Design Manager

Redpath Partners; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Redpath Partners is seeking an experienced Design Manager with an architectural background to join its development team on an initial 12-month contract. The role focuses on early stage residential development, feasibility, planning strategy and design optimisation to align with commercial objectives.

Based in Melbourne with occasional travel to Sydney, you will lead consultants and design teams, navigate planning requirements, and shape projects from site assessment through planning approval and

Qualifications

• Must hold a degree in Architecture and have developer-side design leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of front-end design, site feasibility, and planning.
• Experience with Sydney planning processes, including SSDA pathways.
• Experience with residential or residential-adjacent projects (BTR, PBSA advantageous).
• Experience managing architectural teams and external consultants.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development feasibility studies and test fits.
• Manage planning strategies and SSDA-based approvals.
• Lead design process from concept to design development.
• Assess development opportunities and maximise site yield.
• Appoint and coordinate external architects and consultants.
• Lead design meetings and communicate with stakeholders.
• Build relationships across development, design and planning teams.
• Establish clear processes to support development strategy.

Skills

Architectural design leadership

Development lifecycle knowledge

Planning processes (SSDA)

Stakeholder management

Strategic design thinking

Education

Architecture degree

Job description

Our client is a successful BTR/BTS Developer seeking an experienced Design Manager with an architectural background to join its development team on an initial 12-month contract.

This role will focus on the early stages of residential development, contributing to site feasibility, planning strategy, design capacity and project optimisation. Working on the developer side, you will help shape projects from initial site assessment through planning approval and design development, ensuring design outcomes align with commercial objectives, project requirements and planning constraints.

The position will suit an architecturally trained professional who understands the development process, can confidently navigate planning requirements and has the capability to lead consultants and design teams at a strategic level.

Key Responsibilities

• Development Feasibility: Contribute to site assessments, development feasibility studies, test fits and internal planning to determine site capacity and optimise development potential.
• Planning & Approvals: Manage and contribute to planning strategies and approval processes, including experience with Sydney planning pathways and State Significant Development Applications (SSDA).
• Design Management: Lead the design process from early concept through planning and design development, ensuring design quality, functionality and commercial feasibility.
• Site Optimisation: Work closely with internal stakeholders to assess development opportunities, challenge design assumptions and maximise site yield within planning and project constraints.
• Consultant Management: Appoint, coordinate and manage external architects and multidisciplinary consultants, ensuring alignment with project objectives, deliverables and timeframes.
• Design Leadership: Lead design meetings, facilitate decision-making and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels, from consultants and project teams through to senior leadership.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong working relationships across development, design and planning teams to drive projects through key milestones.
• Project Coordination: Establish clear processes, maintain design accountability and ensure planning and design outcomes support the broader development strategy.

Ideal Candidate

• A degree in Architecture, with experience in a developer-side Design Manager or equivalent design leadership position.
• Strong understanding of the property development lifecycle, particularly front-end design, site feasibility and planning.
• Demonstrated experience with Sydney planning processes, including SSDA pathways.
• Experience across residential or residential-adjacent projects, ideally including co-living, build-to-rent (BTR), studio apartments or hotel-style accommodation.
• Experience managing architectural teams and external consultant groups, with the confidence to lead design discussions and influence outcomes.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance design quality, site capacity, planning requirements and development feasibility.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and decision-making skills.
• The ability to operate at a strategic level while maintaining a strong understanding of design detail and delivery requirements.

Experience across purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) would be advantageous.

Contract

• Location: Melbourne-based, with travel to Sydney approximately fortnightly.
• Anticipated commencement November/December 2026
• Interview timing: Early November.

The Ideal Candidate

This opportunity is suited to an architecturally trained Design Manager who enjoys working on the developer side, influencing projects before they progress into detailed design and delivery.

You will be comfortable assessing development potential, navigating complex planning processes and leading consultants to achieve commercially viable, well-considered design outcomes.