Head of Design

Head of Design (Datacentres) £100k–£120k + bonus + equity London | Hybrid working The Role We’re hiring a Head of Design to lead end-to-end design governance across datacentre projects for a fast-growing business developing sustainable datacentre infrastructure. Backed by a major energy provider, they already operate multiple UK datacentre sites and are expanding internationally. As Head of Design, you’ll own datacentre design standards, coordinate external engineering teams, support project delivery, and build a design function as the business scales globally. What You’ll Do • Own and develop datacentre reference architecture and design standards • Lead technical review and sign-off of externally produced designs • Oversee M&E design across power, cooling, and heat recovery systems • Manage relationships with architects, MEP consultants, and design-build contractors • Support construction and commissioning teams with technical decisions • Translate strategy into technical requirements and design briefs • Ensure datacentre designs meet HPC, resilience, and performance targets What We’re Looking For • 7+ years in datacentre/ mission-critical/ energy/ power/ renewables with strong M&E expertise • Experience as a technical authority overseeing third-party design delivery • Background in Head of Design, Lead, Principal or similar technical leadership roles • Experience delivering complex engineering projects through commissioning • Knowledge of HPC, high-density cooling, resilient power systems, and D&B models • Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Building Services Engineering Desirable: • Exposure to heat reuse, district heating, or thermal networks • Experience scaling datacentre design teams or standards globally