Design Manager - (Owner's Representative) - Data Center Construction

KALCON; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) with match

Paid Time Off

Holidays

License reimbursement

Job summary

KALCON is seeking a senior design manager in Ashburn, VA to lead design coordination and construction administration for mission-critical data center and complex commercial projects. You will direct A/E partners, coordinate base-build vs tenant fit-out, and drive design clarity through regular meetings and documentation.

The role requires 7–10 years of experience, a related degree, and strong communication skills, with a focus on meticulous file management, schedule control, and cost-aware

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.
• 7–10 years of design management experience on mission-critical projects.
• Experience coordinating A/E partners and subcontractors; manage submittals and RFIs.

Responsibilities

• Review and set up ACC/Procore configurations and maintain file structures.
• Ensure A/E partner compliance and standardize workflows for deliverables.
• Develop a centralized tracker for decisions, RFIs, submittal status, and tasks.
• Lead cross-discipline design coordination and publish weekly minutes.
• Track design packages, scope splits, and lessons learned across buildings.
• Coordinate tenant fit-out design packages with core design.
• Manage design schedule, phase turnover, and milestone adherence.
• Oversee CA meetings, submittals/RFIs, and site visits with QA/QC.
• Lead change management workflows and cost-integration reviews.
• Coordinate permitting strategy and AHJ inspections; ensure occupancy milestones.
• Maintain design risk registers and support QA/QC activities.
• Provide weekly project reporting on schedule, deliverables, issues.

Skills

Coordination with A/E partners

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or related field

Tools

Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC)

Procore

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

MS Project

Job description

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or related field.
• 7–10 years of design management experience in mission-critical, semiconductor, data center, or complex commercial projects.
• Proven success coordinating A/E partners and subcontractors, closing submittals/RFIs, and aligning base-build vs. tenant fit-out scopes.
• Proficiency in Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) or Procore, and MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Project; strong written and oral communication skills.

Duties And Responsibilities

Platforms & Information Management

• Review and help set up Autodesk Construction Cloud or Procore configuration and daily governance; establish/maintain clean, logical file structures and metadata conventions.
• Ensure compliance and ongoing maintenance by architect/engineer (A/E) partners; standardize naming, versioning, and distribution workflows.
• Develop a centralized meeting/action tracker covering A/E partners, GC, and subs to capture decisions, RFIs, submittal status, and assignments.

Design Coordination & Alignment

• After initial design, lead and manage cross-discipline design coordination; ensure alignment across multiple EORs and subcontractors.
• Drive design clarity and closure of submittals and shop drawings; lead weekly coordination meetings and publish minutes/actions.
• Track design packages, narratives, and scope splits (Base-Build vs. Tenant Fit-Out), capturing lessons learned and sharing information across buildings.
• Coordinate customer/tenant fit-out design package integration (non-base-build) to maintain alignment with the core design.

Schedule Management

• Review and manage the design schedule; ensure weekly updates and accuracy, including phase gate readiness and milestone adherence.
• Align design phase turnover with construction phasing and tenant fit-out to protect critical

Construction Administration (CA)

• Manage CA processes: run weekly A/E partner meetings; escalated and resolve submittals/RFIs that are held up by the A&E or GC; coordinate site visits with A/E and QA/QC teams.
• Oversee mock-ups/FOK (first-of-kind) reviews and acceptance criteria to de-risk fabrication/installation.
• Provide CA reporting and documentation per project requirements and Owner

Change Management & Cost Control

• Lead change management workflows (PCOs, bulletins, RFIs with cost impact); train GC teams on contract expectations and entitlement standards; partner with Cost Management for pricing reviews.
• Validate design-related cost changes and process VE options, documenting rationale and
• Ensure QA/QC design issuance and narratives clearly categorize changes at the drawing sheet level for

Permitting & Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

• Manage and communicate the overall permit strategy, submissions, and responses; coordinate AHJ inspections and certificate-of-occupancy milestones with the project team.

Quality, Documentation & Risk

• Log and document major decisions/events; maintain action registers, RFIs, submittal metrics, and issue logs through design and CA.
• Support QA/QC activities tied to design intent and acceptance criteria; assist field teams with design clarifications and punch-list readiness.
• Maintain a design risk register (interfaces, late vendor data, long-lead items) and drive mitigations with

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership

• Serve as the liaison for Project/Construction Management to the A/E team; lead meetings and communicate design decisions, constraints, and impacts.
• Provide weekly project reporting on schedule, deliverables, open issues, and
• Perform additional duties as assigned by

Benefits Offered

• Medical insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• 401(k) retirement plan with 4% KALCON match when an employee contributes at least 5%
• 15 days of paid time off
• 8 paid National Holidays
• Reimbursement for professional licenses and certifications

Submission Requirements

• List of all Educational Achievements
• List of all Professional Licenses or Certificates
• List of Awards Received
• Detailed Employment History with each company including:
  • Name & Contact Information of the firm or agency
  • Start Date and End Date (Month & Year)
  • Positions Held

At KALCON we are committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace where every individual is respected and valued. We are an equal opportunity employer and all applicant and employees will receive consideration for employment as we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that a diverse workforce contributes to the success of our company and the innovation behind the exceptional projects we deliver. We encourage and support applicants from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to join our team and thrive. Our hiring and employment practices are guided by principles of fairness, equality, and opportunity for all.

Salary Range: $135,000 USD - $185,000 USD