Workplace Design Standards Manager

Job Title: Workplace Design Standards Manager (Contract)

Location: Any major UK hub outside London – preferred hubs include Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Cardiff, Glasgow, or Newcastle

Contract Length: Until 31 March 2025 (potential extension)

Rate: Up to £500 per day (inside IR35, via umbrella)

Security Clearance: BPSS

Onsite Requirement: 3 days per week

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced workplace design professional to take on a strategic, high-impact role ensuring design excellence across a large portfolio of workplace and customer-facing spaces. This is not a hands-on design role — instead, you will be the driving force behind design assurance, compliance, and innovation for hundreds of concurrent projects.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Overseeing design assurance across up to 300 simultaneous projects
• Developing, implementing, and evolving workplace design and technical property standards
• Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and accessibility requirements (e.g., BS8300)
• Advising on sustainable, inclusive, and efficient workspace solutions
• Providing strategic input across all RIBA stages
• Conducting post-occupancy evaluations and promoting continuous improvement
• Collaborating closely with internal teams, senior stakeholders, and external contractors
• Assessing the costs, logistics, and practicalities of office design proposals

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in architecture or interior design, ideally in commercial or retail sectors
• Strong knowledge of workplace design for large, complex estates
• Solid understanding of inclusive design and accessibility
• Confident in engaging and influencing senior stakeholders and presenting to large audiences
• Skilled in writing, reviewing, and evolving design standards
• Good understanding of UK Building Regulations and RIBA processes

Desirable

• Degree or Master’s in Architecture or Interior Design
• RIBA membership (or working towards)
• Project management qualifications (e.g., PRINCE2, APM)
• Experience in large estates such as healthcare or education

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to shape the design quality of workspaces across a major national portfolio. You’ll work in a role with visibility at senior levels, a diverse set of projects, and the chance to influence design outcomes that directly affect thousands of users. If you thrive on variety, enjoy working strategically, and can balance design vision with practical delivery, this contract offers both challenge and reward.