Design Manager

Bowmer And Kirkland Limited; West of England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday per year

8 bank holidays

Group Pension Scheme

Private Health Insurance

Eye care voucher

Training & Development Opportunities

Job summary

Bowmer + Kirkland in Bristol is seeking a Design Manager to lead design coordination across education projects, from preconstruction to live sites. You will ensure design excellence, programme certainty and buildability while integrating health and safety and digital innovation.

The role requires strong leadership, a clear understanding of regulations, and collaboration with clients, consultants and subcontractors to deliver high-quality, well-coordinated projects.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in design management within a main contracting environment.
• Strong technical design background with a construction-related degree.
• Solid understanding of Building Safety Act, CDM and Building Regulations.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing specialist subcontractors.
• Proficient in BIM processes and Viewpoint 4P software.
• Proactive, organised, and confident communicator.
• Ability to manage diverse project types, tight deadlines, and complex design scopes.
• Experience with Department for Education framework is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design process across one or more projects from inception to live sites.
• Coordinate the full design team including consultants and subcontractors.
• Manage design programme, RFIs, change control and document control processes.
• Ensure compliance with Building Regulations, planning conditions and CDM.
• Drive Safety in Design and embed buildability and health & safety risk mitigation.
• Oversee BIM coordination, clash detection reviews and digital model audits.
• Support tendering, value engineering and pre-construction activities.
• Mentor junior team members and support CPD development.
• Engage in client meetings and lead design-based communication.

Skills

Design management

Main contracting environment

Regulations knowledge

Team coordination

BIM processes

Communication

Education sector experience

Project discipline coordination

Viewpoint 4P

Education

Construction-related degree

Tools

Viewpoint 4P

Job description

Job Title: Design Manager

Location: Bristol

Salary: Competitive

Job Type: This is a full time, permanent role 40 hours over 5 days per week. This is a hybrid role, where you will be based out of our Bristol office and work from sites in Somerset and Dorset.

About Bowmer + Kirkland:

Since being established in 1923 Bowmer + Kirkland has grown to become one of the most successful privately-owned, and family run construction groups in the UK. Our Investors in People accreditation demonstrates our commitment to our staff and we are Scheme Partners of the Considerate Constructors Scheme - something which only a select number of high performing contractors achieve.

We are now looking to strengthen our team with the appointment of Design Managers to lead the coordination and delivery of design in preconstruction and on live sites for Education projects ranging between £15m and £50m. We welcome applicants with a range of experience levels, from Assistant Design Managers through to Senior Design Managers.

The Role:

As Design Manager, you will be responsible for managing the design intent through detailed interrogation, coordination, and leadership of the design process across the full project lifecycle. This includes ensuring compliance with the Building Safety Act, CDM Regulations, statutory approvals, and B+K's internal governance.

You will work collaboratively with clients, consultants, specialist subcontractors, and internal teams to ensure design excellence, programme certainty, and buildability-while embedding health and safety and digital innovation throughout. You will play a key part in ensuring information flows smoothly between the B+K, subcontractors, consultants, and the client - contributing to the delivery of high-quality, well-coordinated projects.

Duties of the Role:

The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional leadership, a robust understanding of delivering in a main contracting environment, and the ability to work collaboratively with key project stakeholders. A relentless focus on safe delivery, programme certainty, stakeholder engagement, and quality assurance are essential.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the management of the design process across one or more projects.


• Coordinate the full design team including consultants and design-and-build subcontractors.


• Manage the design programme, RFIs, change control and document control processes.


• Ensure designs are compliant with Building Regulations, planning conditions, CDM, and other statutory requirements.


• Drive Safety in Design (SiD) and embed buildability and health & safety risk mitigation.


• Oversee BIM coordination, clash detection reviews, and digital model audits.


• Support tendering, value engineering and pre-construction activities.


• Maintain a high level of technical and commercial awareness in all design decision-making.


• Engage in client meetings and lead proactive design-based communication.


• Participate in lessons learned and best practice forums to enhance our delivery model.


• Mentor junior design team members and actively support CPD development.

Key Skills & Experience required:

• Proven experience in a design management role within a main contracting environment.


• Strong technical design background with a degree (or equivalent) in a construction-related discipline.


• Solid understanding of current regulations (Building Safety Act, CDM, Building Regs, etc.).


• Experience in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing specialist subcontractors.


• Skilled in BIM processes and using platforms such as Viewpoint 4P.


• Proactive, organised, and a confident communicator.


• Capable of managing a range of project types, tight deadlines, and complex design scopes.


• Department for Education framework experience essential.

In return we offer:

• 25 days holiday per year, plus 8 bank holidays and Christmas Eve


• Entry into the Group Personal Pension Scheme


• Private Health Insurance (subject to a qualifying period)


• Eye care voucher scheme


• Training & Development Opportunities

Bowmer + Kirkland are an equal opportunities employer. We are a disability confident employer and actively encourage applicants who are covered under the equality act to apply. Please contact HR at in advance of an interview to discuss any adjustments that are required in order to support you in the process.

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Design Manager, Senior Design Manager, Assistant Design Manager, Construction Design Manager, Pre-Construction Design Manager, Design Coordinator, Senior Design Coordinator, Technical Manager, Technical Design Manager, Construction Project Manager, Pre-Construction Manager, Project Design Manager, Design and Build Manager, Design Lead, Technical Coordinator, Senior Technical Coordinator, BIM Manager, may also be considered for this role.