Design Manager

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead and coordinate design delivery across multi‑discipline teams in a London-based role. You will manage the design programme, interfaces, information flow and change control, ensuring outputs are safe, high quality, on time and within budget.

You will bring a strong background in consultancy leadership, client engagement and team development, with a proven track record from concept through to completion on complex projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years' experience in engineering, design management or project delivery within a design consultancy.
• Strong leadership ability with the capacity to motivate and guide diverse teams.
• Exceptional facilitation and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proven track record coordinating multi‑discipline design delivery on complex projects.
• Able to manage design programmes, interfaces, information flow and change control.

Responsibilities

• Identify and agree project objectives with the Project Director and develop strategies for programme, budget and quality targets.
• Assemble and own the design delivery programme and delivery plans, updating them as design develops.
• Lead design team meetings, ensuring clear minutes, decisions and timely actions.
• Manage RFIs, early warnings and general communications to reduce project risk.
• Analyse, process and respond to design transmittals and project documents.
• Review quotations to ensure alignment with scope and client requirements.
• Maintain understanding of project scope and update resources and instructions accordingly.
• Instigate efficiency and buildability across design stages with the wider team.
• Support ISO 9001/14001 quality processes and project governance.
• Close out the project on completion and capture lessons learned.

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? Watch Our Story: ' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story' Each and every role throughout our organisation makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world. We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures, it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centre's driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration. Whether you're optimizing energy efficiency, integrating resilient systems, or engineering the backbone of next-generation facilities, your contributions will help define the future of the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.

About the Role

As a Design Manager (Internal: Project Manager), you will lead and co-ordinate design delivery across multi-discipline project teams, ensuring client requirements are clearly understood and translated into a robust design delivery plan. You will manage the design programme, interfaces, information flow and change control, ensuring design outputs are delivered safely, to the required quality, on time and within budget.

About You

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Design Manager with a passion for delivering high-quality engineering solutions. Someone who thrives in a consultancy environment, balancing technical excellence with effective project delivery, client engagement, and team leadership. With a strong background in managing multidisciplinary design teams, you have a proven track record of overseeing projects from concept through to completion, ensuring designs are innovative, compliant, cost-effective, and delivered on time.

Responsibilities

• Identify and agree project objectives with the Project Director and develop a strategy for achieving programme, budget and quality targets.
• Assemble and own the design delivery programme and delivery plans, keeping these updated as design develops.
• Facilitate communication, co-ordination and information flow with the client, internal teams, sub-consultants and partners.
• Lead Design Team Meetings (DTMs), ensuring clear minutes, decisions and timely completion of actions.
• Implement and continuously improve project management processes (e.g., change control) and co-ordinate target‑led workshops to resolve critical design issues.
• Manage RFIs, early warnings and general communications to reduce project risk and support successful delivery.
• Analyse, process and respond to design transmittals (drawings, specifications, reports and other project documents).
• Review and evaluate quotations to ensure alignment with scope, budget and client requirements.
• Manage changes and delays, ensuring impacts are assessed and resolved or mitigated appropriately.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of project scope and design responsibility, update design delivery programme, resources and instructions accordingly.
• Itemise scope of services, briefing schedules and documentation requirements; regularly assess against standards to improve deliverables.
• Instigate efficiency, appropriate innovation and buildability across design stages with the wider design team.
• Ensure technical compliance and quality production of all deliverables; record scope changes affecting fee basis and advise the Project Director/KAH.
• Close out the project on completion, ensuring lessons learnt are captured and disseminated and that a client satisfaction process is initiated.
• Prioritise safety throughout design delivery and promote a safe working culture within project teams.
• Support post‑contract completion reviews with clients and internal close‑out reporting.
• Support training and succession planning to enhance team performance and future capability.
• Support the Management Team in running the practice and assist in Quality Management Systems execution (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001).
• Support practice management duties as agreed with the Area Business Group Manager, Programme Director and Project Directors.
• Carry out third‑party design audits as necessary and maintain registers/technical audits on projects as required (subject to approval).
• Perform other duties as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years' experience in engineering, design management or project delivery within a design consultancy.
• Personable self‑starter with a positive, professional ‘can do’ attitude and the ability to maintain strong working relationships.
• Able to work collaboratively across disciplines and establish effective rapport with team members, the wider business and clients.
• Able to work under pressure, manage a varied workload and meet tight deadlines whilst maintaining technical excellence.
• Strong leadership capability with ability to motivate, coach and guide diverse teams.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills (written and verbal), including leading meetings and producing clear minutes/actions.
• Strong risk identification and mitigation mindset; comfortable managing change control and programme impacts.
• Strong document handling and quality discipline; comfortable managing transmittals, registers and approval workflows.
• Demonstrable experience co‑ordinating multi‑discipline design delivery on complex projects.
• Understanding of design process, roles and responsibilities; ability to co‑ordinate internal and external disciplines.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001/14001 quality processes and project governance desirable.
• Commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture.
• #LI‑KK2

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location

United Kingdom-England-London

Other Locations

United Kingdom-Scotland-Glasgow, United Kingdom-England-Manchester

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

BusinessClass : Program Management

Job Posting

Aug 19, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an Affirimate Action and Equal Opportunity Employe r.

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.