Design Manager - Freelance

Freelance Design Manager Location: Bridgnorth, Shropshire (with site visits as required) Contract: Freelance | 2-3 days per week Sector: Commercial Construction The Opportunity My client is a Tier 2 main contractor with a strong pipeline of commercial build projects valued up to £25 million. We're looking for an experienced Design Manager to join them on a freelance basis, supporting our delivery teams through the design and preconstruction phases. This is a flexible role suited to someone who thrives on variety, values autonomy, and wants to balance project work with other commitments. What You'll Do * Lead and coordinate the design process from tender through to construction, ensuring buildability, compliance, and programme alignment * Manage design consultants and subcontractor design packages * Chair design team meetings and track deliverables against project milestones * Identify and mitigate design risks early * Liaise with clients, architects, and engineers to resolve technical queries * Support value engineering and ensure designs meet budget and specification What We're Looking For * Proven experience as a Design Manager within a main contractor environment * Strong track record on commercial projects (offices, retail, industrial, mixed-use, apartments, residential) * Confident managing multiple design packages and consultant relationships * Solid understanding of UK Building Regulations, CDM, and relevant standards * Excellent communication skills-equally comfortable in a design workshop or a site coordination meeting * Self-sufficient and able to hit the ground running with minimal supervision What We Offer * Competitive day rate (negotiable based on experience) * Flexible working pattern-typically 2–3 days per week, with scope to adjust around project demands * A collaborative team and a varied project portfolio * Opportunity for ongoing work as our pipeline grows Interested? Send your CV and day rate expectations to Heather Duncan in the Birmingham office. We'd love to hear from you