Design Manager

Design Manager – Data Centres

Location: Frankfurt, Germany

Sector: Data Centres / Mission Critical

Employment Type: Full-time

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced Design Manager to support the delivery of large-scale data centre projects in Frankfurt.

Working as part of the project management and design management team, you will take responsibility for coordinating multidisciplinary design activities across architectural, structural and MEP disciplines, ensuring the project is delivered in line with programme, cost, quality and contractual requirements.

This role would suit someone with a strong background in complex building projects who is comfortable coordinating international design teams and working closely with clients, consultants, contractors and technical specialists.

Previous experience in data centres, mission critical facilities or other technically complex developments would be highly advantageous.

Key Responsibilities

As Design Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Managing and coordinating multidisciplinary design activities across architecture, structures and building services
• Taking ownership of defined design packages and workstreams
• Coordinating design teams across multiple disciplines, offices and international locations
• Monitoring design progress against agreed programme, budget and contractual requirements
• Ensuring design information is delivered to the required quality and within agreed timescales
• Leading coordination between clients, consultants, engineers, contractors and other project stakeholders
• Proactively managing design decisions, approvals and technical queries
• Identifying design risks, clashes and coordination issues before they impact construction
• Supporting the resolution of technical and constructability issues
• Monitoring design changes and assessing their potential impact on cost and programme
• Maintaining clear communication across project teams and ensuring key decisions are properly documented
• Supporting overall project delivery from detailed design through construction
• Driving effective collaboration across remote and internationally based project teams

Qualifications & Experience

We are looking for candidates with:

• A degree in Architecture, Engineering or a related discipline
• Approximately 10+ years of professional experience
• Strong experience delivering complex design and construction projects
• Significant experience within German HOAI Leistungsphasen 3, 4 and 5
• Ideally at least 4 years’ experience across LP3–4 and a further 4 years within LP5 or detailed design delivery
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary design teams
• Previous experience managing or leading planning/design teams
• Strong understanding of design management and project delivery processes
• Experience working on projects within the German market
• Knowledge of German building regulations, permitting requirements and environmental standards
• Experience working within international project teams

Data Centre Experience

Previous experience within the following would be particularly valuable:

• Data centres
• Mission critical facilities
• Advanced manufacturing
• Semiconductor facilities
• Pharmaceutical or life sciences facilities
• Airports
• Large-scale industrial developments
• Other technically complex buildings with significant MEP requirements

Candidates without direct data centre experience may still be considered where they have strong experience managing highly technical, multidisciplinary projects.

Skills

• Strong design coordination and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage competing priorities
• Commercial awareness and understanding of programme and cost implications
• Proactive approach to design risk and decision management
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Comfortable working with international and remote project teams
• Interest in BIM, digital construction and modern design coordination processes
• Independent and structured approach to project delivery

Language Requirements

• Fluent German
• Fluent English

Both languages are required due to the international nature of the project team and the need to work with German authorities, consultants and contractors.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to work on some of the most technically advanced construction projects in Germany within one of Europe’s strongest data centre markets.

You will be involved in complex, high-value projects with significant responsibility across design coordination, project delivery and stakeholder management.

If you have strong experience managing multidisciplinary design teams and are interested in developing your career within the data centre sector, we would be interested in speaking with you.