Senior Assistant Director (Program Management Team)

What The Role Is We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic candidate to join our Programme Management Team as a lead, overseeing the design development and implementation of critical high-security building facilities. This pivotal role demands a proven track record in leading complex, multi-faceted construction programmes, not just individual project. The successful candidate will serve as the primary technical liaison between our organisation and external design consultants, ensuring all design elements meet stringent government security requirements, operational excellence and industry best practices. You will play a crucial role in delivering world-class, resilient infrastructure vital to our organisation's mission-critical operations. What You Will Be Working On Design Coordination and Management Coordinate and lead external design consultants, including architects, structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, and security specialists, to develop comprehensive, integrated building designs. Lead cross-functional teams in translating business requirements into detailed technical specifications and design briefs for consultant engagement, ensuring alignment with programme objectives. Manage the end-to-end design review process, chair technical coordination meetings, and proactively resolve conflicts between different engineering disciplines to ensure integrated, optimised and secure solutions. (B) Security and Compliance Oversight Establish, enforce and audit stringent security design parameters across all disciplines, encompassing physical security measures and robust cybersecurity considerations within building management systems and operational technology. Specify, review and validate sophisticated access control systems, comprehensive surveillance infrastructure, advanced intrusion detection systems, and secure perimeter design, ensuring layered defence. Ensure all designs rigorously incorporate appropriate compartmentalisation, secure zones, and controlled access pathways, maintaining full compliance with relevant international and local standards and certification scheme such as TIA-942, Uptime Institute Tier classifications, ISO 27001, BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centre (Platinum), BCA Green Mark for Healthier Workplaces (Platinum) and local building codes. (C) Quality Assurance and Technical Review Conduct rigorous review and validation of all design submissions to ensure 100% compliance with security requirements, operational needs, and industry standards. This includes comprehensive technical review of architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical drawings, specifications, and documentation, with a keen eye for detail and potential vulnerabilities. Oversee Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) implementation by project contractors, ensuring all critical systems meet stringent performance requirements and safety standards. (D) Project Lifecycle Management Oversee the entire project lifecycle from conceptual design through construction, commissioning and handover, ensuring timely delivery within approved budgets and to the highest quality standards. Manage and validate comprehensive testing and commissioning activities such as Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), and Integrated Systems Testing (IST) for critical mechanical and electrical systems such as Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), generators, chillers, and cooling towers, ensuring resilience and reliability. Provide regular, accurate, and insightful progress reports and expenditure tracking to senior management, highlight key risks and mitigation strategies. What We Are Looking For Possess a degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, or related discipline) with a minimum of 7 years of demonstrated experience in building design or construction projects, with a significant portion in high-security or critical infrastructure environments. Professional engineering certification or chartership is highly desirable, along with extensive experience in government or high-security facility projects. Comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of building infrastructure, including resilient power distribution systems, advanced cooling systems, fire suppression, and secure network cabling. Proven and extensive experience in security-focused facility design, including physical security systems, secure facility planning, collective protection and security by design principles for protected infrastructure, is essential. Familiarity with the Building Control Act and Regulations is required, along with expertise in critical mechanical and electrical systems requirements, testing, and commissioning procedures for mission-critical environments. Demonstrated experience working with external consultants and managing multi-disciplinary design teams in a high-stake environment is essential. Knowledge of sustainable building design practices, Building Information Modelling (BIM), and established project management methodologies will be advantageous.