Design Manager

As our Critical Infrastructures division and award-winning data centre team continue to grow, we are seeking an experienced Design Manager to own and coordinate the design delivery process across data centre and critical infrastructure projects within our growing Critical Infrastructures division.

Based at our Manchester head office, the role includes travel to project and client sites across the UK and occasionally Europe.

The successful candidate will be dynamic and enthusiastic, joining a key technical team within a growing international business with and an expanding client portfolio of projects.

The Design Manager is responsible for delivery of the design process. They will own the design management plan, programme, responsibilities, information flow, reviews and approvals, coordinating outputs produced by internal designers, external consultants, suppliers and subcontractors. Managing the process from tender and pre-construction through design development, construction, commissioning and handover, they will ensure the right information is produced by the right parties at the right time and that outputs are coordinated, compliant, buildable and aligned with programme and commercial requirements.

The role requires sufficient technical knowledge to review and challenge solutions, but is focused on managing and assuring others’ outputs rather than routinely undertaking detailed engineering design or acting as the technical authority for a specialist discipline.

We are looking for an experienced Design Manager or senior engineering professional with broad multidisciplinary M&E knowledge and a strong record of managing design teams, consultants, suppliers and information deliverables on technically demanding projects.

Candidates must be able to review and challenge integrated critical systems, including power, generation, UPS, cooling, ventilation, fire and controls, together with the spatial and operational interfaces that affect coordinated design. Data centre experience is highly desirable, although relevant experience in other critical or high-availability environments will be considered.

The role requires clear leadership and communication, strong design governance, and the ability to manage scope, programme, responsibilities, information, interfaces, risk, change and approvals. The successful candidate will confidently engage clients and delivery partners, hold contributors accountable for agreed deliverables and coordinate assurance of designs for resilience, safety, compliance, buildability, maintainability and efficient operation.