Senior Design Manager in Bicester

Our client is an expanding international M&E consultancy, with a proven track record in low energy design, focused on providing excellent design solutions to clients. Through their market leading technical expertise, they enable the world’s digital infrastructure and develop the built environment whilst also helping clients realise ambitious plans for zero carbon-built environments. They cover the entire life cycle of any building project, with their broad capability saving their clients time, money, and effort. Their approach is centred around listening to their clients and interacting energetically with their fellow project stakeholders. They add value with their people, client service ethos, global delivery strategy, technical ability, and attitude.

They are seeking a fully experienced Senior Design Manager to join their Bicester team.

Role Responsibilities

• The Senior Design Manager (SDM) leads and coordinates multidisciplinary design activities across complex hyperscale and technology driven data centre projects.
• Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the SDM owns the day to day design management activities on assigned projects and acts as the principal design point of contact for internal project teams, external consultants, and clients.
• Working closely with Associate Design Managers—who oversee broader project portfolios—the SDM is responsible for ensuring design deliverables meet project requirements, client standards, and key milestones from feasibility through concept, 50/80/100% design stages and into post contract support.
• This role requires strong leadership, excellent communication skills, and a deep understanding of MEP, architectural, structural, civil, and specialist data centre systems.
• The SDM drives quality, technical accuracy, and coordinated outputs across all design workstreams.
• Lead, organise, and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams (MEP, architecture, structures, civils, security, sustainability, acoustics and specialist SMEs).
• Operate with full autonomy in daily design management activities, requiring minimal direction.
• Serve as the principal design interface alongside the wider project team, ensuring consistent communication and alignment across all project stakeholders.
• Capture client requirements and translate them into clear, toll gated design deliverables (Masterplan, 50%, 80%, 100% packages).
• Ensure design outputs meet project demands, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and global data centre benchmarks (e.g., Uptime Institute, ASHRAE TC 9.9, ISO/IEC standards).
• Oversee compliance with planning, permitting, building regulations, and localisation requirements.
• Manage design programmes and track progress against milestones, proactively identifying risks, clashes, or schedule impacts.
• Lead design change control processes in collaboration with project management, ensuring robust documentation, traceability, and scope clarity.
• Act as the primary technical point of contact for clients, consultants, sub consultants, and internal teams.
• Lead and chair design meetings, technical workshops, and high quality design page turn sessions (virtual or in person).
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, addressing performance concerns early and effectively.
• Contribute to internal development of design management systems, tools, templates, and best practice processes.
• Support business development, representing the discipline and the business with professionalism and technical excellence.

Role Requirements

• 5+ years at Senior Engineer or Design Manager level.
• MSc/MEng (or equivalent) in an appropriate engineering discipline (desirable). BSc/BEng as a minimum.
• Professional membership (e.g., MCIBSE, MIEE, IMechE, MCIOB, APM PMQ, PRINCE2) desirable; Chartered status preferred.
• Proven project management and multidisciplinary design experience with data centres or other large scale, complex engineering projects.
• Strong MEP background with exposure to highly engineered or mission critical environments.
• Commercially aware with experience in fee management, resource planning, and financial controls.
• Strong understanding of company QA processes, internal governance, and long term business goals.

Benefits

• Annual leave rising to 28 days annual.
• Holiday purchase and buy back scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Contributory company pension scheme.
• Non-contractual bonus awards.

If you are interested please send your CV to Ben.