Senior Design Manager

If you are looking to work for a growing business who truly value and care for their employees, then look no further! The Senior Design Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating the design process throughout the lifecycle of construction projects, ensuring that designs are fully developed, buildable, compliant, and delivered in line with programme, budget, quality, and client requirements.

The role acts as the key interface between the client, design consultants, construction teams, subcontractors, and statutory authorities to ensure successful project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage multidisciplinary design teams throughout all project phases, from feasibility and concept design through to construction and commissioning. Develop and implement project design management strategies, programmes, and deliverables schedules. Coordinate engineers, specialist designers, subcontractors, and consultants to ensure timely production of design information.

Ensure designs are compliant with client specifications, contractual requirements, relevant standards, legislation, and industry best practice. Manage the design approval process, including submissions to clients, regulators, utility companies, and other stakeholders. Chair and lead design review workshops, coordination meetings, and technical workshops.

Monitor design progress against programme milestones and proactively manage design risks and constraints. Ensure all design information is issued in line with project requirements and document control procedures. Drive value engineering initiatives to improve constructability, programme efficiency, safety, and cost effectiveness.

Provide technical leadership and support to project teams during construction, resolving design-related issues and technical queries. Oversee the management of Temporary Works design requirements and ensure coordination between permanent and temporary works designs. Manage interfaces between different design disciplines and construction activities to minimise clashes and rework.

Ensure design risks are identified, assessed, and appropriately mitigated throughout the project lifecycle. Support commercial teams with design change management, compensation events, and technical assessments. Promote innovation and continuous improvement in design development and delivery. Ensure BIM and digital engineering requirements are implemented and managed where applicable.

Leadership Responsibilities Lead, mentor, and develop Design Managers and design coordinators. Establish clear objectives and performance expectations for the design team. Foster a collaborative culture between design, commercial, planning, and operational teams. Support recruitment, competency development, and succession planning within the design function.

Health, Safety, Quality & Environment Ensure compliance with CDM Regulations and fulfil duties related to design management. Promote Safety by Design and the elimination of risk at source. Ensure quality management processes are applied to all design deliverables. Support environmental and sustainability objectives through the design process.

Qualifications

and Experience Degree qualified in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or a related discipline. Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working towards chartership preferred. Extensive experience managing multidisciplinary design teams on major construction or infrastructure projects.

Strong understanding of construction methodologies, design management processes, and project delivery. Experience working under NEC contracts is desirable. Knowledge of BIM processes and digital engineering tools. Key Skills Strong leadership and people management skills. Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.

Commercial awareness and contract understanding. Project planning and programme management expertise. Technical problem-solving and decision-making capability. Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities. Strong risk management and change control skills. The Senior Design Manager is accountable for: Timely delivery of design information.

Design compliance and quality. Achievement of design programme milestones. Effective management of design risks and interfaces. Coordination between design and construction activities. Supporting successful, safe, and profitable project delivery. Whether you are looking for progression in your new role or for your forever job, we will happily welcome your application.

Equal Opportunities Aureos are an equal opportunities employer, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.