Design Manager

Description

• Work closely with internal delivery teams, supply chain partners, and client stakeholders to resolve technical issues.
• Review, challenge, and approve design information, ensuring accuracy, buildability, and compliance with client specifications and industry standards.
• Regularly travel to project sites, design offices, and client locations across the UK and Europe.
• Lead and manage the design process from tender through construction and handover on large-scale data centre and mission-critical industrial projects.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design teams including architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and specialist vendors.
• Lead design workshops, technical reviews, and interface coordination meetings.
• Oversee design risk management, value engineering, and change control.
• Manage design programmes, ensuring all deliverables are issued on time to support procurement and construction.
• Support tender submissions, design strategy, and bid presentations.

Requirements

A top-tier £1bn-turnover main contractor specialising in data centres and mission-critical industrial build projects is seeking an experienced Design Manager to join its high-performing technical team. This role is critical to the successful delivery of complex, high-value, M&E-intensive projects and requires a professional comfortable working in fast-paced, highly technical environments with significant travel requirements.

• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of buildability and project sequencing.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, and BIM models.
• Exposure to high-value, technically complex projects across the UK and Europe.
• Experience coordinating large-scale, complex £50m+ projects.
• Proven Design Manager or Senior Design Coordinator with experience in mission-critical or highly serviced environments (data centres, pharma, labs, hospitals, major M&E projects).
• Strong understanding of both architectural and MEP design principles.
• HNC/HND or Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or related discipline.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively as project demands require.

Benefits

Salary: £60,000 – £75,000 + package

• Travel allowance and full expenses package.
• Opportunity to work with one of the UK’s leading data centre and mission-critical contractors.
• Competitive salary £60–75k depending on experience.
• Clear progression pathways to Senior Design Manager or Technical Lead.

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance