Lead Design Manager

Wasael Property Management; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 240,000 - 480,000; Full time

Job summary

Wasael Property Management in Abu Dhabi is seeking a senior Design Manager to lead the end-to-end design process for major projects, ensuring technically compliant, commercially viable and high-quality design solutions.

You will coordinate architectural, structural, MEP, landscape, and other consultants, manage design programmes, review submissions, and ensure approvals with UAE authorities; a strong track record in real estate development and BIM is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, or a related design discipline.
• Minimum 12–15 years of design and design management experience on large-scale projects.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary design teams and coordinating with authorities and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design management from concept to handover.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design teams and external consultants.
• Ensure compliance with UAE regulations and project specifications.
• Lead design review meetings and stakeholder presentations.
• Develop design strategies, programs, and management plans.
• Monitor progress and manage design changes and risks.

Skills

Design leadership

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Constructability

Value engineering

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related design discipline

Master’s degree or professional accreditation

Tools

BIM & Digital Coordination

Job description

Job Purpose

To lead and manage the design process across major projects, ensuring coordinated, technically compliant, commercially viable, and high-quality design solutions are delivered in accordance with project objectives, budgets, programmes, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design management process from concept and design development through detailed design, construction, and project handover.
• Develop and implement project design strategies, design programmes, deliverable schedules, and management plans.
• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams including architectural, structural, MEP, landscape, infrastructure, and specialist consultants.
• Manage external design consultants and monitor performance against contractual scope, deliverables, programme, budget, and quality requirements.
• Review design submissions, drawings, specifications, reports, and technical documentation to ensure compliance with project requirements.
• Ensure effective coordination and integration between all design disciplines and identify and resolve design conflicts and interface issues.
• Monitor design progress against approved programmes and ensure key design milestones and deliverables are achieved.
• Lead design review meetings, technical workshops, coordination meetings, and design presentations with consultants and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate closely with Project Management, Technical, Commercial, Procurement, Construction, BIM, and other project functions throughout the design process.
• Ensure design solutions comply with applicable UAE regulations, authority requirements, building codes, technical standards, and project specifications.
• Coordinate with Stakeholder and Authority teams to facilitate design-related approvals, permits, and NOCs.
• Lead value engineering initiatives to optimize design, cost, constructability, operational performance, and lifecycle value without compromising project objectives.
• Manage design changes and assess their potential impact on project scope, programme, cost, quality, and construction.
• Identify design-related risks, constraints, and dependencies and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are implemented.
• Support procurement and tendering activities through preparation and review of design scopes, technical requirements, tender documentation, and technical evaluations.
• Provide design support during construction and facilitate timely resolution of RFIs, design clarifications, technical queries, and site-related design issues.
• Ensure design documentation is appropriately controlled and coordinated through BIM and Common Data Environment processes.
• Support testing, commissioning, handover, and project close-out activities from a design perspective.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentoring to Design Managers and other members of the design team.
• Prepare regular design progress reports and provide updates on key risks, decisions, approvals, and outstanding matters to project leadership.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, or a related design discipline.
• Master’s degree or relevant professional accreditation would be an advantage.
• Minimum 12–15 years of relevant design and design management experience, including significant experience leading multidisciplinary design teams on large-scale and complex projects.
• Strong experience within real estate development, construction, infrastructure, or major project environments.
• Proven experience managing design consultants through concept, detailed design, construction, and handover stages.
• Strong understanding of multidisciplinary design coordination, constructability, value engineering, BIM, and design governance.
• Good knowledge of UAE building regulations, authority requirements, codes, and approval processes.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating with consultants, contractors, authorities, and senior project stakeholders.

Design Management

• Multidisciplinary Design Coordination
• Consultant Management
• Design Leadership
• Technical Review
• Value Engineering
• BIM & Digital Coordination
• Design Risk Management
• Authority Coordination
• Constructability
• Stakeholder Management
• Team Leadership