Data Centre Architectural Technical Director in Birmingham

The Data Centre Architectural Technical Director leads, develops, and advances the Architectural & Digital Design discipline for data centre projects across the region. This discipline includes Architectural Designers, Technical Architects, BIM Managers, and Digital Delivery Specialists. The Director ensures excellence in design quality, technical execution, innovation, and alignment with global standards.

The Data Centre Architectural Technical Director shall hold full responsibility and accountability for the Data Centre Architectural & Digital Design discipline. Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring consistent, high-quality deliverables through structured QA/QC processes and technical audits.
• Supporting business development through technical expertise, proposal input, and design effort estimation.
• Maintaining deep technical proficiency in data centre architectural design, enabling effective resource planning and project execution.
• Driving strategic initiatives, innovation, and digital transformation within the discipline.
• Serving as a subject matter expert (SME) for architectural and digital delivery methodologies.
• Overseeing discipline-specific budget management, inter-office collaboration, and quality assurance.
• Ensuring alignment with global architectural, BIM, and digital engineering standards, tools, and workflows.

Project & Technical Leadership

• Collaborating with Regional Directors, Project Managers, and Proposal Managers to define project scope, complexity, schedule, and design requirements.
• Assigning appropriate architectural and digital design personnel to ensure cost-effective, high-quality project delivery.
• Defining efficient workflows and levels of design detail appropriate for each project phase.
• Estimating design hours and supporting project planning for architectural and BIM deliverables.
• Ensuring accuracy, consistency, and completeness of all architectural outputs in accordance with engineering principles, quality standards, codes, and project schedules.
• Providing technical guidance, mentorship, and leadership to all discipline members.

Strategic & Organisational Leadership

• Developing a long-term strategic plan for the Data Centre Architectural & Digital Design discipline aligned with company goals.
• Contributing to regional strategic planning and operational improvement initiatives.
• Leading the Architectural & Digital Design Communities of Practice (CoPs) to advance frameworks, standards, and best practices.
• Coordinating with global discipline leaders to ensure consistent project execution across all offices.
• Driving innovation in architectural design, digital delivery, automation, and AI-enabled workflows to increase productivity and reduce manual effort.
• Maintaining active engagement with industry bodies, standards groups, and professional associations; encouraging team participation for continuous professional development.

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Performing hiring, performance reviews, compensation recommendations, and career development planning.
• Planning and allocating workload, staffing, and resource distribution across the discipline.
• Overseeing inter-office work sharing and outsourcing to external partners.
• Conducting regular capability assessments to identify skill gaps and implement training or recruitment strategies.
• Building a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and high performance.
• Leading teams through organisational change and ensuring smooth transitions during restructuring or strategic shifts.

Technical Excellence & Digital Delivery

• Ensuring quality of all architectural and BIM deliverables, including model federation, coordination, clash detection, digital twins, and immersive visualisation.
• Overseeing digital delivery during construction phases, including progress scanning, model-based validation, and integration with 5D–7D digital workflows.
• Collaborating with project teams to align Levels of Detail (LOD) and digital requirements across project phases.
• Overseeing development of architectural BIM families, templates, and standards aligned with industry and vendor requirements.
• Reviewing and approving BIM Execution Plans for all data centre projects.
• Supporting risk assessments and design reviews, including constructability, safety, and operational risk evaluations.
• Providing architectural and digital consultancy services as required.

Business Development & Client Engagement

• Participating in business development efforts by identifying opportunities with existing and new clients.
• Contributing to proposal development, technical presentations, and client meetings.
• Collaborating with client architectural and technical counterparts to develop design concepts and project strategies.

Other Responsibilities

• Travelling to regional offices and client sites to support project and business needs.
• Leading special projects as assigned.
• Supporting a smooth transition to new organisational structures, addressing concerns and fostering alignment.
• Promoting company vision, values, and culture across the discipline.

Line of Report

The Data Centre Architectural Technical Director reports to the Senior Director of Design. The Architectural Technical Director oversees the Architectural Design and Digital Delivery (BIM/VDC) disciplines. Associate Directors and discipline leads report directly to this role.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Extensive experience in architectural design and delivery of data centres, mission-critical facilities, or similarly complex technical buildings.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary design teams and manage large-scale technical projects.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to plan, coordinate, and supervise technical work.
• Expertise in architectural design software, BIM platforms, and digital engineering workflows.
• Experience producing and reviewing advanced digital deliverables, including model coordination, clash detection, digital twins, and construction phase digital validation.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead teams through change and maintain a positive, high-performance culture.
• Strong background in employee engagement, talent development, and succession planning.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment.
• A degree or equivalent qualification in Architecture or a related field.
• Commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.

All interviews are conducted either in person or virtually, with video required.

About Us

Springtide is a high-performance engineering and construction consultancy, delivering mission-critical infrastructure and complex projects with precision and excellence.

Why Join Us?

Springtide offers an exciting opportunity to lead a high-growth business at the forefront of one of the fastest-growing infrastructure sectors in Europe. Backed by the strength and scale of our group companies (IPS & Linesight), you’ll have the platform, resources, and autonomy to make a significant impact in a leadership role that shapes the future of our business and the industry. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a dynamic, fast-growing consultancy operating at the cutting edge of engineering excellence. As a strategic leader in Springtide, you will have the autonomy, support, and resources to make a lasting impact on the European data centre landscape.