Design Manager (MEP)

The Project

The project comprises a Grade A super high-rise mixed-use development in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The Role

Design responsibility, including design integration and code compliance, rests entirely with the EPC contractor. The Design Manager – MEP manages the Employer-side review of the contractor’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire and life-safety, vertical transportation and specialist systems design submissions for conformity with the Employer’s Requirements. The role tracks staged design deliverables through concept, schematic and design development, with BIM models progressing from LOD100 through LOD350 for construction issue, and coordinates multidisciplinary interfaces, independent peer review and the approvals process. The role reports to the Senior Design Manager – Architecture and works closely with the BIM Manager, architectural and structural design managers, and the wider delivery team.

Key Responsibilities

Design review and coordination

• Review the EPC contractor’s MEP design submissions, including HVAC, HT/MV, electrical power and distribution, lighting, ELV/ICT, plumbing and drainage, fire protection and life-safety systems, vertical transportation, controls/BMS and other specialist systems, against the Employer’s Requirements and the applicable codes and standards regime.
• Track staged MEP design deliverables and their review status through the agreed design programme, including submission, comment, resubmission and clearance through the design collaboration platform.
• Coordinate the Employer-side interface with the independent peer reviewer, specialist consultants and approval authorities, and support the MEP approvals process with the Alatau City Authority.
• Work with the BIM Manager and other discipline leads on multidisciplinary coordination, spatial allocation, plantroom and riser requirements, MEP access and maintainability, MEP/builders-work interfaces and MEP clash resolution, ensuring coordination is demonstrated before design development completion.
• Manage MEP design queries, technical clarifications and RFIs, and maintain the discipline design issues, decisions and interface logs.

Change and assurance

• Assess proposed MEP design changes, flag scope, cost, programme, energy, operational and approval implications, and support the change-control process; note that normal design coordination, clash resolution, detailing and code-compliance development do not constitute change under the contract.
• Monitor MEP design development against performance, capacity, energy efficiency, resilience, maintainability, buildability, commissioning and quality expectations, raising concerns early and constructively.
• Support construction-stage design activities, including review of shop drawings, material and equipment technical submittals, method-related design interfaces, site design queries, testing, commissioning and systems-integration requirements for the MEP scope.
• Contribute the MEP design sections of the monthly report to the Employer, including design progress, key risks, interfaces, decisions and outstanding approvals.

Person Specification — Essential

• Degree in mechanical, electrical or building services engineering design.
• At least 10 years’ experience in MEP design management or multidisciplinary building-services coordination on major building projects, including high-rise buildings of at least 30 storeys.
• Demonstrable experience reviewing MEP designs prepared by others on behalf of a client, developer or project management consultancy.
• Strong multidisciplinary knowledge across mechanical, electrical, public health, fire and life-safety systems, with the ability to identify interfaces and integration risks.
• Familiarity with staged design deliverable regimes, design review workflows, BIM-based clash coordination and construction-stage technical submittals.
• International experience in emerging markets, with fluent written and spoken English and the ability to communicate clearly with the EPC contractor, design institute, peer reviewer and Employer.

Critical Attributes

• Professional independence and objectivity when reviewing and commenting on contractor submissions, with the confidence to hold a position under commercial pressure.
• Disciplined record-keeping and correspondence habits.
• Clear, concise written English suitable for formal contractual correspondence and reporting.
• Cultural awareness and the ability to work effectively across Kazakh, Chinese and international teams.
• Willingness to be resident in Almaty, Kazakhstan for approximately 4 years.

Desirable

• Experience in MEP design or design review for complex high-rise, mixed-use, hotel, office and hotel developments.
• Working familiarity with Kazakhstan norms (SN RK / SNiP) and relevant international building-services standards and codes, such as NFPA, ASHRAE, IEC, BS or equivalent.
• Experience with Chinese EPC contractors, including coordination of multidisciplinary design packages.
• Conversant in Russian, Kazakh and/or Mandarin.
• Experience with independent peer review, authority approvals, energy-performance analysis, commissioning planning or integrated systems testing.

What AIS-Hill Offers

• A design oversight role on a landmark project of regional and international significance.
• A competitive professional package
• The structure and backing of an established international consultancy, with access to AIS-Hill’s broader network of project, programme and cost management professionals.