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Mechanical Design Manager – Mission Critical (Consultancy Background) Location: Sines, Portugal A leading international engineering consultancy is seeking an experienced Design Manager – Mission Critical to join a major hyperscale data centre development in Sines, Portugal. This role is suited to a senior design professional with a strong consultancy background and extensive data centre experience across UK and European markets. The successful candidate will lead multidisciplinary design teams, manage high-profile client relationships, and drive design excellence across complex mission-critical projects.
• Lead multidisciplinary design teams across hyperscale and colocation data centre projects
• 20+ years’ experience within MEP design and construction
• Experience delivering projects across UK & Europe
• Major hyperscale data centre development in Portugal
€75,000 – €85,000 + Package
Type: Full-Time | Site-Based / Hybrid
Sector: Hyperscale Data Centres | Mission-Critical Infrastructure
The Design Manager will take full ownership of design coordination and technical delivery across architectural, structural, MEP, ICT, and specialist systems packages. You will operate at senior leadership level, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with global best practice standards for mission-critical facilities. This role requires strong commercial awareness, stakeholder management expertise, and experience leading large, high-performing design teams.
Key Responsibilities
• Act as primary design interface with clients, investors, and stakeholders
• Manage full design lifecycle from concept through IFC and construction support
• Drive design excellence and technical governance standards
• Oversee programme management and design deliverables scheduling
• Implement structured QA/QC and ISO-aligned processes
• Review and interrogate design for value engineering and optimisation
• Coordinate architectural, structural, MEP, ICT and specialist systems integration
• Lead technical due diligence and feasibility studies
• Support bid management and proposal preparation
• Develop business strategy and mission-critical growth initiatives
• Mentor and develop engineering teams
• Monitor financial performance, budgets and cash-flow alignment
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental and quality systems
Essential Criteria
• Strong consultancy background (mission-critical focus)
• Proven hyperscale or large-scale data centre experience
• Experience leading multidisciplinary design teams (30+ engineers beneficial)
• Degree qualified in Electrical Engineering or related discipline
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder management capability
• Experience in programme/project management (PMP / PRINCE2 advantageous)
• Deep understanding of ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS18001 frameworks
• Strong commercial acumen and financial oversight capability
Desirable
• Technical due diligence and investor advisory experience
• Exposure to modular or innovative data centre build models
• Chartered or MIET membership
• Experience leading business units or regional operations
What’s On Offer
• Leadership role within mission-critical division
• Long-term European project pipeline
• €75,000 – €85,000 salary
• Relocation / accommodation support available
• Career progression into Regional or Business Lead positions
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