Associate Director - Electrical (Data Centres)

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? Each and every role throughout our organisation makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures; it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation.

As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centres driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration.

This isn’t just a job; it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.

• Monitor resources relative to each project monthly allowable fee expenditure, defining monthly CAD requirements and two-weekly engineering workload forecasts.
• Carry out engineering concept design to detailed design, tender and contract on site supervision, through to completion, ensuring projects are undertaken in accordance with design briefs and that completion deadlines are achieved, via frequent design reviews with engineers.
• Ensure all design projects and reports within the team are technically compliant, to a consistent quality and standard.
• Maintain regular ‘in‑house’ design reviews and checks.
• Monitor contract staff or third‑party appointments.
• Maintain excellent client relationships and contacts to achieve high levels of satisfaction and repeat business.
• Manage client’s expectations and promote a team approach.
• Develop new business opportunities where appropriate and participate with company presentations.
• Motivate yourself and manage staff to build coherent high performing teams.
• Set objectives, monitor performance, coach and develop staff to optimise their potential.
• Monitor and control project progress, design variations and project financial budgets.
• Implement management and administration systems (timesheets/expenses etc), co‑ordinate holiday leave within team.
• Carry out staff Personal Development Plans in accordance with the procedures.
• Report any staff performance problems to Divisional Director and agree corrective action.
• Identify and implement all training/CPD requirements of staff within their team.
• Implement and manage QA systems and procedures on all projects.
• Implement Company Health and Safety.
• Ensure all designs respond to the CDM regulations.
• Ensure Quality Management System ISO 9001 and 14001 are adhered to.

• Minimum 7 years’ experience, especially in designing and managing mission critical, datacentre projects.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Experience of monitoring contract staff or third‑party appointments would be desirable.
• Able to undertake computer modelling, organise and direct the production of CAD (as senior engineer) drawings and correspond effectively with opposite numbers with other consultants.
• Skills in project managing ongoing jobs with limited supervision are desirable.
• Competency in MS Word, Excel, Outlook.