Design Manager - Data Centres

JobSpace; Wellington; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development

Health and life insurance

Employee assistance program

Leave options

Job summary

Stantec’s Buildings team in New Zealand is seeking a Design Manager to lead in-house and external project teams, translating briefs into optimal design solutions. You will maintain a client-focused approach and collaborate with group leaders, PMs and technical directors across NZ and Australia to ensure high-quality outcomes.

You will guide technical delivery, plan resources, and manage schedules and budgets while driving quality and sustainable design solutions for critical facilities such as

Qualifications

• 15 years' experience in an engineering delivery environment.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams in professional services or construction.
• Proven project background in data centres or other complex vertical build projects.

Responsibilities

• Regularly connect with clients to ensure needs are understood and met.
• Deliver outputs on time and within budgets, meeting client requirements.
• Lead technical delivery methodologies and planning of deliverables.
• Coordinate technical resource needs and design planning.
• Plan, program, track and report progress.
• Coordinate quality reviews, schedules, status and modifications.
• Ensure quality assurance, budgets and schedule with group leaders.
• Deliver projects using remote teams.
• Identify issues early and provide resolutions.
• Maintain relationships with contractors, clients and consultants.
• Contribute to proposals and bids to support business development.

Skills

Engineering delivery experience

Leadership of multi-disciplinary teams

Data centre / complex builds

Education

Tertiary qualification in engineering or construction

Chartered Engineer

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what's previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure. We are designers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and strategic advisors. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what's possible.

Stantec's Buildings team in New Zealand delivers end-to-end projects for our clients, from feasibility and design through to construction, commissioning, and operation. Specialising in mission-critical facilities such as data centres and healthcare, our team of over 100 people bring expertise in mechanical, hydraulic, fire, fire protection, civil, electrical, data and sustainability engineering to local projects. We're proud to put user needs at the centre of every design.

As our design manager you will lead both inhouse and external project technical teams to develop and deliver the most appropriate technical solution for our clients. You will have a client focus and the ability to work closely with them as they develop their brief and the ability to interpret these requirements into design solutions. You will also be flexible in your approach, having the ability to think on your feet and quickly adapt to changes. This role will also work closely with our group leaders, internal project managers, subconsultants and technical directors across buildings both in NZ and Australia for the efficient, quality delivery of all technical outputs.

Day to day tasks include:

• Regularly connecting with our clients to ensure that their needs are both understood and met and the technical team provide the best advice at the right time
• Responsible for delivering outputs on time and in accordance with the allocated budgets and ensuring client requirements are met/exceeded
• Implementing sound and efficient methodology for technical delivery; leading the planning and production of all technical deliverables.
• Technical design planning, including confirming the technical delivery methodology and identifying and coordinating all technical resource needs
• Planning and programming the work and then tracking and reporting progress
• Communicate and coordinate all quality reviews, schedules, status, and modifications with group leaders.
• Coordinate with group leaders to ensure quality assurance, fee budgets and schedule time.
• Deliver projects to the required quality standards using remote teams.
• Detect and understand issues as they arise on projects, be solutions orientated, and provide suitable resolutions
• Develop and maintain constructive relationships with contractors, clients, other consultants and team members.
• Contribute to proposal and bid development to support business development activities, including preparing proposal material as required.

As a preference we would like to see the following qualities:

• 15 years' experience in an engineering delivery environment
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams both internal and external in a professional services or construction project delivery environment,
• Proven successful project background in data centres or other similarly complex vertical build projects
• Tertiary qualification in a relevant engineering or construction field
• Chartered Engineer or similar industry recognition.

At Stantec, we take your growth and fulfilment seriously. We're proud to offer many supportive benefits, including:

• Professional development and support
• Flexible working arrangements, including purchasing up to an extra four weeks of leave and provision for school term contracts, part-time, and job sharing
• Learning and talent development programmes, including global, online, and on-the-job opportunities
• Professional memberships
• Service recognition awards
• Wellbeing and connection opportunities
• Health insurance, income continuance insurance, and life insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Developing Professionals Group, a global network for those with under 10 years of experience
• Office Social Club and events