Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate design strategies for exciting residential projects across England.
- Company: Join Alderley Group, a rapidly expanding UK development company focused on affordable housing.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, a pension scheme, and professional growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of residential design while working with a collaborative leadership team.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in construction design management with strong leadership and technical skills.
- Other info: Participate in team events that strengthen our culture and foster collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Alderley Group is an award-winning and rapidly expanding UK development company specialising in the delivery of high-quality affordable housing, retirement living, and extra-care schemes. Our in-house construction team, Alderley Partnerships, is dedicated to the design, planning, and execution of innovative construction projects across England.
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Head of Design to lead our design function across the business. This is a senior leadership role responsible for driving design excellence, ensuring regulatory compliance, and overseeing the successful technical delivery of multiple residential developments.
About the Role
As Head of Design, you will take overall responsibility for the management and performance of the design team across all live and upcoming projects. You will lead the design strategy from land acquisition and pre-construction through to project completion, ensuring that developments are delivered efficiently, compliantly, and in alignment with programme and budget.
Working closely with the Commercial, Construction, Land, and Planning teams, you will provide strategic direction, technical leadership, and governance across all design disciplines. This role requires strong leadership capability, deep technical expertise, and the ability to manage multiple complex residential schemes simultaneously.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Team Management: Lead, mentor, and develop the design management team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Design Strategy & Governance: Oversee the full design lifecycle across all projects, establishing clear processes, controls, and reporting structures to ensure consistency and compliance.
- Project Oversight: Provide senior-level oversight of design coordination across multiple developments, ensuring alignment with programme, budget, client requirements, and regulatory standards.
- Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure full compliance with UK Building Regulations, planning conditions, structural warranty requirements, and statutory approvals. Proactively manage design-related risk.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the senior design liaison with consultants, architects, engineers, local authorities, warranty providers, and funding partners.
- Value Engineering & Innovation: Drive innovation and value engineering initiatives, identifying opportunities to optimise buildability, cost efficiency, sustainability, and programme delivery.
- Budget & Resource Planning: Manage departmental resources effectively, supporting recruitment, workload allocation, and performance management.
What You’ll Need
- Experience: Minimum of 10 years’ experience within construction design management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing residential developments.
- Technical Expertise: Strong understanding of UK Building Regulations, JCT Design & Build contracts, warranty provider requirements, and residential construction methodologies.
- Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage performance across multiple concurrent projects.
- Commercial Awareness: Strong understanding of cost control, value engineering, and programme management.
- Communication Skills: Excellent ability to communicate technical information clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
- Software Proficiency: Working knowledge of design platforms such as AutoCAD, Revit, and common document management systems.
Why Join Us?
- Company Pension: Benefit from our company pension scheme (Nest).
- Annual Leave: Enjoy 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays.
- Professional Growth: Access to ongoing training, leadership development, and career progression opportunities.
- Supportive Environment: Work within a collaborative and ambitious leadership team.
- Team Events & Days Out: Participate in regular team events and activities that strengthen our culture.
If you are an experienced design leader ready to shape and drive design excellence across a growing residential portfolio, we would love to hear from you.
Head of Design employer: Alderley Group
Contact Detail:
Alderley Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Design
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals, attend design events, and join relevant online forums. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Head of Design role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio that highlights your best design projects and achievements. Make sure it’s easy to access and visually appealing – this is your chance to shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching Alderley Group and understanding their projects. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals and how you can drive design excellence in their developments.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Design
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in construction design management. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t hold back on showcasing your leadership capabilities!
Showcase Your Technical Expertise: We’re looking for someone with a strong understanding of UK Building Regulations and residential construction methodologies. Be sure to include specific examples of projects where you’ve applied this knowledge effectively.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: As the Head of Design, you’ll be leading a team, so it’s crucial to demonstrate your ability to mentor and develop others. Share stories that illustrate your leadership style and how you’ve fostered collaboration in past roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Alderley Group
✨Know Your Design Fundamentals
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of UK Building Regulations and JCT Design & Build contracts. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you have the technical expertise needed for the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples of how you've led multidisciplinary teams in the past. Highlight your ability to mentor and develop team members, as this is crucial for the Head of Design position.
✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking
Think about how you would approach the design strategy from land acquisition to project completion. Be ready to discuss your methods for ensuring compliance and managing risks across multiple projects.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Be prepared to talk about your experience liaising with various stakeholders, including consultants and local authorities. Show that you can communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively.