Design Manager

APPLE TECHNICAL RECRUITMENT (UK) LIMITED; Bletchley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car or car allowance

Private healthcare

Performance bonus

Pension

Job summary

Main Contractor is seeking a Design Manager for a flagship healthcare development in Buckinghamshire. The role focuses on early feasibility, planning, and on-site coordination, coordinating internal teams and external consultants to deliver a compliant, high-quality design.

You will oversee design progress from pre-construction through construction, ensuring buildability and alignment with budget while supporting the design strategy across RIBA stages. Travel to London offices may be required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in a Design Management position.
• Experience with UK-based Main Contractors.
• Experience on New Build projects in Healthcare, Life Science, Education, Commercial or Leisure sectors.

Responsibilities

• Oversee design management and ensure technical compliance.
• Coordinate design staff and external consultants across RIBA stages.
• Monitor on-site design coordination and ensure alignment with budget targets.
• Facilitate regular design coordination meetings and technical reviews.
• Support procurement during early feasibility to delivery stages.

Skills

Design management experience

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Architecture

Job description

Vacancy Summary

Job Title: Design Manager
Job Type: Permanent
Job Ref:
Location: nr Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (+ Office travel)
Salary: c. 60,000- 75,000 basic (dependent on experience), plus a comprehensive package including a company car or car allowance, private healthcare, performance bonus, pension.

Company & Project:

A successful and profitable Main Contractor with a exceptional track record of delivering projects across the Buckinghamshire area, are recruiting for a Design Manager to join their Design Management team working in a major project in the local area. The project is a c 300m+ Healthcare development project. The project will be based in Buckinghamshire with the programme of work spanning c3years+ in duration. Before starting on site the project has a c12-month pre-construction phase which will involve regular London office travel before moving to site. The successful candidate will be involved working within team to managing the design process from early feasibility and planning stages through to on-site coordination and delivery. This is a unique opportunity to join a truly flagship major project at the early stages with a market leading main contractor.

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Design Manager will work within a team to oversee technical compliance and design management, focusing primarily on early feasibility and procurement stages, while also monitoring on-site design coordination and managing the performance of external consultants. Key responsibilities include:

• Support the setup, monitoring, and daily coordination of design staffing and resource allocations across tendering and execution phases
• Assist in delivering a high-quality, sustainable design service to clients, supply chain partners, and project stakeholders throughout bidding and delivery
• Help coordinate the design process through RIBA stages, supporting brief reviews and identifying opportunities for project improvements
• Follow and uphold internal design management procedures and compliance standards from pre-construction through to project completion
• Provide operational input into the project's overarching design strategy and approach
• Track design progress against the agreed scope of work and assist in developing detailed service deliverables for key milestones
• Organise and facilitate regular design coordination meetings and technical review sessions
• Work alongside lead discipline designers to assist in coordinating multi-disciplinary design packages
• Help identify the need for design reviews and contribute to review documentation
• Check design outputs to ensure they align with commercial constraints, practical buildability, and project budget targets

Desirable Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years' experience in a Design Management position.
• Previous experience to include working for a UK based Main Contractor.
• Experience working on New Build projects in one of the following sectors would be advantageous for this position - Healthcare, Life Science, Education, Commercial or Leisure.
• Previous Roles May Include: Design Manager IntermediateDesign Manager Assistant Design Manager Design Coordinator Design & Build Manager

Qualifications & Skills:

Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Architecture or comparable qualification.