Design Manager

Advanced Resourcing Ltd; Cradley Heath; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

25 days holiday + Bank Holidays

Travel allowance for site visits

Subsistence allowance

On-site parking

Job summary

Advanced Resourcing Ltd. is representing a client in the Cradley Heath area seeking a Design Manager to lead a design and CAD team from concept to site. You will drive complex sheet metal fabrication designs, manage client relationships, and provide expert engineering input across live projects.

The role blends hands-on design with team leadership and commercial awareness, requiring travel to sites and close collaboration with the factory and workshop teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in sheet metal fabrication or architectural metalwork.
• Advanced engineering capability with Inventor (3D) and AutoCAD (2D).
• Familiarity with CAM/nesting software such as Radan is desirable.
• CSCS card is an advantage.
• Proven leadership of a drawing office or CAD team.
• Strong communication with customers and workshop staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a Designers/CAD Operators team and plan daily workload.
• Direct complex sheet metal design, develop flat-patterns, bend allowances and CNC programs.
• Act as technical point of contact with customers and attend meetings.
• Visit construction sites for surveys and measurements as needed.
• Oversee production handover, ensuring drawings are production-ready.

Skills

Autodesk Inventor

AutoCAD

Radan CAM

Leadership

Education

CSCS card

Tools

Radan CAM/Nesting

Job description

Advanced Resourcing are a forward-thinking agency based in Wolverhampton and we specialise within the Manufacturing & Engineering recruitment sector and work with clients all over the West Midlands.

Due to the current Manager retiring, we are currently representing our client in the Cradley Heath Area who are currently looking for a Design Manager to join their team on a Permanent basis.

Role Overview:

As the Design Manager, you will lead a dedicated design and CAD team, overseeing projects from initial customer concept through to workshop manufacture. This is a hands-on, collaborative role requiring a blend of advanced engineering knowledge, team leadership, and commercial acumen. You will act as the vital technical bridge between our Black Country factory, our clients, and live construction sites, ensuring complex sheet metal designs are accurate, cost-effective, and fully buildable.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and schedule the daily workload for a team of Designers and CAD Operators, ensuring high-quality drawing output and adherence to project deadlines.
• Complex Sheet Metal Design: Personally lead and oversee the design of complex sheet metal fabrications, utilising flat-pattern development, bend allowances, and manufacturing constraints. Undertake detailed drawings and CNC programmes to ensure products meet site and customer requirements.
• Customer & Account Management: Nurture and develop deep, trusted relationships with existing customers. Act as the primary technical point of contact, attending meetings and providing expert engineering advice.
• Site Support & Problem Solving: Travel to construction sites to conduct site surveys, take accurate measurements, and resolve engineering or installation challenges firsthand.
• Production Handover: Ensure all drawing files are optimised for production, translating 3D models seamlessly into nested CNC/laser/punch data.

Continuous Improvement: Standardise drawing office procedures and ensure the design team works harmoniously with the workshop floor to minimise waste and rework

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Industry Experience: A proven, stable career history with direct, hands-on experience within sheet metal fabrication or architectural metalwork.
• Software Proficiency: Advanced engineering capability in Autodesk Inventor (3D modelling) and AutoCAD (2D). Direct experience or strong familiarity with Radan (or similar CAM/nesting software) is highly desirable.
• Site Ready: Confident visiting live construction sites, with a solid understanding of structural interfaces. A valid CSCS card is a distinct advantage.
• Leadership Track Record: Previous experience managing, supervising, or leading a drawing office or a small team of CAD technicians.
• Communication: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently advise customers, negotiate technical changes, and collaborate directly with workshop fabrication staff.
• IT Literacy: Proficient in general Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook) for project tracking.

What our client offers:

• Competitive salary based entirely on your industry experience.
• A comprehensive handover period working alongside our retiring Design Manager to seamlessly absorb client histories, ongoing projects, and specialised workflows.
• Company pension scheme.
• 25 days holiday per year + Bank Holidays, travel allowance for site visits, subsistence allowance, on-site parking.