Design Manager

J&B Hopkins Ltd; Shoreham-by-Sea; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

J&B Hopkins Ltd is seeking a Design Manager to lead its design team, ensuring high standards of design delivery and team development. This role involves oversight of design projects, mentoring team members, and working closely with senior management to align with business goals. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in building services design and be committed to fostering talent within a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Flexible Holiday Scheme

Onsite Gym

Flexible Working

Staff Social Events

Time off for charity work

Private Medical Insurance

Life Insurance

Company Contribution towards Eye Welfare

Employer Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior building services design role, ideally within an MEP contracting environment.
• Understanding of mechanical and/or electrical design principles.
• Confident and approachable leader with experience supporting team performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the internal design team across all active projects.
• Provide technical guidance and support to design team members.
• Ensure quality assurance across all design output.

Skills

Leadership

Problem Solving

Communication

Team Development

Organisational Skills

Job description

Since 1978, Hopkins has been a business built on family values that has grown from strength to strength.

Currently, we have over 200 people working across the business. Some of whom have been with us since the beginning!

Our ethos is to promote from within our own team whenever we can. So, developing our people is vital to our success.

From Early Careers to Director level, we are always looking to find great people to join our team.

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Design Manager to join our growing Design team here at J&B Hopkins. If you're passionate about technical excellence, team development, and driving high-quality design delivery, this role could be your next step.

About The Role

As Design Manager, you’ll play a key leadership role within our in-house design function, working closely with the Head of Design to deliver the strategic objectives of the department. You’ll take ownership of design oversight across all live projects, supporting and guiding our internal team to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with business goals.

You’ll be instrumental in shaping design delivery, mentoring team members, and maintaining high standards across all aspects of our design output.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the internal design team across all active projects, ensuring consistent delivery in line with programme requirements and business expectations
• Provide day-to-day technical guidance and support to design team members, encouraging best practice and knowledge sharing
• Work with the Head of Design to align resource planning, project ownership, and deliverables to meet strategic department goals
• Oversee the production and monitoring of project design programmes and schedules, ensuring deadlines are met
• Drive quality assurance by implementing and maintaining robust internal QA processes across all design output
• Monitor design-related costs across projects, producing monthly reports and supporting cost control
• Develop internal talent by supporting training, development, and performance management within the team
• Attend key early-stage design meetings to shape project design strategies and ensure a smooth handover to lead designers
• Support the Head of Design in maintaining and developing internal design standards
• Review and sign off monthly timesheets for the design team
• Act as a key point of contact for internal stakeholders regarding project design performance and priorities
  
  

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in a senior building services design role, ideally within an MEP contracting environment
• Strong understanding of mechanical and/or electrical design principles
• A confident and approachable leader with experience supporting team performance and development
• Excellent organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills
• A collaborative mindset with a focus on delivering consistent, high-quality outcomes
  
  

Our commitment to you

As a key member of our team you will be encouraged to develop yourself further using all the tools made available to you by the business. As our inhouse HR team will work alongside you and your line manager to develop a bespoke develop plan that is tailored to your needs.

We also offer a host of benefits across our business, including

• Flexible Holiday Scheme
• Onsite Gym
• Flexible Working
• Staff Social Events
• Time off to commit to charity work and good causes
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Company Contribution towards Eye Welfare
• Employer Assistance Programme that goes above and beyond
  
  

Be yourself

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do our colleagues. That's why we're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. At Hopkins, we believe everyone is capable of achieving great things - no matter your age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We celebrate difference and everything that makes our colleagues unique.

To make your journey with us accessible and individual to you, we encourage you to let us know if you'd like a little extra help with your application, or if you have any individual requirements at any stage along your recruitment journey. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team.