Design Manager

Walker & Sloan; St Albans; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker & Sloan, a main contractor specialising in data centres, is seeking a Design Manager in St Albans. You will coordinate complex design packages with consultants, specialist subcontractors and project teams to meet client requirements and support construction delivery.

You’ll lead design meetings, track progress and resolve clashes between architectural, structural and MEP information, ensuring buildability, cost and programme implications are managed.

Qualifications

• Experience managing design on data centre projects.
• Experience coordinating external consultants and specialist subcontractors.
• Organised, commercially aware and able to challenge proposals.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate design packages with consultants and subcontractors to meet client requirements.
• Oversee design process through pre-construction and delivery; align programmes with procurement and site activities.
• Lead design meetings and monitor consultant progress; review technical submissions.
• Coordinate architectural, structural and MEP information and resolve interfaces between building and specialist systems.
• Assess proposals for buildability, cost and programme implications.
• Track design changes and communicate decisions clearly to delivery teams.
• Coordinate specialist subcontractor design packages, ensuring installation, access, maintenance and commissioning requirements are considered.

Education

Construction/Architecture/Engineering qualification

Job description

Design Manager

Location: St Albans

Sector: Main Contracting - Data Centres

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience + package

The Opportunity

Walker & Sloan is recruiting a Design Manager with previous data centre experience to join a main contractor based in St Albans.

Role Overview

You’ll manage the coordination of complex design packages, working with consultants, specialist subcontractors and project teams to develop solutions that meet client requirements and support construction delivery.

You’ll oversee the design process through pre-construction and delivery, establishing information requirements and ensuring design programmes align with procurement and site activities.

You’ll lead design meetings, monitor consultant progress and manage the review of technical submissions. A key focus will be coordinating architectural, structural and MEP information, identifying clashes and resolving interfaces between the building and specialist systems.

Working alongside commercial and operational colleagues, you’ll assess proposals for buildability, cost and programme implications. You’ll track design changes, challenge incomplete information and ensure decisions are communicated clearly to the teams delivering the works.

You’ll also coordinate specialist subcontractor design packages, ensuring installation, access, maintenance and commissioning requirements are considered throughout design development.

About You

You’ll have experience managing design on data centre projects, with a clear understanding of the coordination demands involved. Previous data centre experience is essential for this role.

You’ll ideally bring a main contracting background and experience managing external consultants and specialist subcontractors. You’ll be confident reviewing technical information and understanding how architectural, structural and building services decisions affect one another.

You’ll be organised, commercially aware and able to challenge proposals constructively. You’ll also know how to prioritise outstanding decisions and keep design information moving in line with project deadlines.

A relevant qualification in construction, architecture, engineering or building services would be beneficial.

Company Profile

You’ll be joining a main contractor operating across data centres, industrial, logistics and commercial construction. The role will involve close collaboration with pre-construction, commercial and delivery teams on technically demanding projects.

What’s in It for You?

• Competitive salary and package, dependent on experience.
• The opportunity to apply and develop your data centre expertise.
• Responsibility for coordinating complex design and specialist packages.
• Involvement across pre-construction and project delivery.

About Walker & Sloan

Walker & Sloan is a B Corp certified recruitment consultancy connecting construction professionals with businesses across the UK