Engineering Manager / Lead Project Engineer (NICC Building) in Birmingham

We're working with a major client delivering Britain's high-speed rail infrastructure programme, and we're recruiting a Lead Project Engineer to lead the technical delivery and assurance of the NICC (National Infrastructure Control Centre) Building project. This is a leadership role. You'll be responsible for the progressive risk‑based technical assurance of the NICC building design, construction and handover into operations. You're the strategic link between the client's technical requirements and what the supply chain delivers, ensuring the NICC building is built to specification, on time and operational. You combine deep technical knowledge of mission‑critical building systems and infrastructure with the ability to lead across complex interfaces. You'll manage technical coordination between multiple contractors, ensure CDM Principal Designer duties are discharged properly, and translate complex technical challenges into clear solutions. Your work ensures the NICC building meets all regulatory, operational and integration requirements.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the risk‑based technical assurance of NICC building design, construction and commissioning, reviewing and approving technical deliverables against client requirements and standards.
• Discharge the duties of Principal Designer Representative and NEC Supervisor under CDM 2015, managing coordination and interface assurance across contractors.
• Ensure design, construction and commissioning comply with technical, sponsor and regulatory requirements before handover to operations.
• Manage technical coordination and integration between NICC building contractors and other interfacing systems and infrastructure.
• Communicate client engineering requirements to contractors and respond to technical queries, providing clear guidance on design solutions.
• Lead engagement on environmental, planning and consenting deliverables with relevant teams.
• Work with commercial and project managers on cost and schedule impacts, identifying risks and mitigation strategies.
• Support the Head of Engineering with internal and external reporting on technical progress and risk management.
• Actively manage and communicate engineering issues and changes affecting the NICC building delivery.
• Provide technical direction on design solutions, promoting best practice engineering techniques that drive consistency and efficiency.

What We're Looking For

• Senior engineer or programme manager with substantial hands‑on experience leading the delivery of mission‑critical facilities at scale.
• Background in data centre, control centre, telecommunications hub or similar critical infrastructure.
• Experience managing multi‑disciplinary engineering, mechanical, electrical, HVAC and building systems integration on large complex projects at £100m+ scale.
• Knowledge of CDM 2015 and hands‑on Principal Designer duties; experience with NEC contracts and supervision responsibilities.
• Proven ability to manage competing project and engineering demands with cost and schedule implications.
• Comfortable with digital engineering tools and building information management systems.
• Strong leadership and influence across disciplines, with the ability to communicate technical complexity clearly to senior stakeholders and contractors.
• Pragmatic approach to balancing technical rigour with delivery timescales.

The Position

• Location: Birmingham or London (flexible between both sites)
• Contract: Full‑time, permanent role

You'll work closely with contractors, internal engineering teams, commercial and project managers. The role requires technical authority and the confidence to challenge designs when standards are at risk. You'll interface regularly with supply chain partners and senior client stakeholders and manage a team of approximately one to two Senior Project Engineers.