Ready to lead the future of MEP engineering? Panta Contracting is looking for a dynamic Head of Mechanical Design & Estimations to drive innovation, mentor engineers, and deliver winning technical solutions.

Job Summary:

The Head of Mechanical Design & Estimations shall be responsible for leading, managing, planning and coordinating the Mechanical Design and Estimations Department. The role carries overall responsibility for the technical, commercial and operational performance of the department, ensuring that all mechanical designs, equipment selections, cost estimates, tender submissions, material take-offs, procurement schedules and technical deliverables are prepared accurately, efficiently, competitively and in line with client, contract, statutory and company requirements.

The role shall also be responsible for managing and developing the department’s team of senior and junior engineers, ensuring proper workload allocation, technical guidance, quality control, coordination with other departments, and continuous improvement in design, estimation, value engineering and tendering processes.

Job Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

1. Departmental Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage the Mechanical Design & Estimations Department, ensuring that all departmental activities are properly planned, coordinated, monitored and delivered within the required deadlines.
• Manage, mentor and develop senior and junior mechanical engineers, ensuring that they are technically supported, appropriately supervised and aligned with company procedures and expectations.
• Allocate workload across the department according to project priorities, tender deadlines, available resources, individual competencies and business requirements.
• Monitor departmental performance, productivity, quality of output and adherence to deadlines, taking corrective action where required.
• Establish, maintain and improve departmental procedures, checklists, templates, calculation standards, estimating practices, technical libraries and design review processes.
• Promote a culture of accountability, technical excellence, commercial awareness, collaboration and continuous improvement within the department.
• Ensure effective coordination between the Mechanical Department and the Electrical Design & Estimations Team, Drafting Pool, Projects Department, Procurement, Operations, Finance and Commercial functions.

2. Mechanical Design and Technical Responsibility

• Take overall responsibility for the mechanical design and technical development of projects handled by the department, including HVAC, ventilation, plumbing, drainage, fire-fighting, compressed air, fuel systems, plant rooms and other mechanical building services as applicable.
• Review and validate mechanical design solutions prepared by the team to ensure compliance with project specifications, applicable standards, regulations, client requirements and good engineering practice.
• Ensure that design outputs are technically sound, coordinated, buildable, cost-effective and aligned with project execution requirements.
• Lead or oversee the preparation and review of mechanical calculations, equipment selections, technical schedules, drawings, schematics, design reports and technical submissions.
• Ensure that workshop drawings and coordinated drawings are properly reviewed, technically correct and coordinated with architectural, structural, electrical, ELV, BMS, fire and other building services.
• Provide senior technical input in resolving design, coordination, installation and commissioning issues during project execution.
• Act as a point of escalation for complex technical matters requiring senior mechanical engineering judgement.

3. Estimations, Tendering and Commercial Support

• Lead the preparation, review and validation of mechanical cost estimates, bills of quantities, material take-offs, equipment schedules, labour allowances, subcontractor packages and tender pricing.
• Ensure that tenders are properly reviewed from a technical and commercial perspective, including drawings, specifications, bills of quantities, employer’s requirements, clarifications, addenda and contractual obligations.
• Identify technical risks, commercial risks, exclusions, qualifications, opportunities, value engineering proposals, alternative solutions and potential cost optimisations.
• Ensure that tender submissions are accurate, competitive, complete and aligned with the company’s commercial strategy and margin expectations.
• Support the Chief Business Development Officer in tender reviews, bid/no-bid evaluations, commercial risk assessments, tender adjudications and final submission reviews.
• Ensure that proper records are maintained for tender assumptions, supplier quotations, subcontractor offers, clarifications, qualifications, value engineering options and internal tender decisions.
• Review post-tender clarifications, negotiations and technical submissions as required.

4. Equipment Selection, Suppliers and Procurement Support

• Oversee and approve the selection of mechanical equipment and materials, ensuring compliance with specifications, design requirements, performance criteria, availability, lifecycle considerations and budget expectations.
• Liaise with local and international suppliers and subcontractors to obtain technically compliant and commercially competitive quotations.
• Review and approve supplier and subcontractor technical offers, ensuring that deviations, exclusions and qualifications are properly identified and assessed.
• Oversee the preparation and review of material and equipment submittals, literature, samples, compliance sheets and technical documentation for client or consultant approval.
• Support Procurement in the preparation and review of orders for mechanical equipment, materials and subcontracted works following project award.
• Ensure that procurement recommendations are aligned with tender allowances, approved technical submissions, project programme and commercial targets.

5. Project Handover and Support to Operations

• Ensure that awarded projects are properly handed over from Estimations to Operations, including clear communication of tender assumptions, scope, exclusions, risks, procurement requirements, supplier quotations, programme constraints and technical considerations.
• Support the Projects and Operations teams during project execution by providing technical input, clarification, design support, value engineering and resolution of site-related mechanical issues.
• Attend internal project review meetings, client meetings, consultant meetings and coordination meetings where senior mechanical input is required.
• Ensure that technical decisions made during project execution are properly documented and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Support the preparation and review of variations, technical claims, revised estimates, alternative proposals and cost assessments where required.

6. Quality, Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure that all mechanical design and estimation deliverables are prepared in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, contractual requirements, health and safety requirements and company procedures.
• Implement quality control processes for departmental outputs, including peer reviews, senior reviews, design checks, estimate checks and final approval procedures.
• Identify, communicate and manage technical and commercial risks associated with mechanical design, estimation, equipment selection and procurement.
• Ensure that value engineering proposals do not compromise compliance, performance, maintainability, safety or contractual obligations.
• Promote lessons learned from completed projects.

7. Client, Consultant and Internal Stakeholder Liaison

• Act as the senior mechanical technical representative for the company when required.
• Attend client, consultant, supplier, subcontractor and internal meetings to provide expert engineering input and support decision-making.
• Maintain professional and constructive relationships with clients, consultants, suppliers, subcontractors and internal teams.
• Ensure that queries, clarifications, RFIs, technical responses and design-related communications are handled in a timely and professional manner.
• Support the Commercial and Business Development functions in presenting technical solutions, value engineering options and mechanical proposals to clients.

8. Team Development and Knowledge Management

• Mentor and support junior and senior engineers within the department, reviewing their work and developing their technical, commercial and project understanding.
• Identify training needs within the team and recommend suitable development actions.
• Promote knowledge sharing within the department, including lessons learned, supplier updates, new technologies, design improvements, estimating benchmarks and project feedback.
• Support succession planning within the department by developing engineers capable of taking on increased responsibility.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential Requirements

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Services Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Warrant to practise as an Engineer.
• Strong experience in mechanical building services design and estimation within the building services, MEP contracting or construction sector.
• Proven experience in leading mechanical design, tendering, estimation, equipment selection and technical coordination activities.
• Strong knowledge of HVAC, ventilation, plumbing, drainage, fire-fighting, plant rooms, mechanical infrastructure, equipment selection and related building services systems.
• Strong commercial understanding of estimating, procurement, supplier quotations, subcontractor packages, tender risk and value engineering.
• Ability to lead, manage, guide and develop a team of engineers.
• Ability to review technical drawings, specifications, BOQs, calculations, tender documents and contractual requirements.
• Strong communication, coordination, leadership, negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Good knowledge of applicable local regulations, international standards, industry best practice and project delivery requirements.

Preferred Requirements

• Previous experience in a senior engineering, team leader, department head or technical management role.
• Experience within an MEP contracting environment.
• Experience coordinating with electrical, BMS, fire, architectural, structural and civil disciplines.
• Experience with design software, estimation tools, AutoCAD/Revit workflows, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience in managing tender programmes, workload planning, departmental KPIs and technical/commercial review processes.

Working Conditions

The role shall be primarily office-based, operating from the company’s offices, with regular visits to project sites, client offices, consultant offices, supplier premises and subcontractor locations as required.

The role may require attendance at tender review meetings, project coordination meetings, technical workshops, client presentations, supplier negotiations and site inspections.

Key Performance Indicators

• Accuracy and completeness of mechanical estimates.
• Timely delivery of tenders, designs, BOQs, material take-offs and technical submissions.
• Quality and compliance of design and estimation outputs.
• Reduction of post-award omissions, errors and avoidable variations.
• Effectiveness of tender handovers to Operations.
• Quality of supplier and subcontractor engagement.
• Successful implementation of value engineering opportunities.
• Team productivity, development and retention.
• Internal stakeholder satisfaction from Commercial, Operations, Procurement and Projects teams.
• Contribution to improved tender competitiveness, risk management and project profitability.

General Note

This job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities associated with the position of Head of Mechanical Design & Estimations. The responsibilities may be reviewed or amended from time to time in line with company requirements, departmental needs, organisational changes and project demands.