Data Centre – Design Manager (m/f/d) MEP / Architectural Background

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Data Centre Design Manager (m/f/d) – MEP / Architectural Background

Company: AECOM

Location: Berlin, Germany

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Infrastructure Design & Management / Project Management

Date Posted: 2026-09-28

Experience Level: Senior (10+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary design teams (CSA & MEP) for data centre projects within the dynamic German market.

• Drive the technical and commercial aspects of bids, ensuring accurate pricing and profitable delivery for key clients.

• Oversee project execution from design inception through to completion, ensuring adherence to client deadlines, budgets, and regulatory requirements.

• Foster strong client relationships through effective communication and project delivery, contributing to AECOM's reputation as a trusted infrastructure consulting firm.

• Uphold and ensure compliance with all internal AECOM governance and local German regulatory standards throughout project lifecycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior-level Design Manager with significant responsibility for both technical design oversight and commercial aspects of bidding within the specialized Data Centre sector in Germany. The emphasis on "accountable DM position" and "DC Experience" indicates a need for proven leadership and deep domain knowledge, rather than entry-level or mid-level management.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Oversight: Manage and coordinate multidisciplinary design efforts, including Civil, Structural, Architectural (CSA), and Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems, specifically for data centre facilities.

• Bid Management: Lead the technical and commercial proposal development for new data centre opportunities, including accurate pricing, scope definition, and risk assessment to ensure profitable delivery aligned with sales targets.

• Project Execution: Oversee the design process from concept to detailed design, ensuring timely delivery, adherence to budget, and fulfillment of client specifications and recurring client deadlines.

• Resource Allocation: Identify, select, and deploy appropriate internal and external resources with the necessary capabilities to ensure successful project outcomes.

• Client Engagement: Act as a key point of contact for clients, fostering strong relationships, managing expectations, and ensuring client satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to all internal AECOM governance policies and relevant local German building codes, environmental regulations, and data centre specific standards.

• Team Leadership: Lead and mentor cross-regional and multidisciplinary design teams, promoting a collaborative and high-performance work environment.

• Risk Management: Proactively identify and mitigate design and project-related risks to ensure project success and minimize potential financial or schedule impacts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a dual focus on technical design leadership and project/commercial management, typical of senior operations roles within engineering and construction consulting firms. The emphasis on "German market" and "local regulatory governance" suggests a need for localized expertise and understanding of the German business and legal landscape.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil) or Architecture from an accredited institution. Experience:

• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in design management, with a significant portion focused on data centre projects.

• Proven track record in an accountable Design Manager (DM) position within the Data Centre sector.

• Demonstrated experience in managing multidisciplinary teams, including CSA and MEP disciplines. Required Skills:

• Design Management Expertise: Deep understanding of the design lifecycle for complex infrastructure projects, particularly data centres.

• MEP & Architectural Acumen: Strong technical background and understanding of Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Architectural systems relevant to data centre design.

• Project Management Proficiency: Ability to manage complex workloads, timelines, and budgets effectively, with a strong understanding of project management principles.

• Commercial Acumen: Experience in bidding, pricing, and ensuring profitable project delivery, including understanding sales fees and margins.

• Contractual Fluency: Proficiency in understanding and applying contractual terms in both German and English.

• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective client and team interaction.

• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with German building codes, standards, and regulatory requirements applicable to data centre construction.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to identify and resolve complex design and project challenges efficiently.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise data centre projects.

• Familiarity with specific data centre design software and simulation tools.

• Knowledge of sustainability initiatives and green building practices in data centre design.

• Experience working within a global consulting firm environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "Senior Multidisciplinary Design Manager (MEP / Architectural Background)" and "DC Experience in accountable DM position" strongly suggests that candidates with a background in engineering or architecture who have specifically managed the design process for data centres will be prioritized. The emphasis on both contractual German and English highlights the need for bilingual capabilities in a professional context.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Management Case Studies: Showcase projects where you successfully led multidisciplinary design teams, detailing your role in scope definition, coordination, and issue resolution.

• Bidding & Commercial Proposals: Examples of bids you managed, demonstrating your ability to price projects accurately, define scope, and secure profitable work within the data centre sector.

• Project Delivery Metrics: Evidence of projects delivered on time, within budget, and to client specifications, with clear articulation of the outcomes and your contribution.

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