Design Manager

Design Manager Location: Tonbridge Projects: London, Surrey & Kent Sectors: Education | Local Authority | Police / Blue Light | Commercial | Light Industrial Contract: Permanent The Role We’re working with a well-established main contractor with a strong pipeline of work across London, Surrey and Kent. They’re looking for an experienced Design Manager to join the team and take ownership of design delivery across a varied range of projects, typically from £5m up to £25m. You’ll be involved from the early pre-construction stages right through to completion, working across new-build and refurbishment projects and dealing with a mix of sectors including education, local authority, blue light, commercial and light industrial. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys variety, likes being involved in the detail and is comfortable working closely with both design and construction teams. What You’ll Be Doing * Managing the design process from pre-construction through to project completion * Coordinating external consultants, subcontract designers and internal teams * Keeping design programmes aligned with the wider project programme * Identifying and managing design risks * Managing design changes and ensuring information is properly controlled * Chairing design and coordination meetings * Making sure design information is accurate, buildable and issued on time * Supporting tenders and pre-construction activities across various frameworks * Working closely with the Project Manager, Commercial team and wider delivery team Ideally, you’ll have: * Previous experience as a Design Manager with a main contractor * Experience delivering projects within sectors such as education, local authority, police / blue light, commercial or light industrial * Good knowledge of Design & Build and framework procurement * Strong communication and coordination skills * The ability to manage consultants, subcontractors and multiple stakeholders * Experience working across live construction projects * A good understanding of the full design and construction process Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who is organised, proactive and confident managing design across a busy project environment. What’s On Offer? * Competitive salary up to 80k + package * Permanent position with an established main contractor * A strong pipeline of work across London, Surrey and Kent * Varied projects across multiple sectors * Repeat work through established frameworks * Supportive design and project teams * Good long-term career prospects Interested? If you’re an experienced Design Manager with a main contractor background and are looking for a role offering variety, long-term work and a strong project pipeline, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now for a confidential conversation and to find out more. If this role isn’t quite right for you but you know someone who could be a good fit, please feel free to get in touch