Senior Design Manager, NA

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world's well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

The Design Integration Group (DIG) at Vantage is responsible for the stewardship and execution of the data center design through the project lifecyle, from early development through construction and handover to operations, and includes the Design Management, Design Engineering and Regional Product teams. Collaborating closely with the Regional Product, Design Engineering, New Site Development, Construction and Operations teams, Design Management functions as the interconnective hub that owns the project design and its reporting and communication, bridging strategy and execution to ensure design excellence, predictability, and scalability.

This role can be based in any of our US locations :
Denver, CO;
Phoenix, AZ;
Santa Clara, CA; or Ashburn, VA in alignment with our flexible work policy (3 days on site required, 2 days flexible).

The Senior Design Manager (PR03) is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading complex design projects and initiatives across the data center lifecycle. This role independently manages project deliverables, coordinates with cross-functional teams, and ensures design solutions meet technical, operational, and customer requirements. The Senior Design Manager applies advanced technical expertise, process discipline, and stakeholder engagement to drive project success, innovation, and continuous improvement.

This role does not have direct reports but may mentor or coordinate the work of others.

Lead design projects from concept through handover, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and customer needs.

Act as the primary point of contact for design-related communication, milestones, and deliverables across Development, Engineering, Construction, and Operations.

Independently manage project schedules, deliverables, and technical documentation with minimal oversight.

Drive design phases (concept schematic design development IFC) for hyperscale campuses (50-500+ MW portfolios).

Collaborate with external architects and consultants, ensuring scope clarity and integration into internal workflows.

Maintain compliance with hyperscaler design standards, resiliency tiers, redundancy philosophies, and security frameworks.

Supports strategic decisioning and collaborates effectively across other departments.

Identify and implement value engineering opportunities that reduce cost, schedule, and complexity without compromising resilience.

Conduct design risk assessments, mitigation planning, and QA / QC audits.

Support sequencing, schedule planning, and cost modeling for multi-wave campus builds.

Partner with Construction, Procurement, Telecom, Power, Security, Controls, Commissioning, and Operations teams to ensure seamless execution.

Coordinate regional design feedback loops to improve product and design standards.

Mentor junior team members and share technical expertise.

Promote strategies such as modular design, prefabrication, and advanced cooling / power topologies.

Validate integration for AI / ML clusters, GPU environments, and next-gen infrastructure.

Ensure compliance with building codes, energy standards, sustainability goals, and utility requirements.

Design packages that meet VDC and operational standards-delivered on time, on budget, and in compliance with governance requirements.

SSOPR (Site Specific Owner's Project Requirements) documented and optimized.

Milestone reporting: design schedules, cost benchmarks, and progress metrics.

Lessons Learned repository and structured feedback integration.

Advanced project management and organizational skills.

Strong communication and interpersonal abilities; skilled at managing conflicting priorities.

Technical fluency in electrical and mechanical infrastructure (UPS, generators, switch gear, CRAH / CRAC, chillers, MV / LV, busway).

Familiarity with BIM tools (Revit, Navisworks, AutoCAD) and PM software (Procore, MS Project, Click Up).

Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment with ambiguity tolerance and data-driven decision-making.

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Mechanical or Electrical disciplines (or equivalent experience).

8+ years in mission-critical, data center, or industrial infrastructure design.

Proven experience delivering hyperscale…