Design Manager

Daniel Owen Ltd.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000; Full time

Job description

Design Manager - St. Albans
Location: St Albans | Sector: Education, Rail, Health, Local Authority, Building and Construction
Start Date: Immediate | Contract Type: Fixed Term (6 months)
Salary: £45,000

We are hiring for a dynamic, owner-managed SME with a strong reputation across the education, rail, health, and local authority sectors. Due to a growing pipeline of exciting projects, we are seeking a talented Design Manager for a 6-month contract to support delivery from pre-tender stage through to post Practical Completion (PC).

Key Responsibilities of a Design Manager:

1. Lead and coordinate the design process through all project stages:
   ▸ Pre-tender & bid submissions
   ▸ Post-award / pre-construction planning
   ▸ Construction phase coordination
   ▸ Post-PC responsibilities including handover and close-out
2. Act as the central point of contact for all design-related matters
3. Liaise with clients, consultants, subcontractors, and internal teams to ensure design solutions meet all technical, regulatory, and contractual requirements
4. Ensure timely production and delivery of design information to support programme milestones
5. Identify and mitigate design risks early in the process
6. Champion value engineering and build-ability within the design
7. Maintain and update design responsibility matrices and trackers

About You:

1. Proven experience in design management within construction, ideally in education, rail, health or public sector projects
2. Strong understanding of the full project life-cycle, with experience managing design from tender stage to post-PC
3. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
4. Able to thrive in a fast-paced, flexible SME environment
5. Strong technical knowledge and problem-solving skills
6. Previous experience with architectural practices or Main Contractor

If this role sounds like a good fit for you and you would like to find out more, please contact Ollie at 02075931660, or alternatively email.