Design Manager – Major Tier One Contractor, Fit-Out & Refurbishment

About the Company

A leading UK construction and property services organisation is seeking an experienced Design Manager to join its specialist refurbishment, fit-out and building enhancement division.
The organisation delivers a diverse portfolio of construction, refurbishment, fit-out, maintenance and building improvement projects across the UK. Its work spans a wide range of sectors, including commercial offices, retail, education, healthcare, government, defence, justice, residential and other public and private-sector environments.

The business has particular expertise in delivering projects within existing, occupied, operational and technically complex buildings, where design coordination must be carefully integrated with construction activities and the requirements of building users.
Projects can range from smaller refurbishment and improvement schemes through to significant multi-million-pound projects involving multiple design disciplines, specialist contractors, complex interfaces and challenging programme requirements.
The organisation works collaboratively with clients, architects, engineers, consultants, specialist subcontractors and internal construction teams to develop practical, buildable and commercially viable solutions.

The Design Manager will play a critical role in ensuring that design information is properly developed, coordinated and delivered in line with the project's programme, budget, quality requirements and construction strategy.
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The Role

As Design Manager, you will be responsible for managing and coordinating the design process from pre-construction through to construction completion and handover.
You will act as the key interface between the client, design consultants, architects, engineers, specialist subcontractors, project management team, commercial team and site operations, ensuring that design information is complete, coordinated, technically compliant and available when required.

The role requires someone who can operate both strategically and practically.

You will need to understand the client's objectives and project requirements while also ensuring that designs are buildable, coordinated, cost-effective and aligned with the construction programme.
You will manage design risk, design development, technical queries, design changes, approvals, information release and coordination across multiple disciplines.
A successful Design Manager will be comfortable working in a fast-paced construction environment, able to challenge design solutions constructively and capable of identifying potential problems before they affect programme, cost or construction.

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Key Responsibilities

Design Management & Leadership

• Take responsibility for the overall management and coordination of the design process.
• Establish and maintain the project's design management strategy.
• Develop design management plans appropriate to the project.
• Define design deliverables, responsibilities and information requirements.
• Establish clear design workflows and approval processes.
• Coordinate design activities across all project disciplines.
• Ensure design development aligns with the construction programme.
• Monitor design progress against agreed milestones.
• Identify design risks and implement appropriate mitigation.
• Ensure design information is available to support procurement and construction.
• Provide effective leadership to the design team.
• Establish a collaborative culture between designers, contractors and construction teams.
• Ensure design decisions are recorded and communicated effectively.

Pre-Construction

• Become involved during tender, pre-construction or early project development stages.
• Review tender documentation, drawings, specifications and employer requirements.
• Identify design gaps, inconsistencies and potential risks.
• Assess the design for buildability and construction practicality.
• Support the development of construction methodologies.
• Participate in design development workshops.
• Identify opportunities for value engineering.
• Assist with the development of design programmes.
• Review proposed design solutions against programme and budget requirements.
• Support the development of procurement and package strategies.
• Assist in identifying specialist subcontractor and supplier requirements.
• Coordinate early engagement with specialist designers and subcontractors.
• Ensure the project is sufficiently developed before construction commences.

Design Programme Management

• Develop and maintain the design programme.
• Integrate design activities with the overall construction programme.
• Establish key design deliverables and information release dates.
• Monitor progress against the design programme.
• Identify delays and potential impacts on procurement or construction.
• Develop recovery strategies where design information is delayed.
• Ensure design information is released in a logical sequence.
• Coordinate design requirements with procurement lead times.
• Ensure long-lead items receive appropriate design attention.
• Report design programme performance to the Project Manager and senior stakeholders.

Design Coordination

• Coordinate architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and specialist design disciplines.
• Manage interfaces between different design packages.
• Identify and resolve design clashes and coordination issues.
• Ensure design information is consistent across disciplines.
• Coordinate specialist subcontractor design.
• Manage technical interfaces between design and construction.
• Ensure construction teams have access to current and approved design information.
• Review drawings and technical information for coordination.
• Facilitate design coordination meetings.
• Ensure design actions are recorded and closed out.
• Manage requests for information and technical queries.
• Coordinate responses between consultants and project teams.

Buildability & Construction Integration
A key part of the role will be ensuring that design solutions can actually be delivered effectively on site.
Responsibilities will include:

• Review designs from a construction and buildability perspective.
• Challenge impractical or overly complex design solutions.
• Work closely with Site Managers and construction teams.
• Identify construction constraints during design development.
• Review sequencing and access requirements.
• Consider temporary works and construction methodology.
• Review installation requirements and interfaces.
• Ensure sufficient space is allowed for installation, maintenance and access.
• Consider logistics and material movement.
• Review designs within the context of live or occupied buildings.
• Identify potential construction risks before works commence.
• Ensure design decisions support safe construction.
• Work collaboratively with specialist subcontractors to develop practical solutions.

Live / Occupied Environment Design
The organisation frequently operates in environments where buildings may remain operational throughout construction.
The Design Manager will therefore need to consider:

• Existing building constraints.
• Existing services and infrastructure.
• Phasing and sectional completion.
• Temporary works.
• Temporary services.
• Fire strategy and compartmentation.
• Access and egress.
• Occupied areas.
• Noise and vibration.
• Dust and contamination controls.
• Shutdowns and isolations.
• Security requirements.
• Client operational requirements.
• Protection of existing assets.
• Maintaining business continuity.
• Interface between new and existing construction.

The Design Manager will ensure that these requirements are incorporated into design development and properly communicated to the construction team.

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Technical Design Management

• Review design information for compliance with project requirements.
• Coordinate technical submissions.
• Manage technical approvals.
• Review specifications and technical documentation.
• Coordinate design reviews.
• Ensure design changes are appropriately documented.
• Manage technical queries and RFIs.
• Coordinate consultant responses.
• Ensure design decisions are properly recorded.
• Monitor compliance with relevant standards, regulations and project specifications.
• Coordinate specialist technical information.
• Support the resolution of technical problems encountered during construction.
• Ensure design changes are communicated to affected parties.

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Design Risk Management

• Establish and maintain a design risk register.
• Identify design-related risks at an early stage.
• Coordinate risk reviews with the design team.
• Ensure design risks are appropriately assessed and mitigated.
• Monitor residual risks throughout the project.
• Ensure relevant risks are communicated to the construction team.
• Coordinate design risk information with the Principal Designer and other relevant parties where applicable.
• Ensure design decisions consider health, safety, construction and maintenance implications.
• Challenge designs that introduce unnecessary construction or operational risk.

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Building Regulations & Compliance

• Ensure design development considers applicable building regulations and statutory requirements.
• Coordinate with relevant consultants and compliance specialists.
• Monitor design compliance against project requirements.
• Support the approvals process.
• Ensure appropriate technical evidence and documentation is maintained.
• Coordinate relevant fire, accessibility, environmental and building performance requirements.
• Ensure changes to design are reviewed for their regulatory implications.
• Support the project team in maintaining compliance throughout delivery.

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Design Changes & Change Control

• Manage design changes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure changes are properly identified, documented and approved.
• Assess the potential impact of design changes on:

o Programme
o Cost
o Quality
o Procurement
o Construction
o Compliance
o Health and safety

• Coordinate revised drawings and information.
• Ensure superseded information is withdrawn or appropriately controlled.
• Communicate approved changes to relevant project stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Quantity Surveyor to identify commercial implications.
• Ensure client instructions and design changes are appropriately recorded.

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Commercial Awareness & Value Engineering
The Design Manager will be expected to have strong commercial awareness and understand how design decisions affect project cost.
Responsibilities include:

• Work closely with the Quantity Surveyor and commercial team.
• Identify opportunities to improve value without compromising quality or performance.
• Participate in value engineering exercises.
• Review alternative materials, systems and construction methods.
• Assess buildability and whole-life considerations.
• Consider procurement and supply-chain implications.
• Review design changes for cost impact.
• Support cost reduction initiatives.
• Ensure design decisions are aligned with the approved project budget.
• Challenge unnecessary complexity or over-specification.
• Consider programme and labour implications when evaluating design solutions.

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Procurement & Specialist Subcontractor Design

• Support the procurement of specialist design and construction packages.
• Identify specialist subcontractor design requirements.
• Develop design responsibility matrices.
• Clearly define design responsibilities within subcontract packages.
• Coordinate subcontractor design development.
• Monitor specialist design deliverables.
• Ensure specialist designs integrate with the wider project design.
• Review technical submissions.
• Coordinate samples, mock-ups and prototypes where required.
• Ensure specialist information is available in time for procurement and installation.
• Manage interfaces between consultant and subcontractor design.

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Client & Consultant Management

• Act as a key design contact for the client.
• Establish professional relationships with architects, engineers and consultants.
• Chair or facilitate design meetings.
• Provide clear updates on design progress.
• Explain technical issues in a clear and understandable way.
• Manage design-related client expectations.
• Coordinate approvals and decisions.
• Ensure outstanding client decisions are tracked.
• Escalate design issues that could affect programme, cost or delivery.
• Maintain a collaborative relationship while ensuring design decisions remain aligned with contractual and project requirements.

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Site Support
The Design Manager will remain closely connected to the construction team throughout delivery.
Responsibilities include:

• Attend site regularly.
• Support the Project Manager and Site Manager with technical issues.
• Review site queries and RFIs.
• Coordinate design responses.
• Assist with resolving construction problems.
• Review proposed site changes.
• Support inspections and technical reviews.
• Coordinate design information required for construction.
• Investigate discrepancies between drawings and existing conditions.
• Assist with technical solutions where unforeseen site conditions arise.
• Ensure design changes are properly incorporated into construction documentation.

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Quality Management

• Establish appropriate design quality standards.
• Review design deliverables for completeness and coordination.
• Ensure design reviews are undertaken at appropriate stages.
• Monitor consultant and specialist designer performance.
• Identify design errors and omissions.
• Coordinate corrective actions.
• Ensure design information is appropriately checked and approved.
• Support a right-first-time approach.
• Reduce the risk of design-related defects and rework.
• Ensure lessons learned are captured and incorporated into future design development.

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Management

• Establish effective document and information-control processes.
• Ensure drawings and technical documents are appropriately controlled.
• Coordinate information release schedules.
• Ensure teams are working from current information.
• Maintain design registers.
• Maintain drawing and document trackers.
• Monitor outstanding technical information.
• Ensure approvals are recorded.
• Coordinate information through the project's chosen document management / Common Data Environment system.
• Support the production and collation of as-built information.

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Digital Design / BIM
Depending on the project, the Design Manager may be responsible for coordinating digital design and BIM requirements.
This may include:

• Managing BIM requirements.
• Coordinating information models.
• Reviewing model coordination.
• Supporting clash detection.
• Managing design information through a Common Data Environment.
• Ensuring information complies with project BIM requirements.
• Coordinating digital information between consultants and specialist subcontractors.
• Supporting the transition from design information to construction and handover information.

Knowledge of systems such as Revit, Navisworks, AutoCAD or other construction/design platforms would be advantageous, although the role is primarily focused on design management rather than detailed design production.

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Handover & Close-Out

• Coordinate design requirements for practical completion.
• Ensure as-built information is completed.
• Coordinate O&M documentation.
• Ensure warranties, certificates and technical documentation are obtained.
• Support testing and commissioning.
• Coordinate final design information.
• Ensure outstanding technical queries are closed.
• Support the preparation of handover documentation.
• Assist with defects and technical close-out.
• Ensure lessons learned are captured.
• Support the project team through final completion.

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Key Skills & Experience
The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Proven experience working as a Design Manager within construction, refurbishment, fit-out or building services.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary design teams.
• Experience delivering projects from pre-construction through to completion.
• Strong understanding of construction design processes.
• Experience coordinating architectural, structural, MEP and specialist design.
• Strong understanding of buildability and construction methodology.
• Experience managing consultants and specialist subcontractors.
• Experience working directly with clients.
• Experience within live, occupied or operational buildings would be highly advantageous.
• Strong knowledge of design risk management.
• Experience managing design programmes and deliverables.
• Understanding of building regulations and construction standards.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• Experience with value engineering and design optimisation.
• Good understanding of procurement and specialist subcontractor design.
• Strong document and information-management skills.
• Experience managing RFIs, technical queries and design changes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, packages or priorities where required.

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Qualifications
Ideally, you will hold a relevant qualification such as:

• Degree/HND/HNC in Construction, Architecture, Building Services Engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional qualification or membership such as MCIOB, MCIAT, RIBA, CIBSE or equivalent would be advantageous.
• Relevant construction/design management qualifications.
• Knowledge of current UK construction regulations and standards.
• Relevant health and safety qualifications would be advantageous.

Equivalent industry experience will also be considered.

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Personal Attributes
The successful Design Manager will be:

• Highly organised and structured.
• Commercially aware.
• Technically credible.
• Confident managing consultants and specialist contractors.
• Comfortable challenging design proposals constructively.
• A strong communicator.
• Collaborative and relationship-focused.
• Proactive rather than reactive.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a clear understanding of the wider project.
• Comfortable working under programme pressure.
• Able to make sound decisions using available information.
• Confident communicating technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
• Able to identify problems before they reach site.
• Focused on buildability and practical delivery.
• Committed to safety, quality and continuous improvement.

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What You Will Be Responsible For
Ultimately, the Design Manager will ensure that the project has the right design, at the right time, to the right standard and at the right cost, enabling the construction team to deliver safely and efficiently.
The role sits at the intersection of:
Client requirements
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Architects & Consultants
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Design Coordination
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Specialist Subcontractors
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Commercial & Procurement Teams
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Construction Team
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Handover & Asset Information
You will be responsible for making sure those interfaces work effectively and that design does not become a constraint to successful project delivery.

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Success in the Role
Success will be measured by the Design Manager's ability to:

• Maintain a clear and deliverable design programme.
• Ensure design information is issued on time.
• Minimise design-related delays and rework.
• Identify and mitigate design risks.
• Deliver coordinated and buildable design solutions.
• Support the project budget through effective design management and value engineering.
• Maintain strong relationships with clients and consultants.
• Provide timely and effective technical solutions.
• Ensure construction teams have the information they need.
• Maintain high standards of design quality and compliance.
• Support safe construction.
• Deliver complete and accurate handover information.

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Why Join the Organisation?
This is an opportunity to join an established UK construction and property services organisation working on a diverse range of refurbishment, fit-out and building enhancement projects.
The position offers exposure to projects across multiple sectors and environments, including challenging schemes where construction must be carefully coordinated around existing buildings, occupants and ongoing operations.
You will work alongside experienced Project Managers, Quantity Surveyors, Site Managers, Planners, Commercial Managers, Design Consultants, Engineers, specialist subcontractors and client teams.
The organisation places significant emphasis on safety, collaboration, technical excellence, customer relationships, sustainability, responsible construction and the development of its people.
For an experienced Design Manager, the role provides the opportunity to take ownership of significant design-management responsibilities, influence project outcomes from an early stage and develop strong relationships across the wider construction and property-services sector.