Associate Director Site Selection

A Snapshot 

At AirTrunk, we’ve all come together to deliver data centres that meet and grow with the needs of our large cloud, content, and enterprise customers. As Site Selection Strategy & Acquisition, Associate Director, you will report to the Senior Director, Real Estate and be part of a dynamic team driving AirTrunk’s rapid expansion.

In this role, you will lead the identification, origination, and acquisition of strategic data centre sites across Japan, working across both established and emerging markets. You will engage with key stakeholders including landowners, property developers, government agencies, and real estate brokers to source, structure, and advance high-potential development opportunities, including proprietary transactions and developer conversion opportunities.

You will receive mentorship from the Senior Director, Real Estate, while collaborating with a wide range of internal teams and external partners across the AirTrunk platform. 

Your Day to Day 

Site Selection and Acquisitions, Business Development, Market Analysis and Opportunity Mapping 

• Originate and execute multiple real estate transactions simultaneously, taking ownership of assigned markets and transactions with limited day-to-day oversight. 
• Build and maintain relationships with landowners, developers, brokers, and government agencies to source and evaluate potential sites, including identifying off-market and proprietary opportunities. 
• Proactively identify and cultivate proprietary development opportunities, including converting developer-led projects and landowner opportunities into strategic AirTrunk expansion sites. 
• Conduct market research and opportunity mapping to identify strategic expansion opportunities across Japan, collaborating with the Data Strategy team to assess priority locations. 

Due Diligence, Feasibility & Internal Approvals 

• Partner with multidisciplinary teams - including engineers, consultants, and real estate professionals—to conduct due diligence and feasibility assessments. 
• Support the structuring and advancement of development opportunities, working with internal teams to evaluate technical, commercial, and regulatory considerations. 
• Manage the due diligence budget for relevant site selection activities, ensuring cost control and transparency. 
• Collaborate with internal teams in preparing materials for investment approvals, including budgets and investment memos. 

Legal & Documentation 

• Lead negotiations of all key legal documents such as NDAs, LOIs / MOUs, lease agreements, and sale and purchase agreements. 
• Coordinate with internal and external legal teams to ensure alignment with deal terms and integration of due diligence findings. 
• Facilitate and track the execution of contracts and related documentation to ensure timely completion and compliance. 

Reporting & Coordination 

• Prepare clear and concise presentation materials and updates for internal stakeholders, highlighting progress, risks, and key milestones in the site acquisition process. 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to maintain alignment and momentum across real estate initiatives. 

Requirements 

• 8+ years of experience in the real estate sector, with exposure to site selection, acquisitions, or related business development activities. 
• Experience in industrial real estate, data centres, energy or infrastructure sectors is advantageous but not mandatory. 
• Fluency in Japanese (JLPT N1 or equivalent) and at least intermediate English communication skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in collaborative team environments. 
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.