Senior Design Manager

Aldwych Consulting Ltd; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Aldwych Consulting is seeking a Senior Design Manager to lead multidisciplinary design development on major infrastructure projects in the UK from concept through to handover. You will coordinate with pre-construction, commercial and delivery teams, manage interfaces between steel, RC and timber, and ensure buildability, cost and programme alignment on complex schemes.

Strong leadership, communication and governance experience in self-delivery environments is essential, with a proactive approach

Qualifications

• Experience leading design on major infrastructure.
• Proven ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong pre-construction and design governance.
• Knowledge of buildability and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary design teams across major infrastructure projects
• Oversee design development during pre-construction, ensuring buildability, sequencing and logistics are fully considered
• Drive design assurance, technical governance and compliance with standards and regulatory requirements
• Manage design interfaces between steel, RC, timber and other material packages
• Work closely with commercial teams to ensure design supports cost plans, procurement strategy and risk management
• Support self-delivery teams with clear, practical design information and timely resolution of technical queries
• Coordinate temporary works, construction methodology and engineering inputs
• Maintain structured design reviews, reporting and documentation
• Engage with clients, stakeholders and supply chain partners to ensure alignment and clarity
• Identify risks early and implement sensible mitigation measures to protect programme and cost

Skills

Design management

Pre-construction planning

Stakeholder management

Self-delivery / construction execution

Education

Civil/Structural Engineering degree

Tools

Aconex

BIM 360

Common Data Environments (CDEs)

Job description

Are you a Senior Design Manager with experience leading from early stage through to handover?

A senior role for an experienced Design Manager who can lead multidisciplinary design development across complex, high-value infrastructure projects. This position suits someone with strong pre-construction capability, commercial awareness, and a practical understanding of self-delivery. You'll bring proven experience working with multiple materials including steel, reinforced concrete and timber, and be comfortable managing design on major, technically challenging schemes.

The Role

You will lead design development from early concept through detailed design and into delivery, ensuring all design outputs are coordinated, buildable and commercially aligned. Working closely with pre-construction, commercial, engineering and delivery teams, you'll manage interfaces, drive clarity, and ensure design supports safe, efficient construction on site. This is a role for someone who can operate confidently in complex environments, balancing technical detail with programme, cost and delivery pressures.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary design teams across major infrastructure projects
• Oversee design development during pre-construction, ensuring buildability, sequencing and logistics are fully considered
• Drive design assurance, technical governance and compliance with standards and regulatory requirements
• Manage design interfaces between steel, RC, timber and other material packages
• Work closely with commercial teams to ensure design supports cost plans, procurement strategy and risk management
• Support self-delivery teams with clear, practical design information and timely resolution of technical queries
• Coordinate temporary works, construction methodology and engineering inputs
• Maintain structured design reviews, reporting and documentation
• Engage with clients, stakeholders and supply chain partners to ensure alignment and clarity
• Identify risks early and implement sensible mitigation measures to protect programme and cost

Required Experience

• Strong background as a Design Manager or Senior Design Manager on complex or major infrastructure projects
• Proven experience in pre-construction, including design development, buildability reviews and early-stage planning
• Solid commercial understanding, including cost drivers, procurement and risk
• Experience working with steel, reinforced concrete, timber and other structural materials
• Knowledge of self-delivery environments and the realities of construction execution
• Comfortable managing multidisciplinary teams and complex design interfaces
• Strong communication, coordination and reporting capability
• Relevant qualification in civil engineering, structural engineering or similar

Desirable

• Familiarity with digital design tools and common platforms (Aconex, BIM 360, CDEs)
• Exposure to project controls disciplines (risk, change, cost, earned value)
• Professional membership or working towards it

What This Role Offers

A senior position with real influence over design and delivery on major infrastructure projects. You'll work in a technically challenging environment with a contractor known for engineering capability, self-delivery strength and high-quality execution. Strong progression opportunities and a collaborative, structured working culture.

Aldwych Consulting values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.