Design Manager

Overwatch Mission Critical•Phoenix, AZ

7h•Onsite

About The Position

Overwatch is a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business (SDVOB) certified through the national veterans business development council (NVBDC), offering construction professional services, talent acquisition, and general contractor for the mission-critical infrastructure industry. Our mission is the construction and management of state-of-the-art data centers with the precision and reliability this industry demands. From high-end engineers to seasoned professionals, we deploy the people you need to get your data center off the ground. At Overwatch, it's more than a job. It's purpose. The Design Manager role involves leading the end-to-end design process from Schematic Design through Issued for Construction, coordinating external design partners, managing scope, cost, and change, providing cross-functional support to sales and construction teams, engaging with clients and performing site visits, and ensuring quality, safety, and compliance of design documents.

Requirements

Strong expertise in electrical distribution (UPS, switchgear, generators), cooling systems (chillers, CRAH/CRAC, cooling towers), and fire protection.
Familiarity with commissioning requirements and how design affects Integrated Systems Testing (IST).
Proficiency with BIM (Revit, Navisworks), collaboration platforms (MS Teams, Procore), and scheduling tools.
8–12+ years of experience in design management or engineering leadership, with at least 5 years in data center/mission-critical facilities.
Demonstrated ability to manage external design partners and coordinate multi-disciplinary design teams.
Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license appropriate for the role and be eligible to operate a motor vehicle in accordance with applicable laws.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a professional work environment, including preparing written reports and documentation, conveying information clearly to team members, clients, and stakeholders, and responding appropriately to verbal and written communications related to job duties.

Nice To Haves

Proven track record delivering large-scale, MEP-intensive projects ($100M+ preferred).

Responsibilities

Manage the end-to-end design process from SD (Schematic Design) through IFC (Issued for Construction).
Coordinate administration of external Design Partner contracts, ensuring scope, schedule, and deliverables align with project goals.
Conduct weekly design team meetings, providing feedback, resolving roadblocks, and coordinating with the team Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
Lead page turn reviews (coordinate meetings, record and close comments).
Coordinate, review, and track all design deliverables to ensure accuracy, constructability, and timely release.
Escalate design changes impacting scope, budget, or schedule to the team owner stakeholders for decision-making.
Support supply chain team with equipment vendor proposals, ensuring design partners review/approve submittals for compliance.
Manage, review, and approve all design bulletins before release in collaboration with the Delivery (Construction) team.
Partner with Sales and Solutions Engineering teams to provide design input on customer RFPs.
Provide design support during lessons learned workshops, helping capture improvements for future projects and regions.
Maintain close collaboration with the Delivery (Construction) team to ensure design intent is upheld through commissioning and handover.
Perform site visits for field investigations, constructability reviews, and coordination meetings.
Provide daily updates (e.g., MS Teams) to the team leadership regarding design progress, risks, blockers, and priorities.
Foster strong relationships with the team stakeholders to ensure satisfaction, transparency, and repeat business.
Ensure design documents meet the client, and regulatory requirements (NEC, NFPA, ASHRAE, TIA-942, Uptime Institute).
Promote a strong safety culture by ensuring design partners incorporate safety principles into designs.
Lead QA/QC of design documents, validating MEP systems are efficient, scalable, and resilient (N, N+1, 2N redundancy).