Project Design Manager

Novalith Advisory; United States; Remote; GBP 55,000 - 80,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote across Europe

Occasional European travel

Job summary

Novalith Advisory is seeking a Project Design Manager for data-centre developments across Europe in a fully remote capacity. You will lead multidisciplinary design activities, coordinate CSA, MEP interfaces and specialist systems, and manage external design consultants to align with project delivery objectives.

The role requires experience in hyperscale or mission-critical environments, with strong design governance, risk management and international collaboration.

Qualifications

• Experience as Project Design Manager or equivalent on data-centre projects.
• Proven management of multidisciplinary design activities across CSA, MEP and specialist systems.
• Strong knowledge of design interfaces, buildability and commissioning readiness.
• Ability to coordinate with external consultants and stakeholders across Europe.
• Proficiency in English; capable of reporting to senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary design activities across European data-centre developments.
• Coordinate design interfaces and manage design reviews and workshops.
• Manage external consultants and client interfaces.
• Ensure design deliverables meet project programmes and standards.
• Support handover, testing and commissioning readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Project management

Multidisciplinary coordination

English proficiency

Education

Relevant degree in Engineering, Architecture, Building Services or Construction Management

Tools

BIM software

Design coordination platforms

Clash detection tools

Job description

PROJECT DESIGN MANAGER - DATA CENTRES

Europe-Wide | Fully Remote | 18-Month Fixed-Term Contract

Novalith Advisory

Client: Major International Organisation

Sector: Data Centres | Hyperscale | Mission-Critical Infrastructure

Location: Europe-wide

Working Arrangement: Fully Remote, with occasional European travel

Contract Type: 18-Month Fixed-Term Employment Contract

Positions: Multiple Opportunities

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience and location

Start Date: To Be Confirmed

About the Opportunity

Novalith Advisory is supporting a major international client working across multiple data-centre development projects throughout Europe.

As part of an extensive European project portfolio, our client is seeking experienced Project Design Managers - Data Centres to provide design leadership, technical coordination and multidisciplinary design management across a number of significant hyperscale, colocation and mission-critical data-centre developments.

These opportunities offer the flexibility of remote working from across Europe while contributing to major international infrastructure programmes.

The successful candidates will work closely with project directors, engineering consultants, design teams, contractors and specialist suppliers, ensuring that all design activities are effectively coordinated, technically compliant and aligned with project delivery objectives.

We are particularly interested in professionals who have demonstrated direct responsibility for managing complex data-centre design processes, rather than individuals whose experience is limited to individual engineering disciplines.

Previous data-centre design-management experience is an essential requirement.

Key Responsibilities1. Project Design Management

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary design activities across European data-centre developments.
• Oversee the design process from concept and design development through detailed design, construction, commissioning and handover.
• Establish and manage design deliverables, design programmes, design responsibility matrices and information-release schedules.
• Ensure design activities are coordinated with overall project programmes, procurement strategies and construction requirements.
• Monitor design progress, identify potential delays and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Maintain clear accountability for design deliverables, technical coordination and design quality.

2. Multidisciplinary Design Coordination

• Coordinate design interfaces across Civil, Structural and Architectural (CSA), Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP), controls and specialist data-centre systems.
• Manage integration of critical power, cooling, fire protection, security, BMS/EPMS and associated infrastructure.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews, technical coordination meetings and design workshops.
• Identify and resolve design clashes, technical conflicts, constructability challenges and interface risks.
• Ensure design solutions support operational resilience, maintainability, redundancy and long-term facility performance.
• Coordinate design requirements between building infrastructure, equipment suppliers and specialist technical packages.

3. Consultant and Stakeholder Management

• Manage relationships with external design consultants, engineering teams, contractors and specialist suppliers.
• Act as a key design-management interface between the client, project delivery teams and technical stakeholders.
• Review consultant performance, design progress and the quality of technical deliverables.
• Facilitate timely resolution of design queries, technical decisions and coordination issues.
• Provide clear progress updates, technical reporting and risk assessments to senior project stakeholders.
• Support effective collaboration across geographically dispersed European project teams.

4. Technical Governance and Design Assurance

• Ensure design deliverables comply with client requirements, project specifications, applicable legislation and relevant technical standards.
• Coordinate design reviews, technical submissions, specifications, drawings and design approvals.
• Maintain oversight of design risks, technical changes, design deviations and approval processes.
• Challenge proposed design solutions to ensure technical suitability, buildability, operational efficiency and value.
• Support value-engineering initiatives without compromising resilience, safety, quality or operational performance.
• Promote consistent design-management procedures, documentation and technical governance across projects.

5. Construction, Commissioning and Handover Integration

• Support the transition of design packages into procurement and construction.
• Work closely with construction teams to resolve technical queries and design-related site issues.
• Coordinate design inputs required for equipment procurement, installation and construction sequencing.
• Support commissioning teams with technical documentation, system integration and design clarification.
• Ensure design considerations adequately support testing, commissioning, integrated systems testing (IST) and operational handover.
• Assist in resolving design-related issues identified during commissioning and project closeout.

Essential Experience and Qualifications

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Significant experience as a Project Design Manager, Senior Design Manager, Engineering Design Manager or equivalent.
• Proven design-management experience on hyperscale, colocation or enterprise data-centre projects.
• Direct responsibility for managing multidisciplinary design activities, rather than experience restricted to a single engineering package.
• Strong working knowledge of CSA and MEP design interfaces within mission-critical environments.
• Experience managing external design consultants, engineering specialists and technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrable involvement in design development, detailed design, construction coordination and commissioning interfaces.
• Strong understanding of critical power, cooling systems, redundancy, resilience and data-centre infrastructure.
• Experience managing design programmes, technical deliverables, design risks and change control.
• Ability to challenge technical solutions, resolve complex design issues and manage competing project priorities.
• Excellent communication, leadership, organisational and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and effectively within international, remotely based project teams.
• Relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification in Engineering, Architecture, Building Services, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• Professional working proficiency in English.

Desirable Experience

The following would be advantageous:

• Experience delivering large-scale European hyperscale data-centre campuses or multi-site programmes.
• Client-side, consultancy or programme-management experience.
• Experience working with major international data-centre developers, operators or specialist delivery contractors.
• Familiarity with BIM coordination, clash detection, common data environments and digital design-management platforms.
• Understanding of Tier III/Tier IV design principles and operational resilience.
• Experience with critical power distribution, UPS, generators, switchgear, cooling infrastructure, BMS and EPMS.
• Knowledge of commissioning strategies, Levels 1-5 testing, integrated systems testing and operational readiness.
• Experience working across multiple European jurisdictions and coordinating international design teams.
• Familiarity with value engineering, design assurance, technical governance and programme reporting.

European Locations

We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates residing in the following countries:

Northern Europe: United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Western Europe: Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland.

Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia.

Southern Europe: Italy, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta.

The positions are designed for fully remote working, with occasional travel to European project locations, client meetings and design workshops as required.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in their country of residence, and employment arrangements will be subject to local contractual and payroll requirements.

Please note: Candidates based in Spain are not being considered for these opportunities.

Contract Details

• Duration: 18-month fixed-term employment contract.
• Working Arrangement: Fully remote.
• Travel: Occasional travel to European project locations may be required.
• Salary: Competitive package, dependent on relevant experience and country of employment.
• Project Environment: Major European data-centre developments, working with international multidisciplinary teams.
• Employment Conditions: Country-specific contractual terms and statutory benefits will be confirmed during the recruitment process.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be an established data-centre Design Manager who combines strong technical understanding with effective project leadership and stakeholder-management capabilities.

They will be comfortable taking ownership of complex multidisciplinary design processes, coordinating specialist engineering teams and ensuring that design activities support successful project delivery.

They will understand the importance of critical infrastructure resilience, design coordination, programme certainty, constructability and commissioning readiness within hyperscale and mission-critical environments.

This opportunity will particularly suit professionals who have worked on major European data-centre programmes and are seeking a senior design-management position with the flexibility of remote working.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Support a major international client delivering multiple European data-centre projects.
• Work on significant hyperscale and mission-critical infrastructure developments.
• Enjoy the flexibility of a fully remote European working arrangement.
• Collaborate with experienced international engineering and project delivery teams.
• Take a senior role in managing complex multidisciplinary design activities.
• Secure an 18-month fixed-term employment opportunity within a growing European infrastructure sector.