EQUANS are recruiting for a Engineering Manager to be based in Manchester (Manchester Town Hall). This is a permanent full-time role working 37 hours per week. On offer is a competitive salary, car allowance, bonus and benefits package.
General Overview
EQUANS are seeking an exceptional Engineering Manager to take full technical and operational leadership of a newly refurbished £550m Grade I listed building, guiding the asset through a soft landing phase into steady-state operation.
This is a flagship role responsible for all hard services, KPI’s, the coordination of a multidisciplinary workforce, and the management of specialist subcontractors, while safeguarding the historic, architectural, and cultural significance of one of the UK’s most prestigious buildings.
This is a once-in-a-career opportunity to take stewardship of a nationally significant building at a pivotal moment in its lifecycle. You’ll play a defining role in protecting, optimising, and future-proofing an iconic asset while leading a highly skilled engineering operation.
The Engineering Manager will act as the technical authority on site, ensuring building systems operate safely, efficiently, compliantly, and in alignment with the original design intent and conservation requirements. operating within a complex, high-value, heritage environment.
Key Accountabilities
- Support the soft landing process, acting as the technical focal point between construction, commissioning, design teams, and operational engineering.
- Review and validate commissioning plans, test scripts, and integrated systems testing.
- Ensure full technical handover, including O&M manuals, asset data, drawings, control philosophies, and digital records.
- Verify systems operate in line with design intent, performance criteria, and conservation requirements.
- Maintain contract KPI’s when in steady state.
- Support the soft landing strategy, ensuring systems, processes, and people are fully operational and aligned with design intent.
- Act as the interface between construction teams, designers, commissioning engineers, and the client during handover and early occupation.
- Oversee/support commissioning, witnessing, snagging, se, and post-occupancy evaluation.
Hard Services Management
- Take supervisory responsibility for all hard services, including but not limited to:
- HV/LV electrical distribution and standby generation
- Electrical power and lighting
- Life safety systems (fire detection, suppression, evacuation)
- BMS and smart building technologies
- Water, drainage, and specialist heritage systems
- HVAC Systems
- Review RAMS, method statements, and technical proposals prior to works
- Ensure building systems perform efficiently, safely, and in compliance with statutory, regulatory, and conservation requirements.
Leadership & Workforce Management
- Lead, motivate, and coordinate a multidisciplinary engineering and technical workforce, including in-house teams and external specialists.
- Manage a complex supply chain of specialist subcontractors, many operating in sensitive heritage conditions.
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance standards across all disciplines.
- Promote a strong culture of safety, collaboration, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
Heritage & Compliance
- Ensure all engineering activities respect the constraints and sensitivities of a Grade I listed building.
- Work closely with conservation specialists, heritage bodies, and stakeholders to balance operational performance with preservation requirements.
- Maintain full compliance with statutory regulations, conservation consents, health & safety legislation, and best practice standards.
Operational Readiness & Performance
- Develop and embed operational procedures, maintenance regimes, and lifecycle plans aligned to the asset’s long-term value.
- Monitor system performance, energy efficiency, and resilience during early occupation and beyond.
- Identify risks, defects, or performance gaps and lead corrective actions promptly and effectively.
Technical Compliance & Risk
- Act as the technical support for statutory compliance, including:
Building Safety Act obligations
- Fire safety systems and life-critical assets
- Electrical safety and pressure systems
- Water hygiene and environmental compliance
- Maintain asset registers, compliance schedules, and certification.
- Implement permit-to-work, isolation procedures, and safe systems of work.
Stakeholder & Client Engagement
- Serve as a technical representative to the client, providing confidence, clarity, and expert leadership.
- Communicate complex engineering issues clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
- Support the reputation of the project and organisation through professionalism and technical excellence.
What can we offer you?
On offer is a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes;
- Pension Scheme
- 25 days annual leave (+ public holidays)
- Life Cover equivalent to 2 times annual salary
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
- Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
- Gym membership discounts
- Cycle to work scheme
- Broad range of learning opportunities, such as professional qualifications, collective/individual training, and personalized support programmes
Who are we looking for?
Essential
- Proven experience in a senior engineering management role on large, complex buildings (£100m+)
- Strong background in building services engineering and hard services operations.
- Proven ability to manage multidisciplinary teams and specialist subcontractors.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Experience working with Grade I or II listed buildings* or culturally significant assets.
- Extensive experience in hard services engineering management within complex, high risk, public or mission-critical environments.
- Proven experience leading soft landing, commissioning, or major system handovers.
- Strong technical knowledge across mechanical, electrical, and life-safety systems.
- In-depth understanding of UK statutory compliance and building safety legislation.
Desirable
- Chartered Engineer status (CIBSE, IET, IMECHE, or equivalent).
- Experience with smart buildings, BMS optimization, and sustainability strategies.
- Knowledge of conservation-led refurbishment and heritage governance.
Personal Attributes
- Calm, authoritative leader comfortable operating in high-profile environments.
- Detail-oriented with a whole-life approach to asset performance.
- Collaborative, resilient, and solutions-focused.
- Passionate about excellence in engineering, heritage stewardship, and operational delivery.
- Strong technical judgement and problem-solving capability.
- Structured, methodical approach to risk and compliance.
- Clear technical communication with both operational and senior stakeholders.
- High attention to detail and asset-protection mindset.
Experience
- Up to date relevant industry related knowledge
- Up to date relevant knowledge of Health and Safety legislation
Qualifications
- 18th edition BS7671:2018
- Level 3 NVQ in Electrotechnical Services – Electrical Installation
- Testing and inspection 2391 or equivalent.
- Level 3 5839 Part 1 Fundamentals FD&A
Who are we?
EQUANS is a world leader in energy services with nearly 100,000 employees working in more than 50 countries, with an annual turnover of over 17 billion euros.
In the UK & Ireland, EQUANS is a provider of technical, FM, regeneration and energy services – with specialist capabilities in smart buildings, green mobility, district & embedded energy and decentralised renewables.
EQUANS’ 13,500 UK & Ireland employees combine these activities to help businesses, public sector organisations and government to embrace the energy transition towards net zero, and also the digital & industrial transitions that are redesigning the way we move, work and live.
EQUANS is a Bouygues group company.
What's next?
If this role is of interest to you, please click below to register, apply, and track your progress! A member of our Resourcing Team will review your application and be in touch.
At Equans we’re committed to delivering a culture where everyone’s voice is heard and supported. We know the value a diverse workforce creates, delivering better results for our people, customers, and stakeholders. Diversity and inclusion is at the core of what we do, should you join Equans you’ll find a welcoming and open workplace where you’re supported and encouraged to be your true self at work. You’ll also have access to our growing employee networks including WiE (Women in Equans), RISE (BAME), LGBTQI+, Working Parents, YPN (Young Professionals Network) and our Disability Network.
For this role, you must have evidence of the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer a re-location package with this job role. Certain roles may require applicants to undergo a Disclosure check, as noted in the role requirements.
The EQUANS Resourcing Team supports this job advert. Agency involvement is not required. All related enquiries must come to the resourcing team not direct to EQUANS Managers.
