Design Manager

People Group; Epping Green; On-site; GBP 72,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

People Group in the United Kingdom seeks a capable Design Manager to lead a DfE education project on the Hertfordshire/Essex border. The role focuses on completing a sports block, swimming pool, gym, and associated facilities, ensuring handover readiness and government standards compliance.

You will bridge client outputs with external consultants and the construction team, driving design risk management, procurement coordination, and site deliverables for stage 5 completion, with an immediate

Qualifications

• Experience delivering education sector projects to government standards.
• Ability to manage DMPs, external design teams and consultants.
• Familiarity with BB101 acoustics and building safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain project-specific DMPs.
• Appoint, manage, and coordinate external design teams and consultants.
• Ensure educational layouts meet government standards and safety regs.
• Review drawings to maximise buildability and identify cost-saving VE options.
• Chair design team meetings and liaise with DFEs/school stakeholders.
• Maintain project risk registers and run risk workshops.
• Track design programmes against milestones and align with cost plan.
• Oversee RFI process, approvals, and information distribution.
• Coordinate technical handover documentation and O&M manuals - stage 5.

Skills

Design management

Stakeholder coordination

Buildability & VE

RFI & document control

Job description

Fantastic Design Manager opportunity to join a Project and see this through to completion based in the Hertfordshire/Essex border area, immediate start!

A Design Manager is required to join a main contractor, and deliver for a Department for Education (DfE) client, the building is a secondary school academy and specialist performing arts college, with the particular focus being a sports block, completing the swimming pool, gymnasium, changing rooms and other areas within the block. The project is already underway and a competent, confident and capable Design Manager is required to see this through and deliver stage 5 construction completion including handover, as well as handover checklists, closiung out planning ensuring school or educational buildings meet strict government standards, budgets, and timelines. The design manager will act as the bridge between the client's output specifications, external consultants, and the construction team, DfE experience is ideal but not essential.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Design Management Plans (DMPs) Develop, implement, and maintain project-specific DMPs that align with company procedures and DfE standards.
• Consultant Coordination: Appoint, manage, and coordinate external design teams, architects, and specialist engineering consultants.
• Compliance and Standards: Ensure all educational layouts, environmental conditions (such as BB101 acoustic and ventilation standards), and building safety regulations are strictly met.
• Buildability and Value Engineering: Review technical drawings and specifications to maximize buildability, spot design clashes early, and identify cost-effective value engineering options.
• Stakeholder Communication: Chair design team meetings and act as the primary link between the DfE/school stakeholders, commercial teams, and site construction crews.
• Design Risk Management: Maintain project risk registers and lead regular workshops to mitigate technical, financial, and regulatory risks.
• Programme and Cost Control: Track detailed design programmes against key milestones while keeping the design aligned with the project's commercial cost plan.
• RFI and Document Control: Oversee the Request for Information (RFI) process, technical approvals, and information distribution.
• Handover and Closeout: Coordinate technical handover documentation, including Health & Safety files and Operation & Maintenance (O&M) manuals - stage 5

Key Information:

• £450 day rate
• Length of project is a minimum of 5 months
• Immediate start
• Interview to be carried out via teams initially
• DFE experience is ideal however not essential
• Site based