Design Manager

Walker & Sloan; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Company car

Competitive pension

Career progression

Major project in Cardiff

Established project team

Residential project pipeline

Job summary

Walker & Sloan in Cardiff is seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead the design process on a major residential development in South Wales. You'll coordinate architects, engineers and specialists, ensuring designs are buildable, on programme and compliant with Building Regulations.

You will chair design meetings, manage information releases, review technical submissions and drive design changes, acting as the crucial link between design and construction on site.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage the design process so information is delivered on programme and buildable on site.
• Chair design meetings, monitor information release schedules and liaising with project teams.
• Review technical submissions, manage design changes and ensure compliance with Building Regulations.
• Act as the link between design and construction, resolving technical queries and ensuring practical solutions.
• Support delivery through to handover, ensuring design queries are resolved efficiently.

Job description

Design Manager

Location: Cardiff, South Wales

Sector: Residential / Social Housing

Salary: Up to £70,000 + Package

The Opportunity

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Design Manager to join an established national contractor delivering a major residential development in Cardiff.

You'll be joining a sizeable, long-term scheme delivering much-needed new homes across a technically interesting development. Working as part of an experienced project team, you'll take ownership of the design process and play a key role in ensuring the project progresses successfully from design development through construction and ultimately handover.

This is an opportunity to join a stable and well-established contractor with a strong pipeline of residential work, offering the security of a major project alongside genuine opportunities to develop your career over the longer term.

Role Overview

As Design Manager, you'll take responsibility for coordinating and managing the design process, ensuring information is delivered accurately, on programme and in a way that supports efficient construction on site.

You’ll work closely with architects, engineers, specialist consultants and subcontractors, bringing the different design disciplines together and ensuring potential clashes or technical issues are identified before they impact delivery.

You’ll manage design programmes, monitor information release schedules and chair design meetings, while maintaining close communication with the operational and commercial teams throughout the project. You’ll also review technical submissions, manage design changes and ensure information remains compliant with contractual requirements, Building Regulations and relevant standards.

Importantly, you’ll act as the link between design and construction. You’ll spend time with the site team understanding what they need, resolving technical queries and making sure designs are practical, coordinated and buildable rather than simply compliant on paper.

As the scheme progresses, you’ll continue supporting delivery through to completion, ensuring design queries are resolved efficiently and that the required information is available for a successful handover.

About You

You are an experienced Design Manager or an ambitious Assistant Design Manager ready to take the next step in your career, with a background working for a main contractor, residential developer or similar construction business.

You’ll ideally have experience delivering residential or housing projects and understand the particular design challenges associated with large-scale developments. Experience within affordable housing, mixed-tenure residential or partnership-led schemes would be particularly relevant.

You understand the construction process and can confidently coordinate architectural, structural and building services information while maintaining a strong focus on programme and buildability.

You’re comfortable dealing with consultants, subcontractors and internal project teams and aren’t afraid to challenge designs or push for information when required. You’ll be organised, technically capable and proactive in identifying potential problems before they reach site.

A construction-related degree or equivalent technical qualification would be beneficial, alongside a good working knowledge of Building Regulations, CDM requirements and modern methods of construction.

Company Profile

You’ll be joining a well-established national construction business with an excellent reputation for delivering large-scale residential developments across the UK.

The business works closely with housing providers, local authorities and development partners to deliver high-quality new homes and regeneration projects, with a strong emphasis on creating sustainable communities and long-term partnerships.

With a significant pipeline of secured work and an established presence across South Wales, they can offer excellent job security alongside genuine opportunities for career progression.

What's in it for you?

• Salary up to £70,000 + Package
• Car Allowance / Company Car
• Competitive Pension
• Additional Company Benefits
• Major long-term residential development in Cardiff
• Genuine career progression opportunities
• Join an established and experienced project team
• Strong pipeline of residential projects across the region