People Manager, MEP Design

People Manager, MEP Design

DLB Associates is a premier engineering and consulting firm specializing in innovative, mission-critical solutions across hyperscale data centers, advanced infrastructure, and high-performance building systems. With over four decades of expertise, we partner with some of the world's most influential companies to design and optimize environments that demand precision, scalability, and resilience.

Join us and be part of a team where your voice matters, your work makes an impact, and your growth is a shared priority.

Position Title: People Manager, MEP Design

Position Location: Remote - work virtually from anywhere in the United States

Salary: DLB recognizes salary ranges from job boards do not necessarily reflect our pay ranges. In many instances we out-compete those ranges for well-qualified candidates.

Job Summary: The People Manager, MEP Design is a senior-level people leader responsible for the day-to-day management, development, and engagement of a cross-discipline MEP design team. This fully remote role spans entry-level employees and those at the level immediately above, with a clear mandate to grow early-career talent and build a high-performing, cohesive team across mechanical, electrical, and plumbing disciplines.

The ideal candidate brings a substantive MEP technical background that allows them to credibly support, guide, and evaluate the work of their team without being a practitioner themselves. They are first and foremost a people leader: someone who creates clarity, removes obstacles, and invests in the professional growth of those they manage. They are equally comfortable working asynchronously across time zones and proactively building the kind of team culture that thrives without daily in-person contact.

This person operates with significant autonomy, self-directs their day-to-day priorities, and leads multiple concurrent people management and team development workstreams of meaningful complexity. They develop and maintain team standards, workflows, and onboarding practices, and serve as a key voice in shaping how DLB's Design department scales its early-career talent pipeline.

The People Manager, MEP Design will communicate and operate in alignment with DLB's organizational goals and values, as well as departmental objectives set by Design leadership.

Essential Functions

Team Leadership & People Development (40%)

• Provide direct day-to-day people management for a cross-discipline MEP design team spanning entry-level employees and those at the level immediately above
• Establish and maintain a strong remote team culture grounded in accountability, psychological safety, and consistent communication ensuring team members feel connected and supported despite geographic distance
• Develop individualized growth plans for each direct report, with particular emphasis on accelerating the development of entry-level employees into higher levels of independent contribution
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with all direct reports; maintain a consistent cadence of structured check-ins, feedback conversations, and goal reviews throughout the year
• Serve as a primary advocate and resource for team members navigating DLB systems, processes, tools, and culture; actively connect people to the support and information they need
• Model DLB values and operating norms in all interactions; actively reinforce the behaviors and standards that reflect the DLB way of working

Performance Management & Coaching (25%)

• Lead all performance review cycles for direct reports, including goal-setting, mid-year check-ins, and annual evaluations; provide substantive, actionable feedback grounded in observed behavior and outcomes
• Identify performance concerns early; address them directly and constructively through coaching, clear expectation-setting, and documented follow-up; escalate to HR or department leadership when appropriate
• Leverage MEP technical background to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of direct reports' work product; provide technically credible guidance without taking on a practitioner role
• Recognize and celebrate strong performance; ensure high contributors feel seen and are positioned for advancement in line with DLB career pathways
• Proactively identify signals of disengagement, burnout, or unmet development needs; address them with empathy and appropriate urgency before they escalate

Workflow Coordination & Project Oversight (20%)

• Monitor team workload distribution across cross-discipline MEP assignments; surface capacity constraints and coordinate with project leads and department leadership to ensure balanced, sustainable allocation
• Establish and maintain team-level workflows, communication norms, and operating practices that support consistent quality and timely delivery in a fully remote environment
• Identify and remove process barriers that impede team productivity; escalate systemic issues to department or operations leadership with clear context and recommended solutions
• Own and continuously refine onboarding practices for new team members, ensuring entry-level employees are set up for early success with clear expectations, resources, and a supported ramp period

Cross-functional & Departmental Collaboration (10%)

• Partner with HR and People Development on talent strategy for the MEP Design team, including hiring, succession planning, and early-career pipeline development
• Collaborate with other Design department managers and discipline leads to share best practices, align on cross-team norms, and support a consistent DLB employee experience regardless of location
• Participate in department-level planning conversations, providing the perspective of a front-line people manager with a cross-discipline MEP team; represent the needs, challenges, and development trajectories of direct reports

Administrative (5%)

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records related to team headcount, performance documentation, and development plans; ensure timely completion of HR-required processes and reporting

Completion of Assigned Tasks and Deliverables on Time and on Budget

Performs Other Related Duties as Assigned.

Position Requirements (Advanced Level for All the Following)

• Demonstrated track record of effective people management, including direct experience leading, developing, and evaluating employees at the early-career stage
• Substantive background in MEP design (mechanical, electrical, and/or plumbing disciplines) sufficient to evaluate work quality, communicate credibly with technical staff, and contextualize development feedback without performing technical work directly
• Skilled at building and sustaining high-trust relationships in a fully remote environment; proven ability to foster team cohesion, maintain visibility into team dynamics, and keep distributed employees engaged and connected
• Strong coaching and feedback skills; able to deliver direct, developmentally oriented feedback across a range of performance levels and learning styles, including early-career employees who may be receiving structured feedback for the first time
• Highly organized with the ability to manage individual development plans, team workflows, and administrative responsibilities across a cross-discipline team simultaneously
• Proficient in Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and other collaboration tools used to coordinate and communicate effectively across a distributed workforce
• Ability to operate independently on day-to-day responsibilities while escalating strategic decisions and complex people matters to HR and department leadership appropriately
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to communicate clearly and with appropriate tone across a team at varying levels of experience, as well as with peers and senior leadership
• Ability to leverage AI and technology tools to support team coordination, development tracking, and communication workflows

Physical Demands

The following physical demands must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is

• Frequently required to remain in a stationary position.
• Frequently moving through office, facility, and other environments.
• On occasion, may move equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.

Travel / Relocation Requirements

• This position is fully remote; the employee may work from any location with a reliable internet connection and a professional, distraction-free home office setup
• Occasional travel to DLB office locations, team gatherings, or department events may be required; frequency is expected to be limited
• Effective May 7, 2025, and in accordance with U.S. federal regulations for domestic air travel, a valid REAL ID (or an acceptable alternative, such as a passport) is required for any travel associated with this position. Travel is defined as physically leaving home on behalf of business activities including but not limited to meetings with employees, training events, and attending company or industry gatherings

Education / Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Building Systems, or a related technical field
• OR
• Associate's degree or equivalent with demonstrated MEP industry experience at a level sufficient to cred