Design Manager- Software

Rowden; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software engineering firm in Bristol is seeking a Design Manager to lead the development of innovative products. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership skills and a background in networking technologies. This role will manage cross-functional teams, shape design strategy, and work in a flexible hybrid model. The compensation range is set between GBP 70,000 and GBP 85,000 annually.

Benefits

Flexible working model

Inclusive work environment

Support for disabilities and health conditions

Qualifications

• Ability to lead complex design projects from concept to completion within budget.
• Track record of delivering multidisciplinary projects effectively.
• Familiarity with compliance and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead design strategy and execution for product lines.
• Shape design vision aligned with company objectives.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams.

Skills

Leadership of design projects

Understanding of networking technologies

UI/UX and intuitive design

Stakeholder management

Ability to manage design risks

Education

Degree in relevant technical field

Tools

Embedded platforms

Android-based systems

Job description

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Design Manager- Software

Department: Engineering

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Bristol, UK

Reporting To: Jake Reynolds

Compensation: GBP 70,000 - GBP 85,000 / year

Description

Rowden is building the next UK-headquartered engineering powerhouse.

We design and integrate advanced systems that sense, connect, and protect data in environments where fast, informed decision-making is vital. Our mission is to deliver mission advantage to those working to safeguard national security, public safety, and critical infrastructure.

Headquartered in Bristol (UK), we combine modern engineering methods with cutting-edge commercial technology to create adaptable, mission-critical systems. We focus on solving the tough challenges that others overlook, ensuring our customers can operate effectively in an ever-changing world.

About the role

We\'re looking for a visionary and hands-on Design Manager to lead the development of our device and network management product family. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of our networking and protocol-based systems, integrating both software and hardware elements. You\'ll be driving design strategy, managing cross-functional teams, and ensuring seamless delivery of innovative products that meet the needs of mission-critical users.

While experience in hands-on product design and mechanical design abilities is a plus, it\'s not a strict requirement for this role. What matters most is your ability to lead and inspire. You\'ll be joining a diverse group of multidisciplinary engineers at Rowden, with expertise in networking, RF, electronics, systems, software, DevOps, and hardware prototyping. Your contribution will be key to guiding the vision, strategy, and execution of our new product from concept to market. This is an opportunity to make a real impact and be part of something innovative and exciting.

You\'ll be expected to lead projects to specification, on time, within budget and at the required quality. Strategic thinking and a proactive approach to risk management are essential. You\'ll support the product roadmap and contribute to go-to-market planning, business case development, budgeting, and customer engagement. A core part of this role will be designing intuitive front-end user interfaces and crafting seamless user experiences that meet the needs of operators in high-pressure environments. Defining clear product visions and translating them into actionable requirements will be central to your success in this role.

More information about security clearance is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetti...

Key areas of responsibility

As a Rowden Design Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Leading the design strategy and execution of multiple product lines within the product family.
• Shaping and communicating a clear design vision aligned with company objectives.
• Overseeing the full design lifecycle across software and hardware components.
• Collaborating cross-functionally with engineering, product, and delivery teams.
• Managing design risks and ensuring timely, high-quality delivery.
• Driving integration of communication protocols and edge devices.
• Maintaining strong relationships with suppliers and external partners.
• Ensuring design documentation and stakeholder communication is clear and consistent.
• Championing user-centered design principles across all phases of development.
• Supporting the development of scalable design and manufacturing processes and ways of working where applicable.

Key skills, experience and behaviours

We are looking for someone who is passionate about technology and who actively invests in technical skills and abilities. You\'ll gain loads of experience in this role but before you do, you should have:

• Ability to lead complex design projects from concept to completion, delivered on time, to specification, within budget and at the required quality.
• Strong understanding of networking technologies and communication protocols
• Understanding of UI/UX and intuitive design.
• Experience with Android-based systems, embedded platforms and edge devices.
• Track record of delivering complex, multidisciplinary projects.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to define and communicate clear product visions and translate them into actionable, well-scoped design and technical requirements that guide cross-functional delivery.
• Skilled in supporting and shaping product roadmaps, ensuring design decisions align with long-term business and technical objectives.
• Ability to manage design risks and drive creative problem-solving.
• Familiarity with compliance and regulatory requirements in technical systems.

Desirable experience:

• Defence or Military Experience: Previous experience working on defence or military projects or products, enabling you to quickly navigate stakeholders, compliance and use cases.
• Compliance & Regulation: Experience with the compliance, regulation, and testing of electrical systems, giving you the ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes.
• Secure by Design: Demonstrated experience managing projects where security was integrated into the design and development process from the outset.
• Strategic Risk Management: Strong strategic thinking with a proactive approach to risk mitigation; to track, assess, and resolve design risks effectively.
• Commercial and Customer Focus: Experience contributing to go-to-market strategies, business case development, budgeting, and direct customer engagement to ensure product-market fit and commercial viability.

About you:

The ideal candidate will have a strong balance of technical skills and experience, and the behavioral competencies that we believe are key to success in the role are as follows:

• Strategic and visionary thinker with a hands-on approach.
• Confident leader who inspires cross-functional teams.
• Adaptable and resilient in fast-paced environments.
• Detail-oriented with strong organisational skills.
• Passionate about delivering impactful solutions for mission-critical users.

Working at Rowden

We are committed to building a flexible, inclusive, and enabling company. Our aim is to create a diverse team of talented people with unique skills, experience, and backgrounds, so please apply and come as you are!

We also recognise the importance of flexible working and support this wherever we can. We typically operate a flexible, hybrid-working model, with an average 3 days in the office each week (dependent on the role). We welcome the opportunity to discuss flexibility, part-time working requirements and/or workplace adjustments with all our applicants.

Rowden is a Disability Confident Committed company, and we actively encourage people with disabilities and health conditions to apply for our roles. Please let us know your requirements early on so that we can make sure you have everything you need up front to help make the recruitment process and experience as easy as possible.

Finally, if you feel that you don\'t meet all the criteria included above but have transferable skills and relevant experience, we\'d still love to hear from you!