Design Manager | Kirkwood Timber Frame

Scottishselfbuild; Inverurie; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Scottishselfbuild in Inverurie is seeking a Design Manager to lead their technical department. The successful candidate will oversee a design team responsible for producing timber frame construction drawings and providing technical expertise. Candidates should have over 10 years of experience in timber frame design and software like Consultec. The role involves managing team workloads, ensuring clear communication, and developing strong relationships with suppliers while adhering to quality assurance processes.

Qualifications

• Significant technical and/or design experience within the timber frame environment.
• Over 10 years’ experience with Consultec or equivalent software.
• Well-organised, dependable, and self-motivated.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop the design team.
• Provide technical expertise and knowledge on timber frame design.
• Allocate workload to the design team and agree timelines.

Skills

Technical expertise in timber frame design

Leadership

Problem-solving skills

Strong attention to detail

Communication skills

Tools

Consultec

Alternative timber frame design software

Job description

Kirkwood Timber Frame is a leading timber frame supplier to the UK, renowned for our innovative designs and sustainable practices.

Due to recent growth and significant investment in our factory at Sauchen, Aberdeenshire, we have a new opportunity for a Design Manager to join our technical department.

Reporting to the Technical Director, our ideal candidate will have significant technical and/or design experience within the timber frame environment.

• To provide technical expertise and knowledge on timber frame design.
• Oversee a design department that produces effective and efficient fabrication and construction drawings of timber frame builds.
• To represent the company in all technical matters, both internally for functional obligations but also externally for any customer interactions or representation at relevant trade and industry forums.

Role objectives:

• Successfully manage a small technical / design team and provide technical leadership.
• Develop and maintain delivery of the company closed panel system.
• Allocate workload to design team.
• Agree design timelines with internal and external design teams.
• Monitor and report on department non-conformances and defects and implement improvement measures accordingly to stop re-occurrences.
• Liaise with department heads to ensure the smooth running of the business.
• Stay up to date with Building Regs, STA and NHBC updates.
• HR Policies are followed and implemented and ensure team follow / use all relevant paperwork etc.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and develop the design team, implementing training plans for junior members of the design team and support and encourage senior members' progression.
• Be at the forefront of Consultec maintenance, development and updates, reporting bugs and liaise fixes back to design team.
• Ensure design information is clear and concise and available to production and site teams in a timely manner to suit site delivery dates.
• Manage and monitor external design resources and report back good and negative feedback and ensure processes are reviewed.
• Ensuring the team are following QA processes and procedures and implement changes to QA that may be required.
• Develop strong relationships with suppliers and feedback performance to senior management team.
• Engaging and reporting to senior management team.
• Engage with consulting engineers to ensure project appraisals are satisfactory and to develop further timber frame panel systems.
• Provide project handovers to design team staff.
• Develop and manage KPIs to monitor design team performance.
• Consulting with existing and potential new customers as and when required.
• Dynamic thinking with individual and team management, prioritising workloads and implement action plans where necessary.
• Follow H&S procedures and implement guidance to the design department.
• Technician training plans, STA workbook refreshers where applicable.
• Support the sales and estimating teams as and when required.

Required:

• Significant technical and / or design experience within the timber frame environment.
• Well‑organised, dependable and self‑motivated.
• Solutions driven individual, good problem solver who will see solutions through to resolution.
• Strong reporting and analysis skills.
• Accurate with a strong attention to detail.
• An excellent communicator both verbal and written; comfortable in a design or customer environment.
• Over 10 years’ experience with Consultec or alternative timber frame design related software.