Senior Design Lead - Multi-Scheme & Bid Oversight

UI Social Infrastructure Limited; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

United Infrastructure seeks a Principal Design Lead to provide senior technical leadership across multiple schemes, bridging project-level design management and strategic oversight. You will oversee bid-stage technical input, manage design issues, and mentor Senior Design Managers, while hands-on on complex projects when required.

The role emphasizes ensuring compliance with legislation, standards, and client requirements, driving consistency, and coordinating with commercial and bid teams

Qualifications

• Proven experience operating at a senior design management level across multiple residential or mixed-use projects.
• Strong leadership capability, with experience mentoring design managers.
• Ability to operate across strategic (multi-project oversight, bids) and project-level delivery.
• Extensive knowledge of design management processes across all project stages (bid, pre-construction, construction, handover).
• Strong technical understanding of building design, coordination, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading or contributing to bid-stage technical submissions.
• Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate technical and design risks across multiple schemes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across multiple projects, supporting Senior Design Managers and Design Managers in delivering compliant, buildable design solutions.
• Act as escalation point for technical and design issues ensuring timely resolution and risk mitigation.
• Lead and coordinate technical input into bids, including design appraisals and risk identification.
• Support the Head of Technical in harmonising design management practices, standards, and procedures across projects.
• Monitor consultant and subcontractor performance and ensure design change control processes are robust.
• Carry out site visits to support project teams and resolve technical issues.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Problem solving

Multi-project coordination

Education

Degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

BIM

Job description

United Infrastructure seeks a Principal Design Lead to provide senior technical leadership across multiple schemes, bridging project-level design management and strategic oversight. You will oversee bid-stage technical input, manage design issues, and mentor Senior Design Managers, while hands-on on complex projects when required.

The role emphasizes ensuring compliance with legislation, standards, and client requirements, driving consistency, and coordinating with commercial and bid teams