🏗️ Ready to lead the design of complex, high-performance Data Centers?

CTS Group is a fast-growing international company specializing in the design and build of large-scale Data Centers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We combine engineering excellence, innovation and digital transformation to deliver high-performance, sustainable and future-ready Data Center solutions.

We’re looking for a Design Manager to join our team in Lisbon or Porto.

What will you be doing?

As a Design Manager, you’ll be responsible for the end-to-end management and coordination of design delivery for Data Center projects or major project workstreams.

You’ll work across multiple engineering disciplines, specialist consultants, vendors and CTS Execution teams, ensuring that design solutions are technically coordinated, buildable, compliant and aligned with project requirements.

Your day-to-day will include:

• 📅 Managing the project design programme, aligning engineering deliverables with procurement, manufacturing and construction requirements

• 🤝 Coordinating multidisciplinary design activities across Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Structural, Architectural and specialist disciplines

• 👥 Managing design consultants and specialist engineering partners, ensuring clear scope, deliverables, quality and performance

• 📋 Maintaining the design deliverables register and information release schedule

• 💻 Coordinating BIM and digital design activities to ensure integrated, clash-free and construction-ready design packages

• 🔎 Leading design reviews focused on technical compliance, constructability, operability, programme and project requirements

• 🔗 Coordinating design interfaces with Execution, Manufacturing, Procurement and other project teams

• 💡 Supporting value engineering and design optimisation, while protecting technical performance, resilience and client requirements

• ⚠️ Managing design risks, changes and technical interfaces, assessing potential programme and cost impacts

• 🏛️ Supporting permitting, regulatory approvals and engagement with relevant authorities

• 💰 Managing consultant scope, design fees and associated commercial risks

• 📚 Ensuring CTS engineering standards, processes and lessons learned are consistently applied

You’ll act as a key interface between the client, Design & Engineering teams and project delivery organisation, driving design from concept and detailed engineering through construction support, commissioning and handover.

What are we looking for?

Your technical background:

🎓 Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering is strongly preferred. Degrees in Civil/Structural Engineering, Architecture or another relevant technical discipline will also be considered.

• 7+ years of relevant professional experience, including significant experience managing multidisciplinary design delivery

• Demonstrable experience within Data Centers, mission-critical facilities or comparable technically complex infrastructure projects

• Strong understanding of Mechanical and Electrical systems and their interfaces within mission-critical environments

• Experience across the full design lifecycle, from concept and detailed design through construction support and commissioning

• Previous experience within a Design & Engineering consultancy, EPC/design-build contractor or comparable project environment

• Strong understanding of BIM/digital coordination and Common Data Environments (CDE)

• Proven ability to manage consultants, technical stakeholders and competing project priorities

• Strong English communication skills

• Portuguese and/or additional languages relevant to CTS markets are considered an advantage

• Willingness to travel and work on project deployments internationally when required

The mindset matters too

You’ll fit well into this role if you:

• 🧩 Enjoy coordinating complex, multidisciplinary engineering environments

• 🧠 Approach technical challenges with a structured and analytical mindset

• 🤝 Build effective relationships with clients, consultants, engineers and project teams

• 🎯 Take ownership of design delivery and project priorities

• 🔍 Have a strong focus on technical quality, compliance and constructability

• 💬 Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders

• 🔄 Adapt effectively to changing project requirements and priorities

• 🌍 Are comfortable working in an international and multicultural environment

• ✈️ Are open to international travel and project deployment when required

📍 Location: Lisbon OR Porto, Portugal — 100% On-site

💰 Base salary according to experience and seniority. Our package includes food allowance and health insurance.

Your impact starts here!

You’ll play a key role in ensuring that complex Data Center designs move successfully from concept to construction, commissioning and handover, working alongside experienced engineering and project delivery professionals across CTS Group.

You’ll have the opportunity to work on technically challenging, large-scale projects while contributing to the development of CTS’s engineering standards, processes and design capabilities.

Ready to build what comes next?

If you’re an experienced Design Manager looking for an international environment where you can lead multidisciplinary design delivery and contribute to some of the most demanding Data Center projects, we’d love to hear from you.

Join CTS Group and help shape the Data Centers of tomorrow.