Head of Design Management

Head of Design Management | Essex | Competitive Salary 

We are working with a leading Tier 1 main contractor to recruit an experienced Head of Design Management to lead and develop their Design Management function from their Essex office.

The Role

Reporting to the Area Director, you will take full ownership of the Design Management function, including line management of a team of Design Managers, resourcing and recruitment, pre-construction and construction phase input, design programme development, consultant engagement, and compliance with internal processes and standards.

You will manage and coordinate the overall design process across RIBA stages, contribute to bid and work-winning activity, PCSA/second stage and operations reviews, and ensure adherence to design briefs and scope of services. Sustainability and digital capabilities are embedded in the business approach, so knowledge in these areas is essential.

What We''re Looking For

• Significant main contracting experience, ideally across Education, Healthcare and/or Higher Education sectors on schemes of £10m–£50m
• Strong pre-construction (PCSA) and two-stage design and build procurement experience
• Previous line management experience - you may currently be a Principal or Senior Design Manager seeking your next step
• Solid BIM, BREEAM, embodied carbon and energy-in-use knowledge
• An established network of consultant relationships
• Confident stakeholder communicator, both in work-winning and reporting environments
• Degree-level qualification (BA/BSc) and/or membership of a relevant professional institute preferred

The Opportunity

This is a genuine leadership role with scope to shape and raise the profile of the design function regionally, contribute to national design management strategy, and be part of a growing, ambitious team working across a varied and exciting portfolio of projects. 

If you have the experience and skills outlined above and are looking for a senior leadership role within design management, we would welcome your application. Please apply or reach out to Lewis now!