Senior Design Manager

Freelance Senior Design Manager (Data Centre Bid)

Sector: Hyperscale Data Centres / Critical Infrastructure

Contract Duration: 2 Months (Starting ASAP - December 2026)

Location: Remote / Hybrid with regional bid office attendance

Day Rate: Competitive

Reporting To: Commercial Director

Project Overview

We require an experienced Freelance Senior Design Manager for an immediate 2-month sprint to finalize the pre-construction design phase for a major hyperscale data centre bid. This fast-tracked role demands a design leader who can immediately step in to coordinate the final structural, architectural, and MEP requirements of mission-critical facilities. You will work under tight deadlines to ensure a technically compliant and commercially optimized tender submission by December 2026.

Core Responsibilities

• Bid Finalization & Technical Review: Oversee the final stages of the design workstream for the data centre bid. Ensure all outputs strictly satisfy the client employer information requirements and technical parameters.


• Consultant Coordination: Actively manage and challenge external architectural, structural, and specialist MEP design consultants. Ensure their final tender designs are fully coordinated, clash-free, and aligned with budget targets.


• Risk Mitigation & Space Planning: Identify and resolve remaining design risks or omissions. Pay specific attention to final spatial configurations for high-voltage substations, generator yards, cooling plant infrastructure, and white space layouts.


• Value Engineering Sprint: Implement immediate value engineering solutions to optimize building envelope performance and modular construction methods without delaying the submission timeline.


• Client Clarifications: Prepare high-quality technical design documentation and presentation materials for upcoming competitive dialogue sessions and post-tender clarification meetings.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Immediate availability to start a 2-month freelance contract.


• Proven track record as a Design Manager or Senior Design Manager delivering successful bids within the data centre, critical infrastructure, or heavy industrial sectors.


• Deep technical understanding of data centre architectural layouts, structural load capacities, and complex MEP services integration.


• Familiarity with data centre tier classifications, cooling configurations, power distribution, and modular build methodologies.


• Strong leadership capability with the ability to drive multi-disciplinary consulting teams to meet strict tender deadlines.


• Proficiency in BIM software, Revit, Navisworks, and standard digital document management platforms.

Working Conditions

This is an intensive, short-term freelance assignment running from onboarding through to final bid submission in December 2026. The role offers a hybrid work pattern, combining remote working with required attendance at the bid office for final review workshops

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