Senior Mechanical Design Manager

The Senior Mechanical Design Manager provides technical leadership and specialized mechanical engineering expertise for the planning, design, development, and implementation of complex real estate projects and high-end building systems. The role focuses on special mechanical systems and equipment, particularly elevators, generators, air-conditioning and ventilation systems, and other critical/high-specification equipment.

The position ensures that mechanical designs are technically sound, energy-efficient, reliable, maintainable, aligned with project requirements, and consistent with the quality standards of the development. The role will work closely with Project Development, Design, Construction, Property Management, consultants, contractors, and equipment suppliers to deliver innovative and high-performing building systems.

Key Responsibilities

1. Special Projects & Mechanical Design Leadership

• Lead the mechanical design and technical requirements for special, complex, and high-value real estate projects from concept development through construction and commissioning.
• Provide expert technical direction on mechanical systems, particularly for developments requiring premium, high-performance, or customized equipment.
• Review and challenge design proposals to ensure optimal balance of performance, quality, cost, energy efficiency, constructability, and lifecycle value.
• Develop design criteria, technical specifications, performance standards, and equipment requirements for major mechanical systems.
• Evaluate alternative systems and technologies and recommend solutions that improve project value, efficiency, reliability, and user experience.

2. Elevator & Vertical Transportation Systems

• Provide technical leadership in the planning and design of elevator and vertical transportation systems for residential, office, retail, hospitality, and mixed-use developments.
• Review elevator traffic studies, capacity requirements, travel times, zoning, equipment specifications, machine-room requirements, and integration with architectural and structural designs.
• Evaluate elevator technologies, suppliers, equipment configurations, and performance specifications.
• Ensure appropriate provisions for premium/high-speed elevators, service elevators, fireman's elevators, parking elevators, and specialized vertical transportation systems, where applicable.
• Participate in technical evaluation, value engineering, supplier selection, testing, commissioning, and turnover.

3. Generator & Critical Power Systems

• Provide technical oversight for standby and emergency generator systems, including sizing, redundancy, fuel systems, synchronization, load requirements, acoustic considerations, ventilation, exhaust, and space planning.
• Review generator specifications and integration with electrical, fire protection, mechanical, and building management systems.
• Evaluate high-capacity and premium generator technologies based on reliability, efficiency, noise, emissions, maintainability, and lifecycle cost.
• Support technical due diligence and troubleshooting of critical power systems for existing and new developments.

4. Air-Conditioning, HVAC & Environmental Systems

• Lead the technical review and optimization of HVAC and air-conditioning systems for high-end and complex developments.
• Evaluate central chilled-water systems, VRF/VRV, package systems, cooling towers, pumps, air-handling units, ventilation systems, heat recovery, and other specialized HVAC technologies.
• Review cooling load calculations, equipment selection, plant capacity, redundancy, zoning, controls, and energy performance.
• Ensure mechanical systems provide appropriate thermal comfort, indoor air quality, reliability, and energy efficiency.
• Identify opportunities for sustainable and high-performance HVAC solutions.

5. High-End & Specialized Equipment

• Serve as the technical subject-matter expert for the selection and integration of premium and specialized mechanical equipment.
• Evaluate equipment from leading local and international manufacturers based on technical performance, reliability, availability, service support, warranty, and lifecycle cost.
• Review technical submittals, equipment schedules, shop drawings, method statements, testing procedures, and commissioning requirements.
• Establish performance benchmarks and technical acceptance criteria for critical equipment.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies, smart building systems, energy-efficient equipment, and innovations in mechanical engineering.

6. Design Review, Value Engineering & Technical Due Diligence

• Conduct comprehensive reviews of mechanical designs, specifications, calculations, and equipment selections.
• Lead value engineering initiatives without compromising project quality, safety, reliability, or customer experience.
• Identify design risks, coordination issues, constructability concerns, and potential operational challenges at the early design stage.
• Conduct technical due diligence of existing buildings, proposed developments, and major mechanical installations.
• Review existing equipment and recommend replacement, retrofit, upgrade, or modernization strategies.

7. Project & Stakeholder Management

• Manage and coordinate mechanical design consultants, specialist consultants, equipment suppliers, contractors, and other technical stakeholders.
• Provide technical guidance to project teams and serve as the escalation point for complex mechanical issues.
• Coordinate closely with architectural, structural, electrical, fire protection, sustainability, and other disciplines.
• Participate in design presentations, technical meetings, tender evaluations, site inspections, testing, commissioning, and project turnover.
• Provide technical recommendations and reports to senior management and project leadership.

8. Standards, Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure mechanical designs and installations comply with applicable Philippine codes, regulations, standards, and project-specific requirements, as well as relevant international standards where applicable.
• Establish and maintain mechanical design standards, specifications, and guidelines for the organization.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews to ensure consistency across projects.
• Promote best practices in safety, reliability, energy efficiency, maintainability, and lifecycle management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Must be a Licensed Mechanical Engineer (PRC).
• Preferably with 10+ years of relevant experience in mechanical design, building systems, MEP engineering, construction, or real estate development.
• Strong experience in high-rise, luxury residential, commercial, hospitality, mixed-use, or other complex developments.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least several of the following:
• Elevators and vertical transportation
• Generators and critical power systems
• HVAC and central air-conditioning systems
• Chilled-water systems
• Building ventilation and smoke control
• Specialized/high-end mechanical equipment
• Building automation and controls
• Energy-efficient building systems
• Experience managing design consultants, specialist contractors, and equipment suppliers.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical design standards, specifications, testing, commissioning, and construction practices.
• Experience in value engineering, technical due diligence, and lifecycle cost analysis is highly preferred.