Principle Design Lead in Hemel Hempstead

• Provide leadership across multiple projects, supporting Senior Design Managers and Design Managers in delivering coordinated, compliant, and buildable design solutions.
• Act as the escalation point for technical and design issues across all schemes, driving timely resolution and risk mitigation.
• Lead and coordinate technical input into bids, including design appraisals, programme development, consultant strategies, risk identification, and value engineering opportunities.
• Support the Head of Technical in ensuring consistency of design management practices, standards, and procedures across all projects.
• Provide oversight of design programmes across multiple schemes, ensuring alignment with overall business and project objectives.
• Where required, undertake full design management responsibility for a project, delivering in line with programme, budget, and compliance requirements.
• Mentor and develop Senior Design Managers and Design Managers, providing guidance, coaching, and technical support.
• Review and challenge design information to ensure compliance with legislation, company standards, planning approvals, and client requirements.
• Support the implementation and adherence to Technical Operating Procedures across all schemes.
• Coordinate with Commercial, Operations, and Bid teams to ensure design solutions are practical, cost-effective, and aligned with delivery strategies.
• Review project‑specific design scoping and procurement strategies for consultants and subcontractor designers.
• Support the review and approval of consultant and subcontractor designer competency assessments.
• Monitor consultant and subcontractor design performance across projects.
• Ensure robust management of design change control processes across schemes.
• Support and oversee the timely submission of planning, building control, and statutory approvals.
• Chair or support key design coordination meetings, workshops, and reviews on complex or high‑risk schemes.
• Ensure effective communication of technical information across teams and departments.
• Carry out site visits as required to support project teams and resolve technical issues.
• Always comply with company policies, procedures, and health, safety, and environmental requirements.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across multiple projects, supporting Senior Design Managers and Design Managers in delivering coordinated, compliant, and buildable design solutions.
• Act as the escalation point for technical and design issues across all schemes, driving timely resolution and risk mitigation.
• Lead and coordinate technical input into bids, including design appraisals, programme development, consultant strategies, risk identification, and value engineering opportunities.
• Support the Head of Technical in ensuring consistency of design management practices, standards, and procedures across all projects.
• Provide oversight of design programmes across multiple schemes, ensuring alignment with overall business and project objectives.
• Where required, undertake full design management responsibility for a project, delivering in line with programme, budget, and compliance requirements.
• Mentor and develop Senior Design Managers and Design Managers, providing guidance, coaching, and technical support.
• Review and challenge design information to ensure compliance with legislation, company standards, planning approvals, and client requirements.
• Support the implementation and adherence to Technical Operating Procedures across all schemes.
• Coordinate with Commercial, Operations, and Bid teams to ensure design solutions are practical, cost-effective, and aligned with delivery strategies.
• Review project‑specific design scoping and procurement strategies for consultants and subcontractor designers.
• Support the review and approval of consultant and subcontractor designer competency assessments.
• Monitor consultant and subcontractor design performance across projects.
• Ensure robust management of design change control processes across schemes.
• Support and oversee the timely submission of planning, building control, and statutory approvals.
• Promote best practice in design coordination, including fire safety, structural integrity, MEP integration, façade design, and maintenance strategies.
• Chair or support key design coordination meetings, workshops, and reviews on complex or high‑risk schemes.
• Ensure effective communication of technical information across teams and departments.
• Carry out site visits as required to support project teams and resolve technical issues.
• Always comply with company policies, procedures, and health, safety, and environmental requirements.

What we need from you

• Doing the right thing
• Raising the bar
• Positive attitude and energetic pace
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Integrity
• Ability to make things happen – starter/finisher
• Tact and the ability to deal with difficult situations
• Proactive
• Ability to challenge the norm and look for alternative solutions (positive deviance)
• Ability to work under pressure and multi task
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

Passionate to achieve exceptional standards for business and personal gain

Criteria

• Proven experience operating at a senior design management level across multiple residential or mixed‑use projects
• Strong leadership capability, with experience managing and mentoring Design Managers
• Ability to operate across both strategic (multi‑project oversight, bids) and project‑level delivery
• Extensive knowledge of design management processes across all project stages (bid, pre‑construction, construction, handover)
• Strong technical understanding of building design, coordination, and regulatory compliance
• Experience leading or contributing significantly to bid‑stage technical submissions
• Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate technical and design risks across multiple schemes
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making capability, particularly on complex or escalated issues
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels (internal teams, clients, consultants)
• Ability to prioritise and manage competing demands across multiple projects
• Up‑to‑date knowledge of construction legislation, including:Building Safety ActBuilding Regulations (including Dutyholder roles)HRB procedures and compliance requirements
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to balance design quality and cost‑effectiveness
• Experience coordinating and reviewing consultant performance and outputs
• High‑rise residential experience
• Strong organisational and reporting capability
• Proven track record of successfully managing all aspects of the design and technical process in relation to residential buildings
• Up to date relevant construction industry knowledge including legislation and procedures.
• Valid driving licence
• Knowledge of methodology and sequencing process in delivering a construction project including design and pre‑construction activities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• High rise development experience
• Understanding of the building safety legislative framework, including the Building Safety Act, Building Regulations (Dutyholder roles & competency requirements and the HRB Procedure Regulations.
• Strong technical knowledge and skillset to assess, challenge and monitor design work compliance.
• Experience in designer scoping
• Ability to prioritise and manage competing demands across multiple projects
• Up‑to‑date knowledge of construction legislation, including:Building Safety ActBuilding Regulations (including Dutyholder roles)HRB procedures and compliance requirements
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to balance design quality and cost‑effectiveness
• Experience coordinating and reviewing consultant performance and outputs
• High‑rise residential experience
• Strong organisational and reporting capability
• Proven track record of successfully managing all aspects of the design and technical process in relation to residential buildings
• Up to date relevant construction industry knowledge including legislation and procedures.
• Valid driving licence
• Knowledge of methodology and sequencing process in delivering a construction project including design and pre‑construction activities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• High rise development experience
• Understanding of the building safety legislative framework, including the Building Safety Act, Building Regulations (Dutyholder roles & competency requirements and the HRB Procedure Regulations.
• Strong technical knowledge and skillset to assess, challenge and monitor design work compliance.
• Experience in designer scoping

Desirable

• Experience supporting or deputising for Head of Technical / Technical Director roles
• Proven involvement in complex or high‑risk schemes (e.g. HRBs)
• Experience in developing and improving technical processes or procedures
• Strong understanding of procurement strategies and contractual design obligations
• Knowledge of PAS 9980, EWS1, FRAEW and fire safety compliance frameworks
• Experience with BIM and digital design management systems
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. CIOB, CIAT, RICS)
• Degree or equivalent qualification in Architecture, Engineering, or a construction‑related discipline
• Passionate about construction and customer satisfaction, with a focus on high standards and excellence.
• procurement and construction purposes.
• In depth knowledge of contractual requirements, section agreements and utility application process.
• Tenacious and driven
• Strong practical knowledge of construction work types, methods and design solutions.
• Experience of producing and managing design programmes.
• Temporary works knowledge and experience.

Join us at United Infrastructure and be part of our mission to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the complex infrastructure needs of the UK.

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