Design Manager

Location(s)

Bristol, Leeds, Plymouth, Cambridge, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, London; UK

Andrea Gaffney

Design Manager

The Design Manager leads and coordinates the design process on multidisciplinary buildings projects, ensuring that design solutions are fully integrated, buildable, and aligned to programme, cost and quality requirements. Working closely with Project Managers and technical discipline leads, the role focuses on design leadership, coordination and technical assurance within Design & Build and contractor-led delivery environments.

• Design leadership & coordination
  • Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams across all project stages
  • Develop and manage the design brief, ensuring clarity on scope, interfaces and deliverables
  • Coordinate design outputs across internal teams, contractors and external consultants
• Design planning & integration
  • Develop and manage the design programme, aligned with overall project delivery plans
  • Support the integration of design, procurement and construction activities
  • Work with Project Managers to ensure alignment between design progression and project milestones
• Technical assurance & compliance
  • Oversee design reviews, technical assurance processes and quality checks
  • Ensure designs comply with relevant standards, codes and client requirements
  • Monitor design risks and manage technical issues throughout the lifecycle
• Stakeholder engagement
  • Act as the primary point of coordination for design-related matters
  • Engage effectively with clients, contractors and stakeholders to resolve design challenges
  • Support clear communication of design intent and changes across the project team
• Risk, value & commercial alignment
  • Identify and manage design and technical risks, supporting mitigation strategies
  • Support alignment of design solutions with project cost, programme and commercial objectives
  • Work collaboratively with commercial and delivery teams to ensure design outputs are deliverable within agreed budgets
  • Contribute to value engineering and optimisation of design solutions
• Leadership & collaboration
  • Support and mentor design teams, promoting a collaborative and high‑performing environment
  • Contribute to bid and early‑stage project development activities where required

• Degree (or equivalent) in Architecture, Engineering or a related discipline
• Experience in design management within the buildings or built environment sector
• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams and managing design interfaces
• Experience in Design & Build and/or contractor‑led delivery environments
• Good understanding of
  • Design coordination and integration
  • Technical assurance and compliance
  • Project risk management
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills

• Experience working on large or complex buildings projects across sectors (e.g. defence, health, aviation, education)
• Experience on secure or regulated projects
• Chartered status (or working towards) in a relevant discipline
• Understanding of UK design standards and statutory requirements
• Security clearance (or eligibility to obtain clearance for project‑specific roles)

Please be advised that offers for this role are conditional upon obtaining the appropriate level of Security Clearance.

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reaso and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• Financial wellbeing
  • We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
  • Life assurance equal up to 4 × your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 × your…