Design Manager

Position Overview
The Design Manager is responsible for leading, coordinating, and managing the design process across projects from concept development through detailed design, approvals, construction, and final delivery. The role ensures that design solutions meet project objectives, technical requirements, quality standards, programme milestones, budget constraints, and client expectations.
The position works closely with clients, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, project managers, suppliers, and internal teams to coordinate multidisciplinary design activities and resolve technical or design-related issues. The Design Manager provides strategic and technical direction, manages design deliverables, monitors design progress, and ensures effective communication and coordination throughout the project lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and manage the design process from initial concept and planning through detailed design, approvals, construction support, and project completion.
Develop design management plans, programmes, deliverable schedules, review processes, and coordination procedures aligned with project requirements.
Coordinate architects, engineers, consultants, specialist designers, contractors, and other stakeholders to ensure integrated and coordinated design solutions.
Review design drawings, specifications, technical documents, calculations, submissions, and other deliverables for quality, completeness, compliance, and consistency.
Establish clear design responsibilities, deadlines, deliverables, approval requirements, and communication channels across project teams.
Monitor design progress against approved programmes, milestones, budgets, and project requirements, identifying potential delays or coordination issues at an early stage.
Organise and lead design coordination meetings, workshops, technical reviews, client presentations, and stakeholder discussions.
Prepare and maintain design trackers, action registers, drawing registers, decision logs, issue logs, and other project documentation.
Coordinate design changes and ensure revisions are properly reviewed, documented, approved, and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
Identify design clashes, technical conflicts, missing information, constructability issues, and potential risks and coordinate appropriate solutions.
Work closely with project management and construction teams to ensure design information is practical, buildable, and available when required on site.
Coordinate authority submissions, statutory approvals, technical reviews, and other required design-related approvals.
Ensure design activities comply with applicable building regulations, technical standards, codes, contractual requirements, health and safety requirements, and project specifications.
Support value engineering and design optimisation initiatives to improve cost efficiency, functionality, constructability, sustainability, and overall project value.
Review proposed materials, systems, finishes, specifications, and technical solutions in coordination with relevant specialists and project stakeholders.
Monitor consultant and design team performance and ensure deliverables meet agreed quality, programme, and contractual requirements.
Coordinate responses to technical queries, requests for information, design clarifications, site issues, and construction-related design changes.
Assist with the assessment and management of design-related risks, variations, claims, programme impacts, and cost implications.
Maintain effective communication between design teams, project managers, commercial teams, contractors, suppliers, and clients.
Support procurement and construction teams by ensuring required drawings, specifications, schedules, and technical information are issued accurately and on time.
Participate in site inspections and construction meetings to review design implementation and assist with resolving design-related site issues.
Monitor quality of design documentation and implement appropriate review and approval procedures to reduce errors, omissions, and rework.
Prepare design progress reports, management updates, technical presentations, and recommendations for senior management or clients.
Manage and maintain design documentation, ensuring appropriate version control, document control, and distribution procedures are followed.
Identify opportunities to improve design processes, coordination methods, digital workflows, BIM practices, and project delivery efficiency.
Provide leadership, mentoring, and technical guidance to design team members and support their professional development.
Assist project leadership with strategic design decisions, resource planning, programme management, and overall project delivery.
Requirements
Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design, Construction, Design Management, or a related discipline.
Previous experience in design management, architecture, engineering, construction, project management, or a related technical environment.
Proven experience coordinating multidisciplinary design teams, consultants, contractors, and project stakeholders.
Strong understanding of design development, technical documentation, construction processes, design coordination, and project delivery.
Knowledge of relevant building regulations, technical standards, codes, authority requirements, and industry best practices.
Strong ability to review drawings, specifications, technical submissions, design documentation, and consultant deliverables.
Experience managing design programmes, deliverables, approvals, technical queries, design changes, and coordination issues.
Strong knowledge of project management principles, risk management, value engineering, cost awareness, and programme control.
Familiarity with design and BIM software such as AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks, Civil 3D, SketchUp, or other relevant platforms is an advantage.
Strong understanding of BIM coordination, document control, and digital design workflows is preferred.
Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, coordination, and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with the ability to identify technical issues and develop practical solutions.
Excellent organisational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple design packages, consultants, deadlines, and project priorities.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to technical quality, accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery.
Ability to work effectively under pressure and communicate confidently with clients, senior management, consultants, contractors, and project teams.
Professional registration or relevant industry certification is an advantage where applicable.
Willingness to attend project sites, design meetings, workshops, and inspections and travel when required by project needs.

Work arrangement
No