Design Safety Lead - Principal Designer & CDM

D7 Recruitment; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

D7 Recruitment is seeking a Design Safety Lead to oversee Principal Designer and CDM services across major UK projects. The role blends hands-on technical leadership with team development, client relationship management and growth of the consultancy offering, in a hybrid, UK-wide setup.

Salary ranges from £65,000 to £75,000 per annum plus car allowance; UK-wide travel is required. A central base is preferred but not essential, with hybrid working available.

Qualifications

• Experience acting as Principal Designer / senior CDM consultant on major, technically complex projects.
• Proven ability to mentor consultants and manage demanding client relationships.
• Knowledge of Building Regulations Principal Designer duties and Building Safety Act desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead Principal Designer appointments under CDM 2015 across major projects.
• Provide authoritative CDM advice to clients, designers and contractors on risk reduction and pre-construction arrangements.
• Oversee pre-construction information, design risk registers, health and safety files and technical quality.
• Lead and mentor consultants, standardise technical delivery and support team capability and recruitment.
• Work with leadership to develop the Principal Designer service, maintain client relationships and identify new appointments.
• Contribute to proposals, scopes of service, fee discussions and commercially sustainable project delivery.

Skills

CDM 2015 knowledge

Design risk management

Technical leadership

Coaching & QA

Client relationship management

Business development

Travel across UK

Education

Relevant qualification in construction, architecture, engineering or health and safety

Job description

Design Safety Lead - Principal Designer & CDM

Location: UK-wide (hybrid); central UK preferred but not essential. National project travel required.

Salary: £65,000-£75,000 per annum + car allowance

Lead complex construction projects, develop a specialist design safety team and help shape the future of the client's Principal Designer and CDM consultancy offering.

General Overview

Our client is seeking a technically accomplished and commercially aware Design Safety Lead to oversee Principal Designer and CDM services across major and complex construction projects. The role combines hands-on technical leadership with team development, client relationship management and growth of the consultancy service. It is hybrid and UK-wide: a central base is preferred, but candidates elsewhere will be considered if willing to travel to projects nationally.

Main Accountabilities.

• Lead Principal Designer appointments under CDM 2015, overseeing design risk management and coordination across major projects.
• Provide authoritative advice to clients, designers and contractors on CDM responsibilities, risk reduction and pre-construction arrangements.
• Oversee pre-construction information, design risk registers, health and safety files and technical quality.
• Lead and mentor consultants, standardise technical delivery and support team capability and recruitment.
• Work with leadership to develop the Principal Designer service, maintain client relationships and identify new appointments.
• Contribute to proposals, scopes of service, fee discussions and commercially sustainable project delivery.

Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, Skill and Specific Competencies Required

Experience

Significant experience acting as a Principal Designer / senior CDM consultant across major, technically complex or multidisciplinary construction projects.

• Evidence of managing design risks, coordinating stakeholders and providing credible advice throughout pre-construction.
• Experience supervising or mentoring consultants and managing demanding client relationships.
• Ability to contribute to business development, repeat work and service improvement.

Qualifications:

Relevant construction, architecture, engineering or health and safety qualification, or demonstrably equivalent competence.

• Professional membership (for example APS, IOSH, ICE, CIOB or RIBA) is advantageous.
• Knowledge of Building Regulations Principal Designer duties and the Building Safety Act is desirable.

Skills

Strong working knowledge of CDM 2015 and practical design risk management.

• Technical leadership, coaching and quality assurance.
• Clear communication and confidence challenging senior project stakeholders.
• Commercial judgement, relationship building and proposal support.
• Ability and willingness to travel to projects across the UK.