Design Manager

Fawkes & Reece London; Mid Suffolk; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car/allowance

8% Pension contributions

Private healthcare

Life assurance

26 days annual leave

Wellbeing days

Volunteering day

Flexible benefits

Development opportunities

Job summary

Fawkes & Reece London is recruiting a Design Manager for our Tier 1 main contractor client focused on education projects in Suffolk. You will lead the design process across pre-construction and delivery, ensuring technically compliant, cost-effective and well-coordinated design packages while driving digital construction initiatives.

You will manage client meetings, coordinate with consultants and subcontractors, and develop design programmes to meet key milestones.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Design Management role within construction.
• Experience on education/public sector or complex projects is advantageous.
• Collaborative, proactive and solutions-focused approach.

Responsibilities

• Manage design process from pre-construction through to project delivery.
• Lead digital construction and sustainability requirements across projects.
• Coordinate with subcontractors, consultants and wider design teams to deliver high-quality design information.
• Manage the production, review, release and approval of technical drawings and information.
• Chair client engagement meetings, design workshops and coordination sessions.
• Coordinate complex design packages and review technical details to identify value engineering opportunities.
• Develop and manage the design programme with project stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement through digital construction tools and processes.

Skills

Design management

BIM processes

Revit

AutoCAD

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Digital construction

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

Job description

Design Manager - Construction - Tier 1 Main Contractor - Education Projects

Location: Suffolk

Sector: Construction / Education

Salary: £75k - £80k basic + comprehensive benefits package

We are working with a leading UK construction and development organisation to recruit an experienced Design Manager to join its London-based construction team.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive and technically minded Design Manager to play a key role in delivering high-quality, sustainable construction projects.

You will be responsible for managing the design process across both pre-construction and project delivery, ensuring that design packages are technically compliant, commercially efficient, coordinated and fully aligned with project requirements.

As Design Manager, you will:

• Manage the design process from pre-construction through to project delivery, ensuring technically compliant, cost-effective and coordinated design solutions.
• Lead and manage digital construction and sustainability requirements across projects.
• Coordinate with subcontractors, consultants and wider design teams to create a collaborative environment and deliver high-quality design information.
• Manage the production, review, release and approval of technical drawings and information.
• Chair client engagement meetings, design workshops and coordination sessions.
• Coordinate complex design packages and review technical details to identify opportunities to add value and improve buildability.
• Demonstrate a strong level of technical understanding across architecture, structural engineering and MEP services.
• Support the selection and appointment of appropriate subcontractors, including the development and management of contractor design portions and working drawings.
• Develop and manage the design programme in collaboration with project stakeholders, ensuring alignment with project information and delivery requirements.
• Produce regular internal and external progress reports.
• Review designs for technical completeness, coordination and buildability.
• Develop consultant scopes of service and design responsibility matrices.
• Work with the wider project team to identify and develop value engineering opportunities.
• Lead and manage the design programme, ensuring key milestones and deliverables are achieved.
• Drive continuous improvement through the effective use of digital construction tools and processes.

We are looking for an experienced Design Manager who can demonstrate:

• Proven experience in a Design Management role within the construction industry.
• Experience working on education, public sector or similarly complex projects would be advantageous.
• A collaborative, proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, while having the confidence to make informed decisions when required.
• A strong desire to learn, improve processes and share knowledge and experience.
• A good understanding of both design and construction processes and the interfaces between them.
• Experience with BIM processes and requirements, ideally including Revit and AutoCAD.
• A genuine interest in driving improvements through digital construction and technology.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, from day-to-day collaboration through to formal reporting.
• Experience reviewing designs for technical completeness and buildability.
• Experience developing consultant scopes of service and design responsibility matrices.
• The ability to identify and develop value engineering proposals alongside the wider project team.
• Experience developing and managing design programmes.

What's In It For You?

• Competitive salary
• Company car or car allowance
• 8% matched pension contributions
• Private healthcare
• Life assurance
• 26 days' annual leave
• 2 wellbeing days
• 1 volunteering day
• A wide range of family-friendly policies
• Flexible benefits package
• Personal and professional development opportunities