Senior Design Manager

Overview

Join Kao Data as a Senior Design Manager and drive excellence in AI‑focused data centres. Kao Data pioneers the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing, delivering secure, scalable, and sustainable homes for compute.

About the Role

The Design Manager is part of the in‑house design management team, responsible for assisting all elements of the business with technical, design and engineering support, and leading the design and development of new technology suites, data‑centre buildings and campuses.

Key Responsibilities

• Get involved in the early stages of site selection and early RIBA stage development for larger scale builds to ensure base design requirements are correct before moving on to detailed design.
• Develop a design strategy to deliver a positive outcome.
• Determine and understand the design requirements, programme and budget.
• Develop the design/engineering brief, employers’ requirements or scope of works in sufficient detail to brief the internal business, the project design team and/or the contractor.
• Rely on external consultants and contractors to undertake the detailed design.
• Manage the design team to deliver an accurate and detailed design package, reviewing design information, challenging the team on options and ensuring they understand Kao Data’s requirements.
• Provide expert technical advice (around core discipline) to others in the design management team.
• Work with the operations team to understand their requirements, ensure engagement in projects, and support lifecycle projects, problems and incidents.
• Collaborate with, and manage the output of, consultant design teams, empowering them, challenging them, and ensuring the BoD guidelaws are understood and followed, tracking deviations where necessary.
• Manage all elements of design – MEP, structural, controls (EPMS), fire, security and other specialists.
• Gain sufficient understanding of non‑core disciplines to ask the right questions and challenge design and construction teams.
• Minimise, monitor and review design change.
• Understand customer requirements including specific contract requirements.
• Work with colleagues, consultants, vendors etc to gain technical support on key issues where required.
• Track design progress, prioritise and manage design workstreams, ensuring the design team has all the information needed to deliver a working design.
• Work closely with internal and external project managers and commercial teams to support delivery, helping ensure projects are on budget and on time.
• Review and provide technical feedback on consultant fee proposals, contractor tenders, variations etc.
• Speak regularly with product vendors to understand how their technologies work and any incoming innovations, sharing insights with the design management team.
• Provide technical support to all parts of the business – sales, operations, customer team, site development, health & safety, security, compliance etc.
• Support business activities such as funder audits, insurance audits, marketing etc.
• Work with the Kao Data delivery manager to set up the project and a project team.
• Support the physical delivery of projects on site, including attending design and progress meetings, ensuring designers and contractors collaborate, liaising between the project and operational team, closing RFIs and technical submittals, and supporting change management.
• Set up and monitor a detailed commissioning process – typically via appointed commissioning agents and consultants.
• Attend key commissioning activities including L1, L4 and L5.
• Support the handover process, including record information reviews, inspections etc.
• Review customer contracts to ensure they align with Kao Data design or to identify changes needed to comply with specific customer requirements.
• Provide internal reporting to ensure senior levels of the team and business understand project progress, risks and have information needed to make key decisions.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject (typically mechanical, electrical or building services engineering).
• Professional certification (e.g. CEng, PE) or an Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) certification is desirable.
• Deep familiarity with data centre methodologies, standards and certifications (e.g. Uptime Institute, Tier Certification, ASHRAE etc).
• Extensive design/engineering experience in a core discipline.
• Demonstrated construction industry project delivery experience.
• Extensive design/delivery of multi‑MW data centre engineering projects.
• Experience managing, leading and/or mentoring engineering/design teams.
• In‑depth knowledge of critical mechanical and/or electrical systems, including power distribution, precision cooling, ventilation, fire systems and controls.
• Good understanding of key data centre infrastructure components including generators, MV/LV switchgear, UPS systems, critical cooling/ventilation systems and BMS.
• Understanding of other disciplines including structural, fire engineering, security and acoustics.
• Experience with the five levels of DC testing including integrated systems testing (L5 IST) and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam, AutoCAD, Navisworks, CDEs etc.
• Able to technically manage a design team across all engineering disciplines.
• Strong organisational and time‑management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Understanding of fundamentals of project delivery/management to support and collaborate with the Kao Data delivery manager.
• Flexibility and adaptability to support high‑priority projects and tasks, and willingness to travel and visit sites for factory acceptance testing, typically within the UK or EU.

Benefits

• Private Medical – private health insurance including dental and optical cover.
• Holiday – 25 days annual leave plus UK Bank Holidays.
• Pension – salary sacrifice pension.
• Parental Leave – enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• Life Assurance & Income Protection.
• Mental health support – 24/7 access to mental health support via the employee assistance programme, and a trained team of mental health first aiders.
• Giving back – 2 charity volunteering days a year.
• Electric Vehicle – salary sacrifice scheme.
• Optical Benefit – access to Unum’s Help@Hand.

Why Kao Data?

Be part of an innovative and rapidly growing AI data centre leader. Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development. Work in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Engage in team events that strengthen workplace culture and connections.

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