Harlow | Data Centre | Permanent
£80,000 + car allowance
This is a role for a Design Manager who wants to work on a major data centre project without being dropped into a Technical Director role before they are ready.
You will be joining a major data centre scheme in Harlow, working closely with the Technical Director, project leadership, design teams, construction teams, commercial teams, commissioning teams, subcontractors and client representatives. The role needs someone who can bring control to the design process, keep information moving and make sure design issues are resolved before they become site problems.
This is not a pure drawing management role. You will be dealing with a technically demanding critical environment project where every design decision can affect procurement, buildability, programme, commissioning, handover and cost.
The Technical Director will carry the senior strategic and technical accountability, but you will be the person helping manage the day-to-day design coordination: drawings, submissions, RFIs, comments, design changes, technical queries, approvals, document control, design meetings and interface close-out.
This would suit someone who has worked as a Design Manager, Senior Design Coordinator, MEP Design Manager, Technical Manager, Building Services Design Manager, Senior Project Engineer or mechanically/electrically biased Design Lead on data centres, major M&E projects, commercial schemes, healthcare, pharmaceutical, industrial or other technically detailed projects.
What you’ll be doing
* You will manage the design coordination process across a major data centre project.
* You will work closely with the Technical Director to make sure design information is reviewed, challenged, issued and closed out properly.
* You will coordinate drawings, specifications, technical submissions, RFIs, design comments, consultant responses, design changes and approval workflows.
* You will manage design information across mechanical, electrical, CSA and specialist systems, making sure interfaces are understood and tracked.
* You will help identify buildability issues, missing information, drawing clashes, procurement risks, coordination gaps and site constraints before they affect delivery.
* You will attend design team meetings, technical workshops, client meetings and subcontractor coordination meetings.
* You will work with architects, consultants, subcontract designers, suppliers, package managers, construction managers, engineers, QA teams and commissioning teams.
* You will support technical submissions, material approvals, equipment schedules, builders work information, coordination drawings, commissioning requirements and handover information.
* You will help manage the design programme, making sure information is issued in line with procurement, construction and commissioning dates.
* You will track design actions, chase responses, close out comments and escalate risks where decisions are not being made quickly enough.
* You will make sure design information is properly controlled through document management systems, trackers, registers and agreed project processes.
* You will support the commercial team where design changes affect cost, procurement, programme or scope.
* You will help make sure the project team has clear, coordinated and buildable information to deliver from.
What you’ll need
* You will need experience as a Design Manager, MEP Design Manager, Technical Manager, Design Coordinator, Senior Design Coordinator, Senior Project Engineer or technically biased Building Services Engineer.
* You should have experience working on technically demanding building services projects, ideally within data centres, critical environments, major commercial schemes, healthcare, pharmaceutical, industrial, infrastructure or complex M&E projects.
* Data centre experience would be ideal, but it is not essential if you have strong design coordination experience across major M&E or services-heavy projects.
* You will need a good understanding of MEP design coordination, technical submissions, RFIs, drawings, specifications, procurement information, buildability and handover requirements.
* You should be comfortable working across mechanical, electrical and CSA interfaces, even if your background is biased towards one discipline.
* You will need to be organised, confident and capable of keeping control of multiple design actions, comments, trackers and approvals at the same time.
* You should be able to challenge poor information, spot coordination issues and communicate clearly with consultants, subcontractors, project teams and client-side stakeholders.
* Experience with document management and design coordination systems such as ACC, Aconex, Asite, Procore, Dalux, SharePoint, Bluebeam, Navisworks or Revit would be useful.
* A construction, engineering, mechanical, electrical, building services or design-related qualification would be beneficial.
* SMSTS, CSCS or IOSH would also be useful, particularly if you are regularly site-facing.
Why this role
This is a strong move for someone who wants to grow into senior technical leadership but is not quite ready to step into a Technical Director position yet.
You will get exposure to a major data centre scheme, work directly with senior project leadership and build experience across the design, technical, construction and commissioning interfaces that matter on a critical environment project.
The role gives you responsibility without leaving you isolated. You will have senior support above you, but enough ownership to make a visible impact on how the design is managed and how the project is delivered.
For a Design Manager or Senior Design Coordinator who wants a serious step up in project scale, this is a strong opportunity.
Apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation
Salary description
£70000.00 - £80000.00 per year