Senior Design Manager - F&S

Johnson Controls; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

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 careerDevelopment

Supportive, collaborative and safety‑d

Access to Business Resource Groups

Job summary

Johnson Controls in the United Kingdom is seeking a Senior Design Manager to lead the Fire & Security Design function across complex projects, coordinating resources, driving technical excellence and ensuring safe, compliant, high-quality outcomes. The role is hybrid with occasional travel to Johnson Controls locations across the UK.

You will oversee design activities, provide technical leadership across fire, suppression, electronic security and integrated solutions, and collaborate with Sales

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.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and MS Office.

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

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Team management

Project delivery

Technical leadership

Communication

Education

Engineering qualification or equivalent industry experience

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

BIM

Job description

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

How 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.