Associate Director – Design Management

JC Virtual PM; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Flexible hours

Career path to Director

Salary benchmarking

Job summary

JC Virtual PMs is a UK-based virtual consultancy delivering project management, design management, BIM, information management and document control. We are remote-first and growing, with a clear pathway for senior leaders to progress toward Director level.

As Associate Director – Design Management, you will lead design coordination and delivery across complex, multi-disciplinary projects for clients worldwide, owning design programmes, managing risk and ensuring information flows remain

Qualifications

• Senior Design Management experience in a consultancy, contractor or client-side environment.
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder management at Director/Board level.
• Solid understanding of RIBA Plan of Work and Building Regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management across multiple concurrent commissions spanning Commercial, Residential, Infrastructure and Public Sector projects.
• Own the design programme across RIBA Stages 0–7, maintaining Design Responsibility Matrices and Master Information Delivery Plans.
• Chair and facilitate design team meetings, coordination workshops and client design reviews, driving decisions and resolving design conflicts.
• Review deliverables for compliance with Employer’s Requirements, Building Regulations and project information standards.
• Coordinate interfaces between architectural, structural, MEP and other packages to ensure integrated design.
• Oversee BIM and Information Management in line with ISO 19650 across platforms such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, Aconex, Asite and Revit.
• Mentor and develop junior design management staff and support business development through bids and proposals.

Skills

Design leadership

Client relationship management

BIM / ISO 19650

RIBA Plan of Work

Business development

Education

Architecture/Engineering background

Tools

Autodesk Construction Cloud

Aconex

Revit

Asite

Job description

A senior leadership role leading design coordination and delivery across complex, multi-disciplinary projects globally, with a clear pathway to Director.

About JC Virtual PMs

JC Virtual PMs (JC.VPMS LTD) is a UK-based virtual consultancy delivering project management, design management, BIM, information management and document control. We work with SMEs and other clients across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, bringing joined-up project, design and information management to projects that need more than a freelancer but less than a large consultancy. We are remote-first and growing.

About the role

This is a senior leadership role at JC Virtual PMs for an accomplished Design Management professional ready to take the next step. As Associate Director – Design Management, you will lead design coordination and delivery across complex, multi-disciplinary projects for our clients globally — owning design programmes, managing design risk and ensuring information flows remain compliant and coordinated from RIBA Stage 1 through to handover. This role combines technical design leadership with client relationship management and business development. You will report to the Managing Director and lead our design management team, from Associate Design Manager to Assistant Design Manager. This role is a clear pathway to Director level within JC Virtual PMs.

Key responsibilities

• Lead design management across multiple concurrent commissions spanning Commercial, Residential, Infrastructure, Healthcare and Public Sector projects
• Own the design programme across RIBA Stages 0–7, maintaining Design Responsibility Matrices, Information Required Schedules and Master Information Delivery Plans
• Chair and facilitate design team meetings, coordination workshops and client design reviews, driving decisions and resolving design conflicts proactively
• Review and interrogate design deliverables for compliance with Employer’s Requirements, statutory regulations (including the Building Safety Act 2022 where it applies) and project information standards
• Coordinate interfaces between architectural, structural, MEP, civil and specialist packages, ensuring a fully integrated and clash-free design
• Oversee BIM and Information Management processes in accordance with ISO 19650, working across platforms including Autodesk Construction Cloud, Aconex, Asite and Revit
• Manage design risk registers and advise clients on design-related programme and cost implications
• Act as the primary design management relationship owner for key clients across the UK, Middle East, Asia and Africa
• Support business development through bid preparation, proposals and client presentations
• Mentor and develop junior design managers and design coordinators within the JC Virtual PMs team

What we're looking for

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in a senior Design Management role within a consultancy, contractor or client-side environment
• Deep understanding of RIBA Plan of Work, Building Regulations, CDM 2015 and design procurement routes (traditional, D&B, EPC)
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-disciplinary design teams across live construction projects
• Excellent client-facing communication and stakeholder management skills at Director and Board level
• Commercially aware with understanding of design fee management, scope control and change management
• Right to work in the country where you will be based

Desirable

• Working knowledge of the Building Safety Act 2022, dutyholder competence and the golden thread
• Strong working knowledge of BIM workflows, ISO 19650 and CDE platforms such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, Aconex, Asite or Revit
• Experience working across international markets — particularly the UK, Middle East, Asia or Africa
• Experience contributing to bids, proposals and work-winning activities
• Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
• Professional membership: RIBA, RICS, CIOB, APM or equivalent; chartered or working towards
• BIM/ISO 19650 certification or equivalent experience

Experience levels are a guide, not a cut-off. If you are close and can show equivalent experience, please apply.

How we work

• Remote-first: you work from your home base, with occasional client meetings or site visits when a project needs them.
• Our clients and teams span the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, so we agree working hours that overlap with each project's time zones.
• We work in Microsoft 365 (Teams, SharePoint and Outlook) and our own project controls and HR platforms for timesheets, reporting, leave and expenses.
• This role is open as an associate on a day rate or on an employed basis, full-time or part-time. Tell us which suits you.
• We resource against confirmed client commissions, so start dates follow project mobilisation. We will be open about timing from our first conversation.

What we offer

• Remote, flexible working, full-time or part-time
• Competitive salary or associate day rate, benchmarked to your location and experience. We will discuss pay with you before your interview
• Professional membership fees covered for employed team members
• Exposure to a diverse portfolio of UK and international projects
• A clear career path, with Director as your next step
• A supportive, collaborative team with a focus on professional growth
• The chance to help shape and grow a forward-thinking virtual consultancy

If there is no suitable commission straight away, we may keep your details on our active file for up to 12 months so we can contact you when one comes up, and we may invite you to our free remote training sessions (we ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement first). You can ask us to update or remove your details at any time from your application status page or by emailing [e-mail].

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If you need any adjustments to apply or interview, just tell us. We do not ask about your pay history.