Assistant Design Manager / Junior Design Manager

Londinium Recruitment; London Borough of Islington; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Guildford major £90m project seeks an Assistant/Junior Design Manager to join a well‑established main contractor. You will report to the Lead Design Manager and help drive the design process from pre-construction through handover.

Expect short design periods, rapid programme, and close collaboration with consultants, subcontractors and the operations team. The role is suited to someone with some design management exposure, who can work across stages 3–5 and support buildable, commercially sound

Qualifications

• Experience in design management on construction projects is preferred.
• Exposure across the project lifecycle beyond a single design function.
• Beneficial to have familiarity with Building Regulations / Gateway processes.

Responsibilities

• Support the Lead Design Manager with day-to-day design management and coordination.
• Manage design information and ensure release aligns with construction programme.
• Coordinate consultants, subcontractors and internal project teams.
• Review drawings, specifications and technical submissions.
• Identify design risks, clashes and missing information before they impact site.
• Manage RFIs, design trackers, workshops and design team meetings.
• Support development of the design from RIBA Stage 3 through Stage 5.
• Ensure design solutions are buildable and commercially appropriate.

Job description

Assistant Design Manager / Junior Design Manager

Guildford Major £90m Project Up to £60,000 + Package

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an Assistant / Junior Design Manager to join a well-established main contractor on a major £90m project in Guildford.

Working directly beneath an experienced Lead Design Manager, this is a great opportunity for someone who already has a grounding in design management and is ready to take on more responsibility on a large, fast-moving scheme. The project is progressing at pace, with a particularly quick structural programme, meaning the design team needs to be proactive, organised and comfortable working to short design periods and demanding deadlines.

The Role

You'll work closely with the Lead Design Manager and wider project team, helping coordinate and drive the design process from pre-construction through delivery and handover. The contractor will typically inherit projects around RIBA Stage 3, develop the design through Stage 4, and manage the process through construction and Stage 5 handover.

This isn't a role where you'll simply be managing drawings and trackers. You'll be exposed to the wider design management process on a significant project, working closely with consultants, architects, subcontractors and the operational team.

• Supporting the Lead Design Manager with day-to-day design management and coordination
• Managing design information and ensuring it is released in line with the construction programme
• Coordinating consultants, specialist subcontractors and internal project teams
• Reviewing drawings, specifications and technical submissions
• Identifying design risks, clashes and missing information before they impact site
• Managing RFIs, design trackers, workshops and design team meetings
• Supporting the development of the design from RIBA Stage 3 through Stages 4 and 5
• Working closely with the construction and commercial teams to ensure design solutions are buildable and commercially appropriate
• Monitoring design programme dates against a fast-moving construction programme
• Assisting with Building Regulations / Gateway requirements where required
• Supporting commissioning, completion and handover

About You

We're ideally looking for somebody currently working for a Tier 2, medium-sized or SME main contractor, where you've had good exposure across the project rather than working within a very narrow design function.

You could currently be a:
Assistant Design Manager
Junior Design Manager
Design Coordinator

We're particularly interested in candidates with a mixed-sector background who can demonstrate good technical understanding and an ability to adapt quickly between different project requirements. Previous exposure to the Building Safety Act / Gateway process would be advantageous, although isn't essential. More important is somebody who is proactive, switched on and genuinely wants to develop into a well-rounded Design Manager.

Why Consider It?

This is a chance to join a respected main contractor and work on a £90m flagship scheme, sitting directly beneath a Lead Design Manager who you can learn from. You'll get exposure to the full design process rather than being pigeonholed into document control or isolated packages, and the pace of the project means you'll be given genuine responsibility. For someone currently working at Assistant/Junior level who wants to make the next step towards becoming a fully-fledged Design Manager, there's a lot of opportunity to develop here.

Salary: Up to £60,000 DOE + package

Location: Guildford

Project Value: £90m

Position: Assistant / Junior Design Manager

Start: ASAP / flexible for the right person