At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead design teams to create innovative, high-performance data centre solutions.
- Company: Join CloudHQ, a global leader in hyperscale data centre solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy career growth, collaboration with top partners, and a dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Travel across EMEA sites and work with cutting-edge technologies.
- Why this job: Shape the future of data centre design and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in design leadership, preferably in data centres or large-scale projects.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About CloudHQ
CloudHQ is a global leader in hyperscale data centre solutions, delivering secure, high-performance, and resilient facilities for many of the world's largest technology companies. As we expand our global footprint, we are strengthening our Design & Engineering organisation to ensure CloudHQ’s technical standards, design quality, and lifecycle performance remain industry-leading.
Role Overview
The Design/Technical Director of Development, EMEA plays a pivotal leadership role within the Development team, acting as the owner of CloudHQ’s technical design vision across new developments, expansions, and global design standards.
- Defining and governing CloudHQ’s Basis of Design (BoD)
- Managing and directing external design consultants
- Ensuring design consistency, quality, cost-efficiency, constructability, and scalability
- Providing cross-functional leadership from site due diligence and concept design through to construction
- Partnering closely with wider Development team, Site Selection, Construction, Operations, and commercial teams to deliver technically robust designs that meet client requirements and CloudHQ standards.
The Technical Director acts as CloudHQ’s technical design authority, ensuring every facility is engineered to support reliability, performance, and operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and continuously evolve CloudHQ’s global Basis of Design, engineering guidelines, standard details, and specifications in conjunction with global design leads.
- Lead multidisciplinary design teams (MEP, structural, civil, architectural, fire/life safety) across RIBA stage 1 to 4 design phases.
- Review all design packages to ensure compliance with CloudHQ standards, local codes, sustainability requirements, and hyperscale customer specifications.
- Support CloudHQ Construction teams to ensure alignment with the Basis of Design.
- Direct consultant teams and challenge design decisions to optimise cost, constructability, efficiency, and performance.
- Ensure standardisation across regions while allowing for local code adaptation and site-specific constraints.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Development teams during land acquisition, feasibility analysis, and site evaluation to identify design risks and technical constraints early.
- Partner with Construction teams to validate constructability, sequencing, engineering interfaces, and delivery risks.
- Collaborate with Operations to incorporate maintainability, resilience, and future scalability requirements into all designs.
- Engage with commercial teams during customer solutioning, supporting technical clarifications and design-related inputs.
Design Quality, Risk & Compliance Management
- Implement design governance processes ensuring accuracy, coordination, and timely delivery of all consultant submissions.
- Identify and mitigate design risks during all project phases.
- Drive quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) across every design package.
- Validate MEP redundancy strategies, power distribution architecture, cooling topologies, and life-safety systems.
- Ensure designs adhere to relevant international standards, environmental requirements, and local permitting guidelines.
Technical Innovation & Continuous Improvement
- Evaluate emerging technologies and integrate best-practice design innovations into CloudHQ’s standards.
- Explore modularisation, prefabrication, and design-for-manufacture opportunities to improve schedule, quality, and cost.
- Develop scalable design templates for multi-phase campuses and high-density deployments.
- Benchmark industry trends to ensure CloudHQ design remains competitive and future-proof.
Consultant, Vendor & Stakeholder Management
- Select, manage, and direct external design consultancies, ensuring accountability and performance.
- Review and approve consultant proposals, scopes of work, and deliverables.
- Participate in design-related negotiations with contractors, equipment vendors, and partners.
- Act as the primary design escalation point for CloudHQ leadership and project teams.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- Master’s (Preferred) / Bachelors (Acceptable) degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Structural, Architectural Engineering or related field.
- 10+ years of design leadership experience within data centres, mission-critical facilities, or large-scale industrial/infrastructure projects.
- Strong knowledge of LV/MV power distribution, UPS/generator topology, cooling systems, building architecture, fire protection, and structural design for hyperscale environments.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary design teams across multiple projects and geographies.
- Proven experience governing and coordinating design consultants and contractors.
- Strong understanding of constructability, commissioning interfaces, permitting, and international design standards.
- Ability to challenge assumptions constructively and provide innovative, cost-effective technical solutions.
- Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence across functional and regional boundaries.
- Ability to travel across our EMEA sites.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in hyperscale data centre design for major cloud or colocation operators.
- Chartered / Professional Engineer (CEng, PE), or equivalent professional accreditation.
- Experience with modular construction, prefabrication, and factory-built MEP systems.
- Familiarity with ASHRAE, NFPA, IEEE, IEC, EN standards, and Uptime classifications.
- International project delivery experience in EMEA.
Why Join CloudHQ
- Shape the next generation of hyperscale design standards across global markets.
- Lead technically challenging, high-impact projects with massive scale.
- Collaborate with top engineering and construction partners worldwide.
- Work in a high-growth, innovation-driven environment with significant career progression opportunities.
Disclaimer
To be eligible, you’ll need to be based in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, or Luxembourg. The role will also involve regular travel across our sites in EMEA.
Design Director in Wedmore employer: CloudHQ, LLC
Contact Detail:
CloudHQ, LLC Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Director in Wedmore
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend design and engineering events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, bring along examples of your best work. We want to see how you’ve tackled design challenges and delivered innovative solutions. A strong portfolio can really set you apart from the competition.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching CloudHQ and understanding our design philosophy. We love candidates who are genuinely interested in our projects and can discuss how their experience aligns with our goals. Tailor your responses to highlight your relevant skills and experiences.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining the CloudHQ team and contributing to our mission of delivering top-notch data centre solutions.
We think you need these skills to ace Design Director in Wedmore
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Design Director role. Highlight your experience in leading multidisciplinary design teams and managing complex projects, as this is key for us at CloudHQ.
Showcase Your Technical Expertise: Don’t hold back on showcasing your knowledge of design standards and engineering guidelines. We want to see how your background in electrical, mechanical, or structural engineering aligns with our needs in hyperscale data centre solutions.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make your achievements stand out. We appreciate a well-structured application that’s easy to read!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at CloudHQ, LLC
✨Know Your Design Standards
Familiarise yourself with CloudHQ’s Basis of Design and technical standards. Be prepared to discuss how your experience aligns with their requirements, especially in terms of compliance with local codes and sustainability.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Design Director, you'll need to lead multidisciplinary teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed design projects, collaborated with various stakeholders, and ensured quality across all phases of development.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect in-depth questions about your knowledge of power distribution, cooling systems, and structural design. Brush up on relevant international standards and be ready to discuss how you’ve implemented innovative solutions in past projects.
✨Demonstrate Cross-Functional Collaboration
CloudHQ values teamwork across different departments. Think of instances where you’ve worked closely with construction, operations, or commercial teams to overcome challenges and deliver successful projects.