MEP Pre-Construction Manager Mechanical

Unispace Life Sciences; Reading; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Unispace Life Sciences is seeking a MEP Pre-Construction Manager (Mechanical) to lead discipline-specific technical development of MEP packages from opportunity review to contract handover.

You will collaborate with Technical Commercial Managers, estimators, consultants and delivery teams to ensure buildable, compliant and commercially robust solutions. A strong emphasis on design coordination and early risk management is required.

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical building services background with experience in fit-out, refurbishment or life-science projects.
• Ability to read, challenge and markup drawings, specifications, employer requirements, contractor proposals and calculations.
• Commercial awareness and ability to translate technical risk into scope, pricing, assumptions, exclusions and tender qualifications.
• Strong working knowledge of UK building regulations, statutory compliance, and industry standards.
• Confident communicator with consultants, subcontractors, clients, estimators, quantity surveyors, preconstruction and construction teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide discipline-specific leadership across mechanical MEP packages throughout bid, feasibility, design development and contractor engagement stages.
• Review designs, drawings, schedules and specifications for technical correctness and buildability.
• Identify technical risks and exclusions early to influence tender, pricing and contractual position.
• Develop MEP strategy during bid and design development.
• Support with tender queries, pricing risk review and contractor qualifications.
• Review HVAC and associated systems against strategy, compliance and performance requirements.
• Capture survey records for design development, scope production and tender clarification.
• Progress design development with appointed contractors and close outstanding tender qualifications.
• Produce pre-contract handover pack detailing design intent, risks and long-lead items.

Skills

Reading drawings

Commercial awareness

Communication

Document control

MS 365 & SharePoint

Power BI

Autodesk Forma

UK driving licence

Tools

Autodesk Forma

Power BI

MS 365

SharePoint

Job description

The MEP Pre-Construction Manager - Mechanical will lead the discipline-specific technical development of MEP packages from initial opportunity review through to project award and contract handover. The role provides technical expertise, commercial support, design coordination, technical scoping, constructability review and compliance assurance before projects enter delivery.

The successful candidate will work closely with Technical Commercial Managers, estimators, consultants, designers, contractors and delivery teams to ensure coordinated, buildable and commercially robust solutions.

The role will also be involved in the growth of the business, and assist with implementation and management of robust procedures as the dept grows.

Key responsibilities

• Provide discipline-specific leadership across mechanical MEP packages while maintaining awareness of the full coordinated MEP strategy.
• Review designs, drawings, schedules, specifications and employer requirements for technical correctness, statutory compliance and buildability.
• Identify technical risks, scope gaps, assumptions and exclusions early enough to influence tender, pricing and contractual position.
• Lead the review and development of the MEP strategy during bid, feasibility, design development and contractor engagement stages.
• Support Technical Commercial Managers and estimators with technical interpretation, tender queries, contractor qualifications and pricing risk review.
• Review HVAC strategy, heat gains and losses, ventilation rates, plant location, controls strategy, public health, drainage and domestic services.
• Review LEV, fume cupboards, specialist gases, gas detection, sprinkler interfaces, humidification/dehumidification and laboratory resilience requirements.
• Attend early surveys and client briefings to understand existing services, building constraints, operational requirements and project risks.
• Capture discipline-specific survey records suitable for design development, scope production and tender clarification.
• Work with appointed contractors to progress technical design development and close outstanding tender qualifications before contract.
• Review drawing updates, technical submittals, design calculations and contractor schedules with detailed scrutiny before acceptance.
• Update MEP scope documents, assumptions, exclusions and employer requirement mark-ups as the design evolves.
• Produce a concise pre-contract handover pack covering design intent, contractor appointments, risks, IRS status, outstanding design actions and long-lead technical items.

Candidate profile

• Strong mechanical building services background with fit-out, refurbishment or life-science project experience preferred.
• Ability to read, challenge and mark up drawings, specifications, employer requirements, contractor proposals, calculations, schedules and technical submittals.
• Commercial awareness and ability to translate technical risk into scope, pricing, assumptions, exclusions and tender qualifications.
• Strong working knowledge of UK building regulations, statutory compliance, industry standards and discipline-specific best practice.
• Confident communicator with consultants, subcontractors, clients, estimators, quantity surveyors, preconstruction and construction teams.
• High standard of written technical communication, document control, version management and audit trail discipline.
• Competent user of Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. Autodesk Forma training will be provided. Power BI or structured reporting experience beneficial but not required.
• Full, clean UK driving licence and own vehicle.