Senior Design Manager – Data Center Infrastructure

DC People; Dublin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

DC People seeks a Senior Design Manager to direct design management strategy for major data center programs in Europe, including concept through construction and commissioning. You will lead engineering teams, ensure sign-off authority, and integrate BIM workflows with project schedules.

The role requires 10+ years in design management on hyperscale facilities, with strong knowledge of Uptime Institute Tier standards, MEP resilience, and Eurocodes.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of design management experience on complex infrastructure.
• Recent, proven track record in hyperscale or enterprise data center builds.
• Deep technical understanding of Uptime Institute Tier standards, MEP resilience, and critical facility architecture.
• Familiarity with Portuguese/EU planning regimes (RJUE, Eurocodes) preferred.
• Ability to travel across European project sites as required.

Responsibilities

• Establish design delivery standards, execution plans, and governance across major EMEA data center programs.
• Hold overall design sign-off authority ensuring technical, commercial, and statutory compliance.
• Direct, mentor, and resource a multi-disciplinary design team.
• Manage relationships with executive client teams, consultants, municipal bodies, and Tier 1 contractors.
• Drive BIM/digital workflows and align design milestones with project schedules.

Skills

Design strategy

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

MEP systems

Uptime standards

BIM workflows

Revit/Navisworks

Primavera P6

Regulatory compliance

Permitting knowledge

Education

Architecture/Civil/MEP/Engineering degree

Construction management background

Tools

Revit

Navisworks

ACC

Primavera P6

Job description

We are delivering mission-critical, hyperscale data centre facilities across EMEA. We are seeking a Senior Design Manager to direct design management strategy, lead engineering teams, hold overall design sign-off authority, and steer major projects from concept design through construction and commissioning.

Key Responsibilities

• Design Strategy & Execution: Establish design delivery standards, execution plans, and governance across major EMEA data center programs.
• Sign-Off & Quality: Hold overall design sign-off authority, ensuring complete technical, commercial, and statutory compliance.
• Team Leadership: Direct, mentor, and resource a multi-disciplinary team of Design Managers and Junior Design Managers.
• Stakeholder Management: Manage relationships with executive client teams, consultants, municipal bodies, and Tier 1 contractors.
• Technical Oversight: Drive resilience topology, MEP systems architecture, and compliance with Uptime Institute Tier standards.
• Permitting & Statutory Alignment: Guide permitting compliance, local council licensing (câmara municipal), RJUE regimes, and Eurocodes.
• BIM & Delivery Integration: Steer full BIM/digital workflows (Revit, Navisworks, ACC) and integrate design milestones with project schedules (Primavera P6).

Candidate Profile

• Degree in Architecture, Civil/Structural Engineering, MEP Engineering, or Construction Management (Mechanical or Electrical background preferred).
• 10+ years of design management experience, with substantial senior-level accountability on complex infrastructure.
• Recent, proven track record within hyperscale or enterprise data center builds (last 3 years).
• Deep technical understanding of Uptime Institute Tier standards, MEP resilience, and critical facility architecture.
• Practical familiarity with Portuguese/EU statutory planning regimes (RJUE, Eurocodes) is strongly preferred.
• Full flexibility to travel across European project sites as required by project programs.