Lead Design Manager

Turner & Townsend; Dubai; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend in Dubai seeks a Lead Design Manager to oversee the design management process for large-scale real estate and hospitality developments, interfacing between client, consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders from concept through construction delivery.

You will lead design coordination across all project phases, drive value engineering, monitor risks, and ensure alignment with budget, schedule and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 15–20 years of progressive experience in design management within real estate and hospitality development.
• Proven leadership and stakeholder management across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience delivering large-scale hospitality projects in the UAE/GCC.
• Strong understanding of design management methodologies and approvals processes.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Proficiency with industry software such as AutoCAD, Revit, BIM platforms, Navisworks, and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage design process across all project phases, from concept to construction.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design teams including architects, engineers, landscape architects, interior designers and consultants.
• Review, monitor and provide guidance on design deliverables to ensure budgets, regulations, and quality standards.
• Chair and manage design coordination meetings with minutes, action logs, and follow-up.
• Oversee design integration to minimize clashes and construction risks.
• Manage design approvals with clients, authorities, and regulators.
• Ensure timely handling of design review comments and submissions.
• Lead value engineering and opportunities for design optimization and sustainability improvements.
• Monitor design risks and changes and their impact on cost and schedule.
• Review material selections and samples for compliance with project vision.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Presentation

Negotiation

Design management

Education

Construction Management, or related discipline

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

BIM platforms

Navisworks

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

At Turner & Townsend we’re passionate about making the difference. That means delivering better outcomes for our clients, helping our people to realize their potential, and doing our part to create a prosperous society.

Every day we help our major global clients deliver ambitious and highly technical projects, in over 112offices worldwide.

Job Description

The Lead Design Manager will lead and oversee the design management process for large-scale real estate and hospitality developments, ensuring that project objectives, quality standards, budgets, and timelines are successfully achieved. The role will act as the key interface between the client, consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, from concept design through construction delivery.

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated professional with strong leadership, technical expertise, and stakeholder management skills to drive design excellence across complex residential, commercial, mixed-use, hospitality, and master development projects.

• Lead and manage the design process across all project phases, including concept, schematic, detailed design, tender, and construction stages.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design teams, including architects, engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, and specialist consultants.
• Review, monitor, and provide technical guidance on design deliverables to ensure compliance with project objectives, budgets, regulations, and quality standards.
• Chair and manage design coordination meetings, ensuring timely issuance of minutes, action logs, and follow-up of design-related decisions.
• Oversee design integration and coordination between all disciplines to minimize clashes, design conflicts, and construction risks.
• Manage design approval processes with clients, authorities, utility providers, and regulatory bodies.
• Ensure timely preparation and closure of design review comments, technical queries, and contractor submittals.
• Lead value engineering exercises and identify opportunities for design optimization, cost efficiency, and sustainability improvements.
• Monitor and report on design risks, design changes, and their impact on project cost, schedule, and quality.
• Review material selections, mock-ups, and samples to ensure compliance with project vision and technical requirements.
• Support procurement and tender activities through technical reviews, design clarifications, and consultant management.
• Collaborate closely with project management, construction, and commercial teams to ensure smooth transition from design to execution.
• Ensure adherence to health and safety requirements, sustainability standards, and

Qualifications

• Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• 15-20 years of progressive experience in DesignManagement within real estate and hospitality development, consultancy, or project management environments.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale hospitality projects in the UAE/GCC.
• Strong understanding of design management methodologies, authority approval processes, construction practices, and project delivery frameworks.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary consultants and coordinating complex stakeholder environments.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Proficiency in industry-standard software such as AutoCAD, Revit, BIM platforms, Navisworks, and Microsoft Office Suite.

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.