Senior Design Manager

Design Manager / Senior Design Manager – Major Projects

Location: Plymouth / South West – highly flexible working
Salary: £70,000 – £85,000 + car allowance + excellent package
Sector: Tier 1 Main Contractor | Major Refurbishment | Cut & Carve

Design Manager – The Company

A rare opportunity to join one of the UK’s largest privately owned construction groups as it continues to expand its presence across the South West.

With annual turnover exceeding £1bn, significant financial strength and a national Tier 1 project portfolio, the company delivers major construction schemes across defence, education, commercial, residential and public-sector markets.

Its Western region has grown significantly and has an excellent pipeline of secured and prospective work across Bristol, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. This appointment forms part of the continued development of that regional team and offers significant scope for progression as the business expands further into the South West.

Design Manager – The Opportunity

The initial focus will be a major £110m+ complex refurbishment project in Plymouth involving extensive cut and carve works.

This is a technically challenging scheme requiring an experienced contractor-side Design Manager or Senior Design Manager who is comfortable managing design on major refurbishment projects where existing structures, interfaces, sequencing and buildability create considerably more complexity than a straightforward new build.

There are also two further potential major projects coming through in the region, creating a strong longer-term pipeline beyond the initial scheme.

The position offers significant flexibility. You will predominantly work remotely and from projects within the region, with attendance at the Bristol regional office typically only required around one day every fortnight.

Responsibilities will include:

• Taking ownership of design management across major construction projects
• Managing the design process from pre-construction through to delivery
• Coordinating architects, engineers, specialist consultants and subcontractor designers
• Managing complex existing-building and new-build design interfaces
• Reviewing design for buildability, sequencing, compliance and programme
• Developing and monitoring design programmes and information requirements
• Driving resolution of technical issues and design changes
• Working closely with commercial, planning, MEP and operational teams
• Managing client and consultant relationships throughout the project
• Ensuring timely delivery of coordinated information to procurement and construction teams

Design Manager – The Person

This role requires an established construction Design Manager rather than somebody coming solely from an architectural or consultant background.

You will ideally demonstrate:

• Design Manager or Senior Design Manager experience with a Tier 1 or major main contractor
• Delivery of large, technically complex construction projects
• Significant refurbishment and/or cut and carve experience
• Strong knowledge of existing-building interfaces and construction sequencing
• Experience managing multidisciplinary design teams
• Excellent technical and buildability knowledge
• Experience across both pre-construction and live project delivery
• The confidence to take ownership of design on projects exceeding £100m

Design Manager – Progression

For the right person, this is potentially much more than a single-project appointment.

As the South West operation develops, there is a genuine opportunity for this position to evolve towards an Area or Regional Design Management role covering the Devon and Somerset region, taking responsibility for multiple projects and helping develop the design function locally.

The package includes £70,000 – £85,000 basic salary depending on experience, car allowance and comprehensive company benefits.

For an experienced Design Manager looking for major-project exposure without being tied to an office five days a week, alongside a realistic route into regional design leadership, this is an excellent long-term opportunity

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