About Ovington Asset Management
Ovington Asset Management is a privately owned property investment and development business working across a varied portfolio of London projects. Our developments include residential conversions, aparthotels, mixed-use properties and the refurbishment and redevelopment of existing buildings. Projects range from acquisition and feasibility through design, procurement, construction and commissioning.
The Role
The Freelance Senior M&E Development Engineer will act as Ovington's internal technical lead for mechanical, electrical and public-health services. This is a development and delivery position rather than a facilities-management role.
You will establish suitable M&E strategies, coordinate designs, manage external consultants and contractors, support procurement, inspect installations and oversee commissioning and handover. The successful candidate may be mechanically or electrically biased but must be able to coordinate complete building-services packages. A mechanically biased candidate with strong HVAC, ventilation, domestic hot-water and public-health experience would be particularly relevant.
Specialist calculations, certification and independent technical checking will be commissioned separately where required.
Key Responsibilities
Development and Feasibility
- Review the M&E position, risks and priority actions across Ovington's development portfolio.
- Undertake site surveys, assess existing installations and advise whether plant and services should be retained, modified or replaced.
- Identify significant M&E risks during acquisitions, feasibility studies and pre-construction.
- Prepare preliminary M&E strategies, scopes, budget allowances and programme requirements.
- Identify utility, planning, Building Regulations and statutory requirements at an early stage.
Design and Coordination
- Prepare and maintain M&E design briefs, employer's requirements and basis-of-design documents.
- Lead or coordinate M&E design from feasibility through developed and technical design.
- Review drawings, specifications, calculations, schedules and contractor proposals.
- Coordinate HVAC, heat pumps, ventilation, domestic hot water, drainage and public-health services.
- Review electrical demand, incoming supplies, distribution, lighting, small power, fire-alarm interfaces, data, security and renewable-energy systems.
- Ensure plant rooms, risers, service routes and ceiling zones are coordinated with the architectural, structural and fire designs.
- Identify practical value-engineering opportunities while protecting compliance, performance and maintainability.
Utilities, consultants and procurement
- Coordinate electrical, water, drainage and telecommunications requirements with utility providers and maintain a clear connection tracker.
- Prepare scopes of service and manage external M&E consultants, contractors and specialist designers.
- Maintain clear design-responsibility, technical-risk and decision registers.
- Prepare or review tender scopes, performance specifications and technical information.
- Review tender returns, contractor proposals, technical submissions, substitutions and value-engineering options.
- Support the quantity surveyor in assessing M&E costs and variations.
Construction, commissioning and handover
- Visit sites during key stages, including first fix, second fix and commissioning.
- Inspect installations for general compliance with the approved design, specification and good industry practice.
- Identify workmanship, coordination, access, maintainability and fire-stopping interface issues.
- Review technical RFIs and issue concise inspection reports with photographs, actions and completion dates.
- Review testing and commissioning plans and witness key activities.
- Monitor M&E snagging and review operating manuals, as-built drawings, commissioning records, warranties and training information.
- Support practical completion, post-occupancy issue resolution and development of repeatable Ovington M&E standards.
Experience required
- At least eight years' UK building-services experience.
- Experience leading M&E design and delivery on refurbishment, conversion or development projects.
- Relevant experience in residential, aparthotel, hotel, student accommodation or similar multi-room developments.
- Strong multidisciplinary knowledge of mechanical, electrical and public-health systems.
- Experience reviewing developed and technical designs and managing consultants, contractors and specialist suppliers.
- Experience supporting tenders, contractor appointments, construction inspections, commissioning and handover.
- Good knowledge of UK Building Regulations, relevant British Standards, CIBSE guidance and applicable CDM designer responsibilities.
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to explain technical issues clearly to development and investment colleagues.
Qualifications and technical capability
- A degree, HNC or HND in Building Services, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
- Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer, MCIBSE or equivalent professional registration is desirable but not essential.
- Appropriate health and safety training and site credentials.
- The ability to travel reliably between London project sites.
Familiarity with AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks, Amtech or Trimble ProDesign, IES and Dialux or Relux would be advantageous. Advanced capability in every package is not required, but candidates must be able to interrogate design information effectively.
Personal attributes
- Practical, commercially minded and comfortable working in a small development business.
- Able to manage several projects at different stages and take ownership of technical matters.
- Constructive and confident when challenging consultants and contractors.
- Focused on buildability, value, compliance, maintainability and operational performance.
- Clear about the limits of their competence and willing to recommend specialist input where needed.
Working arrangements
The anticipated commitment is approximately two to three days per week, with flexibility to increase availability by agreement during key design, tender, first-fix, commissioning and completion periods.
The role will combine home working, London meetings and regular project-site visits. The initial appointment is expected to be for six months, with potential extension as the development pipeline progresses. Final engagement terms, expenses, insurance requirements and IR35 status will be agreed following an assessment of the working arrangements.
How to apply
Please provide:
- A current CV and confirmation of availability.
- Your preferred number of working days per week.
- A summary of three relevant projects, including project type, value, stages covered and your responsibilities.
- Details of qualifications, professional registration and principal M&E specialism.
- Contact details for two professional references.
Expected hours: 16.0 – 24.0 per week
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London
