Senior Design and MEP Manager (m/f/x)

About this role

Responsibilities

• As a Senior Design and MEP Manager, you will play a key role in delivering retrofit, refurbishment, and alteration projects across HelloFresh’s international distribution center portfolio. You will support the Property team by combining strong project management capabilities with deep MEP and architectural expertise, ensuring that operational upgrades, capacity expansions, and compliance-driven modifications are delivered safely, efficiently, and with minimal disruption to live operations.
• The role is heavily focused on brownfield environments, requiring close coordination with Project Managers, operations, external designers, and contractors to manage design, execution readiness, and technical risk across multiple countries.
• What you’ll do
• Project & Design Management (Retrofits & Alterations)
• Act as a senior technical and project delivery partner for retrofit, refurbishment, and alteration projects within live international distribution centers.
• Support Project Managers in defining scope, phasing, and execution strategies that minimize operational disruption while meeting performance and compliance requirements.
• Manage and steer the MEP and architectural design process for alterations, upgrades, and extensions, ensuring designs are practical, buildable, and aligned with site constraints.
• Technical Coordination & Stakeholder Management
• Serve as the primary technical interface between internal stakeholders (Property, Operations, Quality, Safety) and external consultants and contractors.
• Coordinate design reviews and technical decision-making, ensuring alignment between operational needs, regulatory requirements, and budget constraints.
• Proactively identify technical risks typical to brownfield projects (interfaces, shutdowns, legacy systems) and drive mitigation strategies.
• Design Oversight & Consultancy Collaboration
• Lead the review and validation of MEP and architectural designs produced by external consultants, with a strong focus on HVAC, cooling, utilities, and food-industry requirements.
• Ensure design solutions are optimized for cost, constructability, maintainability, and future flexibility.
• Challenge over-engineering and support value engineering without compromising safety, quality, or compliance.
• Quality, Cost & Compliance Control
• Support site inspections, design audits, and commissioning activities to ensure works align with approved design intent and HelloFresh standards.
• Work closely with Project Managers and procurement to manage design-to-budget, support tender evaluations, and control cost impacts from design changes.
• Ensure compliance with local building codes, food safety standards, sustainability targets, and internal HelloFresh engineering guidelines across multiple regions.
• What you’ll bring
• Bachelor’s degree in Building Services Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree or equivalent is a plus.
• Consultancy background: 5–7+ years in MEP or building services design, ideally with exposure to industrial or food production/logistics facilities.
• Contractor / design-build background: 7–10+ years delivering industrial retrofit or refurbishment projects in live environments.
• Proven experience managing alterations, upgrades, and brownfield projects, preferably within distribution centers, food facilities, or similar industrial settings.
• Strong understanding of MEP systems for industrial buildings, particularly HVAC, cooling, utilities, and energy systems relevant to food operations.
• Solid knowledge of building regulations, permitting processes, and construction best practices across international projects.
• Hands-on experience with AutoCAD, Revit, BIM tools, and strong proficiency with Google Workspace and MS Office.
• Structured, self-directed working style with the ability to identify blockers early and escalate with clear recommendations.
• Clear, pragmatic communicator, able to translate complex technical topics for non-technical stakeholders.
• Fluent in English (spoken and written).
• Additional languages (German, French, or Dutch) are a strong advantage.
• Willingness to travel frequently and work across international locations.
• Experience working in design-build or general contracting environments.
• Exposure to sustainability, energy optimization, and operational efficiency upgrades in existing industrial buildings.
• Familiarity with operating within live, high-throughput facilities where downtime and disruption must be tightly controlled.