Senior Design Manager - F&S

ADT ADT Fire and Security PLC; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus plan

Pension

Life assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Employee referral scheme

Employee discounts

Cycle to Work scheme

Training & career development

Safety-driven culture

Access to Business Resource Groups

Job summary

Johnson Controls is seeking a Senior Design Manager to lead the Fire & Security Design function across a portfolio of complex projects in the UK. You will manage design resources, ensure compliance with industry standards, and drive technical excellence while engaging with Sales, Operations and customers.

The role is hybrid with occasional travel to Johnson Controls locations across the UK. You will oversee drawings, calculations and documentation, and provide leadership on fire detection,

Qualifications

• Experience leading design teams in Fire & Security.
• Strong knowledge of fire and electronic security systems.
• Experience delivering large-scale or technically complex projects.
• Proven people management and leadership capability.
• Strong understanding of industry standards, regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing design programmes, resources and project deliverables.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Microsoft Office applications.
• Beneficial BIM experience.
• Engineering qualification or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience working within multi-disciplinary project environments.
• Knowledge of digital engineering and design management best practices.
• Professional membership or industry certifications relevant to Fire & Security.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Fire & Security Design Engineers.
• Manage design workload, resource planning and project priorities.
• Ensure all designs comply with relevant industry standards, regulations and customer requirements.
• Oversee production and approval of drawings, calculations, specifications and technical documentation.
• Provide technical leadership across fire detection, suppression, electronic security and integrated solutions.
• Support project teams through design reviews, risk assessments and technical governance.
• Work closely with Sales and Operations to ensure successful project handovers and execution.
• Build strong relationships with customers, consultants, subcontractors and internal stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation and standardisation across design processes.
• Support recruitment, coaching, performance management and succession planning within the design team.

Skills

Lead design teams

Fire & security systems

Large-scale projects

People management

Industry standards & compliance

Design programmes

Stakeholder management

Digital engineering

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent experience

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

BIM

Job description

What You Will Do

As a Senior Design Manager, you will lead the Fire & Security Design function, overseeing the successful delivery of design activities across a portfolio of complex projects. You will be responsible for managing design resources, driving technical excellence, ensuring compliance with industry standards, and supporting business growth through effective stakeholder engagement. Working closely with Sales, Operations, Project Management and customers, you will ensure all design solutions are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards. This is a hybrid role with occasional travel to customer sites and Johnson Controls locations across the UK.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary plus bonus plan
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Pension
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee referral scheme
• Employee discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Discounts on Johnson Controls products
• Ongoing training and career development opportunities
• Supportive, collaborative and safety-driven culture
• Access to Business Resource Groups

What You Will Do It

Lead and develop a team of Fire & Security Design Engineers. Manage design workload, resource planning and project priorities. Ensure all designs comply with relevant industry standards, regulations and customer requirements. Oversee production and approval of drawings, calculations, specifications and technical documentation. Provide technical leadership across fire detection, suppression, electronic security and integrated solutions. Support project teams through design reviews, risk assessments and technical governance. Work closely with Sales and Operations to ensure successful project handovers and execution. Build strong relationships with customers, consultants, subcontractors and internal stakeholders. Drive continuous improvement, innovation and standardisation across design processes. Support recruitment, coaching, performance management and succession planning within the design team.

What We Are Looking For

• Required Demonstrable experience leading design teams within the Fire & Security industry.
• Strong technical knowledge of fire and electronic security systems.
• Experience delivering large-scale or technically complex projects.
• Proven people management and leadership capability.
• Strong understanding of industry standards, regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing design programmes, resources and project deliverables.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Microsoft Office applications.
• Beneficial BIM experience.
• Engineering qualification or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience working within multi-disciplinary project environments.
• Knowledge of digital engineering and design management best practices.
• Professional membership or industry certifications relevant to Fire & Security.

Johnson Controls: Enhancing the Intelligence of Buildings

Your buildings have a purpose. They are places for people to live or work. Facilities for learning or healing. Venues for entertainment and shopping. Sites for the specialized storage of tangible goods or mission‑critical data. Your buildings have a huge variety of functions; they are central to your mission. This is where Johnson Controls comes in, helping drive the outcomes that matter most. Through a full range of systems and digital solutions, we make your buildings smarter. A smarter building is safer, more comfortable, more efficient, and, ultimately, more sustainable. Most important, smarter buildings let you focus more intensely on your unique mission. Better for your people. Better for your bottom line. Better for the planet. At Johnson Controls, we’ve been making buildings smarter since 1885, and our capabilities, depth of innovation experience, and global reach have been growing ever since. Today, we offer the world’s largest portfolio of building products, technologies, software, and services; we put that portfolio to work to transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play.