Design Manager – Critical Infrastructure & Data Centres

Manchester, with UK and occasional European travel
Up to £70k DOE plus benefits package
Permanent, full-time

Take ownership of design delivery on complex data centre and critical infrastructure projects.

PW Construction Recruitment is recruiting an experienced Design Manager to join a specialist engineering team within a growing international business.

This opportunity would suit a Design Manager or senior engineering professional with a strong multidisciplinary M&E / Building Services background who enjoys coordinating technical teams, challenging proposals and keeping complex projects moving.

Based from the Oldham offices, you will oversee the complete design process, from tender and pre-construction through design development, construction, commissioning and final handover.

The Role

You will ensure design information is coordinated, compliant, buildable and delivered in line with project programmes and commercial requirements.

Working with internal designers, external consultants, suppliers and subcontractors, you will establish clear responsibilities, manage information flow and ensure contributors deliver accurate information within agreed timescales.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and maintaining the Design Management Plan, design programme, responsibilities matrix and information schedules.

• Managing designers’ scopes, deliverables, interfaces, quality and performance.

• Chairing design coordination and review meetings, recording decisions and driving actions, technical queries and approvals through to completion.

• Reviewing multidisciplinary designs against client requirements, specifications and relevant standards.

• Resolving interfaces between mechanical, electrical and other building systems, including spatial coordination and plant layouts.

• Monitoring design progress, resources, risks and changes, identifying impacts on programme, cost, procurement and technical performance.

• Working with project and commercial teams to address design issues and support timely decisions.

• Providing procurement and construction teams with the technical information required for delivery.

• Coordinating site queries, supporting commissioning and ensuring effective design close-out.

• Improving design-management processes and the quality of project information.

The emphasis is on managing and assuring design delivery. You will need sufficient technical knowledge to review and challenge specialist engineering proposals, while coordinating the detailed design work undertaken by others.

About You

You will be an experienced Design Manager or senior engineering professional with a track record of managing multidisciplinary design on technically demanding projects.

You should bring:

• Significant experience in design management, M&E engineering or building services.

• Experience coordinating internal teams, consultants, subcontractors and specialist suppliers.

• A strong understanding of design delivery from tender through construction and commissioning.

• Confidence managing programmes, information deliverables, technical assurance, risk and change.

• Commercial awareness and the ability to assess the wider implications of design decisions.

• Clear communication, strong leadership and the ability to hold contributors accountable.

• The organisational skills to manage several technical workstreams simultaneously.

A relevant qualification in Engineering, Building Services, Construction Management or a related discipline is expected. Chartered status or progress towards professional accreditation would be advantageous.

Technical Knowledge

You should have broad knowledge of integrated mechanical and electrical systems, including electrical distribution, standby generation, UPS, cooling, ventilation, fire systems and building controls.

You will also understand how spatial coordination, resilience, redundancy, maintainability and operational requirements influence design decisions.

You should be comfortable reviewing integrated solutions, identifying interface issues and asking the right technical questions.

Relevant Industry Experience

Data centre experience is highly advantageous. Candidates with transferable experience from other critical or technically demanding environments will also be considered.

Relevant backgrounds may include critical infrastructure, M&E / MEP contracting, critical power, industrial engineering, healthcare, pharmaceutical facilities or other environments where continuity of operation is essential.

Software & Systems

You should be proficient in Microsoft Office and familiar with AutoCAD, Revit and BIM workflows. Experience with design-management and document-control systems would also be beneficial.

What’s on Offer?

• Competitive salary, depending on experience, plus benefits package.

• Permanent, full-time employment based from Oldham.

• Ownership of the full design-management process.

• Exposure to complex data centre and critical infrastructure projects.

• Professional training and long-term career development.

• The opportunity to work with multidisciplinary engineering teams within an expanding business.

This position would suit a Design Manager, M&E Design Manager, Building Services Design Manager, Technical Design Manager or Engineering Design Manager looking for their next career move.

Apply with your up-to-date CV or contact Dan Eley at PW Construction Recruitment for a confidential discussion.

Telephone: 01732 795101
Email: dan@pwconstruct.co.uk