Design Manager

Join a fast-growing global engineering consultancy and deliver high-impact electrical solutions across data centre projects.

Reporting to the Head of Design Management APAC, the Design Manager will lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design delivery across mission-critical projects in Malaysia and APAC. You will ensure alignment with codes, standards and client requirements while maintaining quality, programme control and commercial oversight throughout the project lifecycle. You will drive seamless delivery across complex data centre environments, acting as the central interface between technical teams, sub-consultants and clients.

About the Role

People

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams, including virtual teams across multiple time zones.
• Provide strong leadership, guiding teams through complex project challenges and high-pressure environments.
• Collaborate with clients and design teams to localise solutions, maintain stakeholder relationships, and resolve issues effectively.
• Demonstrate integrity, accountability, and collaboration as a positive leadership role model across global teams.
• Support staff development through mentoring, training, and career growth initiatives.

Projects

• Lead and manage design phase delivery, including feasibility, concept, schematic and detailed design stages
• Plan, coordinate and oversee the activities of multiple sub‑consultants across architectural, structural, civil, services and specialist disciplines
• Manage the commercial performance of sub‑consultant contracts, including scope definition, fee negotiations, appointments, change control, performance monitoring and close‑out
• Maintain control of project financial performance during design, including budgets, forecasts, resource allocation and cost tracking
• Support and participate in contract negotiations to achieve commercially balanced and delivery‑focused outcomes
• Ensure design outputs comply with QA/QC procedures, relevant codes, standards, health and safety legislation and internal governance requirements
• Monitor and manage design programme, risk and performance, proactively identifying coordination, compliance or delivery challenges and implementing mitigation strategies
• Apply strong project controls during design, including progress monitoring, reporting, schedule tracking and issue management
• Implement structured design governance, ensuring timely reviews, approvals and decision‑making
• Prepare and deliver clear and accurate design‑phase reporting to directors, senior management and client stakeholders
• Support proposals, bids and work‑winning activities, contributing to delivery methodologies, resourcing plans and commercial inputs
• Maintain effective communication with clients, sub‑consultants and internal stakeholders, providing leadership and clear direction
• Operate with a business‑wide mindset, prioritising organisational objectives and long‑term value over individual or team interests
• Support a smooth transition from design to construction by delivering coordinated, complete and well‑managed design documentation
• Manage project financial performance, resource allocation, and contract negotiations to support successful commercial outcomes.

About You

You are an experienced design leader with a strong technical foundation and proven capability in driving complex, multidisciplinary projects, ideally within the consultancy sector for data centres or mission-critical sector.

• You are an experienced Design Manager or Project Manager with a strong technical background delivering data centre and mission-critical projects through all design phases, from feasibility through to construction support.
• You have proven experience managing complex, multidisciplinary design teams, coordinating the activities of architects, engineers, specialist consultants and contractors to deliver integrated design outcomes.
• You are comfortable leading feasibility studies, concept design, schematic design, detailed design and authority submission stages, ensuring clear scope definition, programme control and high-quality deliverables.
• You have strong experience localising global or reference designs to suit Malaysian regulations, site conditions, climate considerations, utility requirements and client operational needs.
• You possess a sound understanding of Malaysian codes, regulations and authority approval processes, including local authority requirements, BOMBA approvals, utility coordination and relevant Malaysian Standards.
• You are confident acting as the primary client interface, translating commercial, operational and technical requirements into coordinated and compliant design solutions.
• You proactively manage design risks, identifying compliance, coordination, constructability and integration issues early and implementing practical mitigation strategies.
• You have experience managing design scope, consultant performance, budgets and change control, maintaining commercial discipline and programme certainty throughout project delivery.
• You are skilled in facilitating design coordination workshops, technical reviews and stakeholder meetings, driving collaboration, accountability and timely decision-making across all disciplines.
• You have a strong understanding of mission-critical systems integration, including electrical power distribution, backup generation, cooling systems, redundancy philosophies and resilience requirements.
• You can effectively coordinate with utility providers, regulatory authorities and external stakeholders to support project approvals and successful project outcomes.
• You communicate clearly and professionally, producing concise design reports, technical presentations, compliance assessments and executive-level project updates.
• You thrive in fast-paced, technically challenging environments and can balance competing priorities while maintaining quality, compliance, commercial performance and client satisfaction.
• Experience delivering data centre projects within Malaysia or Southeast Asia, particularly for hyperscale, colocation or enterprise clients, will be highly regarded.

What's In It For You

• Work on high-profile data centre and mission critical projects
• Be part of a growing APAC team with international exposure
• Competitive compensation package (commensurate with experience)
• Opportunities for growth and development within a global consultancy