Design Manager

Design Manager – Welwyn Garden City

A leading Tier 1 construction business is seeking an experienced and motivated Design Manager to join its London and Home Counties team. This is an office-based role in Welwyn Garden City, with flexibility for occasional remote working. You will be part of a respected, people‑first organisation known for its strong values, collaborative culture and commitment to delivering high‑quality projects across education, leisure, healthcare and public sector frameworks.

This employer is recognised for its exceptional investment in staff development and wellbeing, offering a safe, inclusive and rewarding working environment. Employees benefit from a culture built on trust, teamwork and shared success, with long‑standing relationships across clients and supply chain partners. With a strong forward order book, high levels of repeat business and a team‑driven ethos, it is an excellent place to build a long‑term career.

About the Role

You will manage the full design process across both bids and live projects, ensuring the delivery of coordinated, compliant and innovative design solutions. Working closely with internal teams, consultants and stakeholders, you will be responsible for establishing and maintaining effective design resources and design strategies throughout all key stages. This includes leading the design service at both bid and delivery stages, coordinating the RIBA design process, challenging briefs to enhance value, and ensuring that design outputs fully align with customer requirements, legislation, standards and cost parameters.

You will coordinate activities between design consultants, statutory authorities such as planning and building control teams, subcontractors and internal project teams in line with programme requirements. You will maintain design compliance, manage change control processes and ensure that all design procedures are followed from inception to completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and manage design resources for bids and live schemes
• Lead the design approach and strategy for new projects
• Deliver a professional and comprehensive design service to clients and key partners
• Manage the design process through the full RIBA stages
• Ensure design compliance with building regulations, standards and project specifications
• Coordinate design consultants, subcontractors and statutory bodies
• Challenge briefs and drive innovation and continuous improvement
• Maintain design within cost, programme and customer requirements
• Manage change control processes in collaboration with project managers and clients
• Ensure departmental design procedures are completed at bid and delivery stages
• Develop scopes of service and ensure adherence to design briefs

What You Will Bring

• Significant experience in the main contracting environment
• Experience delivering education, healthcare or leisure schemes between 10m and 40m
• Strong understanding of construction techniques and design management principles
• Experience in pre‑construction, PSCA frameworks, BIM, 3D modelling and digital construction.
• Relevant qualifications such as BSc, HND or HNC and ideally membership of a professional body
• Ability to provide a professional, comprehensive and sustainable design service
• Experience working with internal teams, clients, consultants and statutory authorities
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work within a supportive, inclusive and ambitious team environment

What You Can Expect

• A dynamic and supportive working culture with an emphasis on teamwork and integrity
• A business that genuinely values its people and promotes from within
• A stable and growing workload across core sectors including education, healthcare, civic buildings and public sector frameworks
• A positive, fun and fast‑paced environment where no two days are the same
• A team‑focused culture where you are encouraged, challenged and trusted to deliver your best work
• Long‑term career development opportunities within a respected Tier 1 contractor

This role offers the chance to join a high‑performing regional team that takes pride in delivering projects the right way. If you thrive in a collaborative environment, enjoy contributing to meaningful projects and want to be part of a company that truly invests in its people, this position offers an exceptional opportunity.