Senior Design Manager - Data Center & Mission-Critical Projects

Arup; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit-sharing programme

Global opportunities

Health insurance

Flexible working

Career development

Job summary

Arup in Amsterdam is seeking a Senior Design Manager to lead the technical delivery of complex data center projects. This client‑facing role requires design leadership, interdisciplinary coordination, and strong client requirements management.

You will coordinate architects, engineers and consultants as a unified design team, ensure design quality and long‑term asset performance, and drive design reviews through milestone gates within a multidisciplinary, multicultural setting.

Qualifications

• Senior experience leading multidisciplinary design across all project phases from concept to delivery.
• Experience in data center, laboratories, advanced manufacturing or high-tech facilities preferred.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coordination and stakeholder management.
• Knowledge of the Dutch construction market; English essential; Dutch advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own and advance the design strategy across disciplines from early concept through delivery.
• Coordinate architects, engineers and consultants as a single design team for clients and stakeholders.
• Oversee design quality, constructability, risk, sustainability and long-term asset performance.
• Lead design reviews and stage-gate processes to ensure high quality delivery.
• Support client engagement, business development, mentoring, and improving tools and processes.
• Contribute to growth by sharing knowledge across multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Design leadership

Stakeholder management

Coordination across disciplines

Client engagement

English language skills

Education

Architecture or Engineering degree

Job description

Senior Design Manager - Data Center & Mission-Critical Projects

Shape a future with purpose at Arup in Amsterdam

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach have set us apart for more than 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world. As a global collective of designers, consultants and technical experts, we work with clients to solve complex challenges through imagination, technology and rigour. In Amsterdam, we are strengthening our Design Management capability within the Science, Industry & Technology business. Our work supports clients across data center, laboratories, advanced manufacturing facilities, and other technically demanding environments. You will join a multidisciplinary team delivering projects locally, regionally and internationally, drawing on Arup’s global expertise and local market knowledge.

The Opportunity

We are looking for experienced Senior Design Manager to successfully lead the technical delivery of complex data center projects. This is a client-facing role for someone who combines design leadership, interdisciplinary coordination, technical integration, constructability awareness, and client requirements management.

• Own and advance the design strategy across disciplines from early concept through delivery, ensuring the design responds to the client brief, project objectives, budget, programme, and delivery requirements.
• Coordinate architects, engineers, and specialist consultants as one integrated design team, acting as the key design interface for clients, authorities, and project stakeholders.
• Manage design quality and technical integrity by overseeing compliance, constructability, risk, sustainability, resilience, and long-term asset performance throughout the design process.
• Lead design reviews and stage-gate processes, ensuring deliverables are high quality, compliant, well-coordinated, and successfully completed at each project milestone.
• Contribute to team and business growth by supporting client engagement, business development activities, mentoring colleagues, and helping improve design management tools, processes, and best practice.
• Does this role inspire you?

We Are Looking For a Proactive, Collaborative And Commercially Aware Professional Who Enjoys Working In Multidisciplinary And Multicultural Teams. We Also Value

• Relevant degree or professional qualification in architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, or another related discipline.
• Extensive senior experience in multidisciplinary design leadership across all project phases, with proven responsibility for complex projects from concept through delivery.
• Strong experience leading design on complex, multidisciplinary projects, ideally within Science, Industry & Technology sectors such as data center, life sciences, laboratories, pharmaceutical production, advanced manufacturing, or high-tech facilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coordination, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead integrated teams, build client trust, and navigate complex project environments.
• Knowledge of the Dutch construction market, including local regulations, procurement routes, and industry standards; strong English language skills are essential, and Dutch language skills are a strong advantage.

Why Arup?

At Arup, we believe in rewarding our members for their contributions to our shared success. As a trust‑owned company, we have the freedom to pursue meaningful work that aligns with our purpose and values. We also offer a unique profit‑share program, allowing our members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Benefits That Work For You

• Professional Growth & Development: Benefit from continuous learning opportunities, training programs, and mentorship to enhance your skills and advance your career at Arup.
• Global Opportunities: Collaborate with colleagues worldwide and explore potential short‑term or long‑term assignments at other Arup offices and project locations.
• Financial Well‑being & Ownership: Receive a competitive salary and benefits package and share in Arup's success through our global profit‑sharing programme.
• Wellbeing and Culture: At Arup we are committed to fostering a healthy working culture by offering a range of health and wellbeing benefits, including health insurance, flexible working schemes, wellness programmes and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: We strive to embed inclusion in our way of working, our interactions with one another and the projects we deliver. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment for talented people of any background, based on merit, fairness and respect.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective where individuality is encouraged. Our strength comes from how we respect, share, and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas. You'll have the opportunity to do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, and to the clients and communities we serve.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a workplace that reflects the rich diversity of the world around us. We actively promote a culture of inclusion where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued.

We welcome applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please visit our Candidate Support page for contact information and assistance. We're happy to help.