Senior Manager - Project Delivery (HVAC)

Job Description: Senior Manager – HVAC

Position Overview

The Senior Manager – HVAC will lead the planning, engineering, procurement, execution, testing, commissioning, and handover of HVAC systems for data centre contracting projects. The role requires strong technical and commercial leadership to ensure that mission-critical cooling and ventilation systems are delivered safely, efficiently, and in accordance with approved designs, contractual requirements, project schedules, quality standards, and data centre operational criteria.

The position will manage HVAC project teams, specialist subcontractors, suppliers, consultants, and client representatives throughout the project lifecycle. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining system reliability, energy efficiency, maintainability, and operational resilience across data centre facilities while supporting business growth, tendering, and client relationship management.

Key Responsibilities

Technical and Engineering Leadership

• Lead the design review and technical delivery of HVAC systems for data centres, including:
• Precision cooling systems
• Chilled-water systems
• Direct expansion systems
• CRAC and CRAH units
• Air handling units and fan coil units
• Ventilation and smoke-extraction systems
• Pressurisation systems
• Heat-rejection equipment
• HVAC controls and BMS integration
• Review HVAC designs, specifications, calculations, shop drawings, method statements, equipment schedules, and material submittals.
• Ensure compliance with project requirements, applicable codes, industry standards, and client specifications.
• Coordinate HVAC systems with electrical, civil, structural, fire protection, plumbing, BMS, controls, and other specialist services.
• Ensure HVAC solutions support data centre availability, redundancy, scalability, maintainability, and operational efficiency.
• Provide technical guidance on cooling-load calculations, airflow management, containment strategies, redundancy arrangements, equipment selection, and system optimisation.
• Evaluate engineering changes, technical queries, design deviations, and value-engineering proposals without compromising system performance or contractual requirements.

Project Execution and Delivery

• Direct HVAC execution activities from mobilisation through installation, testing, commissioning, integrated systems testing, client demonstration, and final handover.
• Establish project execution plans, installation strategies, resource plans, procurement schedules, inspection and test plans, commissioning plans, and risk-control measures.
• Monitor project progress against approved programmes and implement recovery plans for delays, constraints, late design information, material shortages, or subcontractor performance issues.
• Supervise the installation of HVAC equipment, ductwork, chilled-water and refrigerant pipework, insulation, supports, access provisions, controls, and associated systems.
• Ensure all construction activities are completed in accordance with approved drawings, method statements, manufacturer requirements, and project quality procedures.
• Lead coordination meetings with project management, consultants, clients, subcontractors, suppliers, and commissioning teams.
• Ensure appropriate sequencing of HVAC works with other trades to improve construction efficiency and minimise rework.

Testing, Commissioning, and Handover

• Plan and oversee pre-commissioning, testing, balancing, functional performance testing, controls verification, and integrated systems testing.
• Ensure commissioning activities demonstrate the required:
• Cooling capacity
• Airflow performance
• Temperature and humidity control
• Redundancy
• Alarm functions
• Sequence of operation
• BMS integration
• Review commissioning records, test reports, balancing reports, equipment start-up documentation, inspection records, and performance certificates.
• Lead the resolution of commissioning deficiencies and ensure outstanding works are closed before practical completion and handover.
• Coordinate the preparation of operation and maintenance manuals, as-built drawings, asset registers, training materials, warranties, and spare-parts schedules.
• Support client operations teams during system familiarisation, seasonal testing, reliability verification, and post-handover support.

Commercial and Contract Management

• Support estimation, tendering, technical proposals, bid reviews, and contract negotiations for HVAC data centre projects.
• Review project budgets, cost plans, procurement commitments, variations, claims, subcontractor valuations, and commercial risks.
• Identify cost-optimisation opportunities without compromising reliability, performance, safety, quality, or maintainability.
• Manage HVAC subcontractors and suppliers in line with contractual obligations, approved budgets, programme requirements, and performance expectations.
• Review and approve technical and commercial submissions, purchase requisitions, subcontractor scopes, and equipment procurement plans.
• Maintain accurate records of changes, instructions, delays, risks, commitments, and commercial correspondence.

Procurement and Supply Chain Management

• Define HVAC equipment and material requirements in coordination with design, commercial, and project teams.
• Support supplier prequalification, technical evaluations, factory inspections, expediting, logistics, and delivery coordination.
• Identify critical long-lead equipment at an early stage and ensure timely procurement.
• Verify that supplied equipment and materials comply with approved technical submittals, project specifications, quality requirements, and applicable standards.

Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental Compliance

• Promote a strong safety culture across all HVAC activities.
• Ensure compliance with approved health, safety, environmental, and quality procedures.
• Ensure implementation of:
• Risk assessments
• Method statements
• Work permits
• Toolbox talks
• Lifting plans
• Confined-space controls
• Work-at-height measures
• Lockout/tagout procedures
• Conduct regular inspections and audits to identify unsafe conditions, quality issues, installation deficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
• Ensure non-conformances, defects, incidents, and corrective actions are investigated and closed promptly.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, equipment protection, cleanliness, and contamination control within critical data centre environments.

Team and Stakeholder Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop HVAC engineers, managers, supervisors, coordinators, commissioning personnel, and site teams.
• Allocate resources effectively across multiple projects and provide technical support to project teams as required.
• Establish clear performance expectations and promote accountability, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain professional relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, suppliers, authorities, and internal stakeholders.
• Represent the organisation in technical meetings, progress reviews, design workshops, tender presentations, and project governance forums.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Mechanical Engineering, HVAC Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in HVAC design, construction, commissioning, and project management.
• Experience in data centres, mission-critical facilities, industrial facilities, or large commercial projects is preferred.
• Proven experience managing HVAC contracting projects from tender or design development through installation, commissioning, and handover.
• Strong knowledge of:
• Chilled-water systems
• Precision cooling
• CRAC and CRAH units
• Air handling systems
• Ventilation and smoke extraction
• Heat-rejection systems
• Ductwork and hydronic systems
• Refrigerant systems
• HVAC controls
• BMS integration
• Demonstrated understanding of data centre cooling requirements, redundancy concepts, critical infrastructure, equipment maintainability, and operational resilience.
• Strong knowledge of construction methods, commissioning procedures, quality management, project controls, procurement, subcontractor management, and contract administration.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, schedules, calculations, equipment data sheets, commissioning documentation, and contractual requirements.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, decision-making, problem-solving, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant project management, engineering, coordination, and document-control platforms.
• Knowledge of applicable HVAC, mechanical, building, fire and life-safety, health and safety, and environmental regulations and standards.
• Professional engineering registration or relevant industry certification will be advantageous.

Key Performance Indicators

• Delivery of HVAC works within approved budget, programme, quality, and safety targets.
• Achievement of required cooling performance, availability, redundancy, energy efficiency, and commissioning outcomes.
• Timely closure of technical queries, non-conformances, defects, commissioning issues, and handover requirements.
• Effective control of variations, procurement risks, subcontractor performance, and project commercial exposure.
• Successful completion of project milestones and handover activities.
• High levels of client satisfaction.
• Development and retention of capable HVAC project and site teams.

Core Competencies

• Mission-critical HVAC engineering
• Data centre cooling and infrastructure coordination
• Project and construction management
• Testing and commissioning leadership
• Commercial and contract awareness
• Procurement and supplier management
• Quality and safety management
• Technical problem-solving
• Team leadership and development
• Client and stakeholder relationship management

Employment Details

• Job Title: Senior Manager – HVAC
• Industry: Data Centre Contracting and Mission-Critical Infrastructure
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Function: HVAC Engineering, Projects, Construction, and Commissioning
• Reporting To: Head of Projects, Director – MEP, or Operations Director
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