Design Manager

© 2025 Borne Resourcing Ltd; London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-established family-run contractor in London is seeking a hands-on Design Manager. You will lead design management through various stages, ensuring project alignment and de-risking effectively. Ideal candidates have solid design management experience, strong technical knowledge, and the ability to run projects from Stage 2 to completion. This role promises a supportive environment where professionals can thrive without bureaucratic layers.

Qualifications

• Solid experience as a Design Manager or a Project Architect/Coordinator ready to step up.
• Experience running design from Stage 2 to handover.
• Familiarity with D&B and traditional forms of contract.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management across multiple work stages.
• Manage design and coordination for various types of contracts.
• De-risk projects and ensure alignment between teams.

Skills

Design management experience

Technical knowledge

Ability to interrogate drawings

Coordination skills

Job description

Overview

Design Manager — London. Posted: 24/09/2025 • Salary £70K- £85K / Year • Reference J29074

Role

This is a hands-on Design Manager role where you\'ll lead from the front. You\'ll de-risk projects early, spot clashes, and keep both pre-con and site teams aligned.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management across multiple work stages and run design from Stage 2 to handover.
• Interrogate drawings and push coordination between design disciplines.
• Manage design and coordination for both D&B and traditional contracts.
• De-risk projects early and ensure alignment between pre-con and site teams.

Projects

• Design & build and traditional contracts across the public and private sectors
• Education schemes (live schools and nursery extensions)
• Healthcare and community refurbishments
• New build residential and mixed-use schemes up to £8m
• Refurbishments in occupied buildings with tight access/logistics
• Mixture of local authority, housing association, and private clients

What they\'re looking for

• Solid experience as a Design Manager (or a Project Architect / Coordinator ready to step up)
• Strong technical knowledge able to interrogate drawings and push coordination
• Comfortable running design from Stage 2 to handover
• Experienced with both D&B and traditional forms of contract

The Company

They\'re a long-established, family-run main contractor who\'ve quietly delivered high-quality refurbishments and small-scale new builds in London for 40+ years. Their projects are technically demanding but modest in scale—the kind of schemes that rely on good people, clear communication, and careful planning rather than layers of bureaucracy.

You won\'t be lost in a chain of command here. It\'s a grown-up business with a flat structure, where experienced professionals are trusted to get on with the job and supported when they need it.

Also known as

Senior Design Coordinator, Architectural Technician, Project Architect

Interested? Let\'s talk—no pressure.

Michael Ogunyankin 07551 155 789 | michael @ borneltd . com