the project lifecycle.
• Support capital raising efforts by preparing commercial inputs for investors, lenders, and JV partners.

Commercial Management of Construction & Development

• Lead commercial negotiations with EPC contractors, MEP providers, power suppliers, cooling system vendors, and technology partners.
• Work with the construction team to manage contract structures (EPC, GMP, CM, design-build) and negotiate performance guarantees, liquidated damages, and risk allocation.
• Establish commercial controls to track budget, procurement, cost forecasts, and supplier claims.
• Manage all Commercial aspects of Project execution in close interaction with Finance & Project team for contract administration, claims management, Billing/ certification Schedule, Cash Flows management and monitoring, managing the issuance and maintenance of bank guarantees and overseeing LC operations in close coordination with Finance
• Manage and control all project accounts payable and ensure timely payments as per vendor PO terms and schedule and scope.
• Preparation of regular Project Cash Flow, Cost Control statements, identify budget overruns and other MIS requirements related to the Project etc.
• Monitoring progress of Project & Site activities and reconciliation for Project closures with respect to schedule, scope, cost control, receivables, cash flow management, shipping & logistics, imports and exports, remittances & banking transactions etc. related to Project.

Contracting & Compliance

• Commercial contract frameworks for suppliers and partners.
• Collaborate with procurement and legal to draft, negotiate, and finalize master service agreements, NDAs and construction contracts.
• Maintain contract governance throughout construction and operations.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with operations teams to ensure operational readiness and SLA compliance.
• Lead internal commercial reviews and present project updates to the executive team and board.
• Assessment of Commercial Tenders and identifying the liabilities and risks associated with the Tender / Project vis-vis company's Risk Profile
• Interaction with Suppliers, Service contractors, Banks and other statutory / Governmental agencies.

Others

• Attend to audit queries on Project related commercial matters
• Coaching, mentoring and managing teams.
• Actively champion and comply with policies and procedures related to workplace health & safety, information security, environmental, quality, energy management systems, incident management, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

The successful candidate:

• 18+ years of commercial leadership experience in data centres, telecoms, EPC/ Construction industry.
• Strong experience negotiating complex contracts with EPC contractors.
• Demonstrated ability to take a major infrastructure project from concept to delivery.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in cost modelling, project finance and P&L ownership.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with executive-level communication abilities.
• Preference qualified Chartered Accountant or MBA