Senior Design Manager

Sphere Solutions; Duffryn; Hybrid; GBP 111,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Sphere Solutions is seeking a Freelance Senior Design Manager for a rapid 2-month sprint to finalize the pre-construction design for a major hyperscale data centre bid. You will coordinate final structural, architectural, and MEP inputs across external consultants to ensure an compliant and compelling tender.

Based in the UK, the role offers hybrid working with attendance at a regional bid office, starting ASAP.

Qualifications

• Immediate availability to start a freelance contract.
• Proven track record delivering bids in data centre/critical infrastructure sectors.
• Deep technical understanding of data centre layouts, loads, and MEP integration.
• Familiarity with data centre tier classifications, cooling, power distribution, and modular build methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Bid Finalization & Technical Review: oversee final design workstream for the bid.
• Consultant Coordination: manage external architectural/structural/MEP consultants and ensure fully coordinated tender designs.
• Risk Mitigation & Space Planning: identify design risks and optimize spatial configurations for substations and cooling plant.
• Value Engineering Sprint: implement immediate VE to optimize envelope performance and modular methods without delaying submission.
• Client Clarifications: prepare technical docs and materials for dialogue sessions and post-tender meetings.

Skills

Leadership

Bid management

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Tools

BIM software

Revit

Navisworks

Job description

Freelance Senior Design Manager (Data Centre Bid)

Sector: Hyperscale Data Centres / Critical Infrastructure

Contract Duration: 2 Months (Starting ASAP - December 2026)

Location: Remote / Hybrid with regional bid office attendance

Day Rate: Competitive

Reporting To: Commercial Director

Project Overview

We require an experienced Freelance Senior Design Manager for an immediate 2-month sprint to finalize the pre-construction design phase for a major hyperscale data centre bid. This fast-tracked role demands a design leader who can immediately step in to coordinate the final structural, architectural, and MEP requirements of mission-critical facilities. You will work under tight deadlines to ensure a technically compliant and commercially optimized tender submission by December 2026.

Core Responsibilities

• Bid Finalization & Technical Review: Oversee the final stages of the design workstream for the data centre bid. Ensure all outputs strictly satisfy the client employer information requirements and technical parameters.


• Consultant Coordination: Actively manage and challenge external architectural, structural, and specialist MEP design consultants. Ensure their final tender designs are fully coordinated, clash-free, and aligned with budget targets.


• Risk Mitigation & Space Planning: Identify and resolve remaining design risks or omissions. Pay specific attention to final spatial configurations for high-voltage substations, generator yards, cooling plant infrastructure, and white space layouts.


• Value Engineering Sprint: Implement immediate value engineering solutions to optimize building envelope performance and modular construction methods without delaying the submission timeline.


• Client Clarifications: Prepare high-quality technical design documentation and presentation materials for upcoming competitive dialogue sessions and post-tender clarification meetings.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Immediate availability to start a 2-month freelance contract.


• Proven track record as a Design Manager or Senior Design Manager delivering successful bids within the data centre, critical infrastructure, or heavy industrial sectors.


• Deep technical understanding of data centre architectural layouts, structural load capacities, and complex MEP services integration.


• Familiarity with data centre tier classifications, cooling configurations, power distribution, and modular build methodologies.


• Strong leadership capability with the ability to drive multi-disciplinary consulting teams to meet strict tender deadlines.


• Proficiency in BIM software, Revit, Navisworks, and standard digital document management platforms.

Working Conditions

This is an intensive, short-term freelance assignment running from onboarding through to final bid submission in December 2026. The role offers a hybrid work pattern, combining remote working with required attendance at the bid office for final review workshops