Principal Design Leader - Public Sector & MoJ Projects

Wates Smartspace; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Wates Smartspace is seeking an experienced Principal Design Manager to join our North West team in Warrington. The role leads design delivery for a portfolio of fit-out, refurbishment and complex construction projects, with emphasis on MoJ framework work.

You will provide senior design leadership, coordinate designers, manage risk, ensure buildable and cost-effective solutions, and collaborate with customers, consultants and operations to deliver outstanding results.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within construction design management, especially at senior levels.
• Experience delivering fit-out, refurbishment and/or complex construction projects.
• Experience across full project lifecycle from pre-construction to delivery.
• Strong understanding of design coordination, buildability and risk management.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary consultant teams and coordinating external designers.
• Knowledge of how design, commercial, procurement and operations interact.
• Ability to challenge designs and provide practical, commercially minded solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder-management skills with clients, consultants and project teams.
• Experience in public-sector or framework environments is beneficial, MoJ exposure advantageous.
• Ability to develop Design Managers and drive continuous improvement of the design function.

Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for the design management strategy across assigned projects and programmes.
• Lead design delivery on public-sector and Ministry of Justice framework projects.
• Review project designs and undertake risk and opportunity appraisals to improve buildability and value.
• Work with Lead Designers, consultants and internal teams to develop realistic design programmes and information schedules.
• Manage the design lifecycle and coordinate internal and external designers to ensure accurate information.
• Collaborate with Commercial and Operations to ensure designs are coordinated, buildable, cost-effective and deliverable within budgets.
• Lead and participate in technical workshops, design reviews and value-management exercises.
• Identify and manage design-related risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Provide leadership and guidance to Design Managers and the wider project team.
• Support training and development to maintain best practices across the Design function.

Skills

Design leadership

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Public sector experience

Value engineering

Job description

Wates Smartspace is seeking an experienced Principal Design Manager to join our North West team in Warrington. The role leads design delivery for a portfolio of fit-out, refurbishment and complex construction projects, with emphasis on MoJ framework work.

You will provide senior design leadership, coordinate designers, manage risk, ensure buildable and cost-effective solutions, and collaborate with customers, consultants and operations to deliver outstanding results.