Senior Design Manager

Overview

The Senior Design Manager – Architecture oversees consultant‑led architectural design across all project stages, ensuring compliance with QIC requirements, approved design briefs, Scopes of Work, and applicable technical standards. The role provides design governance and multidisciplinary coordination, ensuring that architectural intent is maintained and appropriately integrated with structural, MEP, landscape, and other specialist consultant inputs to deliver a coordinated, compliant, and construction‑ready design.

The SDM does not undertake design production and is responsible for reviewing, guiding, and assuring the quality, coordination, and deliverability of consultant design outputs, while supporting the Design Director in design leadership, technical assurance, cost alignment, and execution readiness.

• Oversee, coordinate, and monitor all architectural design activities while overseeing and aligning all design disciplines (structural, MEP, landscape, infrastructure) to ensure full integration with the architectural vision.
• Act as the primary design interface across disciplines, ensuring that all trades are coordinated, conflicts are resolved early, and design outputs are fully integrated and aligned.
• Manage engagement with architectural and multidisciplinary consultants, ensuring compliance with QIC design briefs, SOWs, guidelines, and technical standards.
• Implement and enforce design governance processes, including design input control, change management, structured design reviews, and multidisciplinary coordination reviews.
• Review architectural and multidisciplinary submissions, drawings, and detailed design packages, ensuring completeness, coordination, and minimizing rework and clashes.
• Support the overall design programme by chairing coordination meetings, tracking actions across all disciplines, and proactively resolving interface issues.
• Work closely with Development and Commercial teams to ensure design solutions across all trades align with approved budgets and value targets, contributing to cost planning and value engineering exercises.
• Apply strong execution and construction knowledge to assess buildability, sequencing, and coordination across all disciplines, ensuring that detailed design packages are practical and ready for construction.
• Support Development in preparing and refining design briefs, SOWs, and guidelines, ensuring all disciplines are clearly defined and aligned from early stages.
• Review technical aspects of consultant procurement submissions across all disciplines and contribute to tender evaluations.
• Monitor consultant performance across disciplines, ensuring deliverables are coordinated, compliant, and aligned with project objectives, supporting Commercial in managing design contracts.

• Master’s degree in Architecture or related field.
• A minimum of 15 years’ experience in architectural design management.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing teams.
• Proficiency in design software such as Revit, AutoCAD, and Adobe Suite.
• Deep understanding of sustainable design practices and codes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver within tight deadlines.