Senior Design Manager

OVERVIEW

Atkins Search are proud to be working with a well-established, privately owned main contractor with a strong presence across the UK, known for delivering high-quality, design-led construction projects across the commercial, residential, education, MOD, healthcare and mixed-use sectors.

Due to continued growth in the North West, the business is looking to appoint an experienced Senior Design Manager to join their team, based from their Manchester office.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a contractor with a strong reputation for technical delivery, innovation and a collaborative working culture.

CLIENT

Privately owned, financially stable main contractor with national reach
A diverse project portfolio across multiple sectors
Commitment to sustainability, digital innovation and design excellence
Strong pipeline of secured work across the North West
Excellent staff retention and structured professional development
ROLE

As Senior Design Manager, you will lead the coordination and delivery of design activities across both pre-construction and live project phases. You will play a central role in managing design intent, ensuring buildability, compliance and quality from concept through to completion.

You will be the key link between the client, consultants, internal teams and specialist subcontractors -driving collaboration, programme certainty and the integration of innovative and sustainable design solutions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead the design process across one or more live or pre-construction projects
Coordinate design consultants and specialist subcontractors to ensure timely, high-quality output
Manage the design programme, RFI processes, document control and change management
Ensure compliance with Building Regulations, CDM, the Building Safety Act and planning conditions
Promote and embed Safety in Design (SiD) principles and risk mitigation strategies
Oversee BIM coordination, clash detection and design audits
Support tender submissions, value engineering exercises and buildability reviews
Represent the business in client and design team meetings, ensuring strong communication and issue resolution
Contribute to internal design reviews, lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives
Mentor and support junior members of the design and technical team
PERSON

The successful candidate will ideally demonstrate the following:
Proven experience as a Design Manager or Senior Design Manager in a main contracting environment
Strong knowledge of construction methodologies, building regulations and statutory approvals
Experience working on design and build projects across sectors such as residential, education, commercial, MOJ/MOD or healthcare
Ability to lead multi-disciplinary design teams and coordinate specialist subcontractors
Familiarity with BIM workflows and digital design management tools
Excellent communication, organisational and stakeholder management skills
Relevant construction-related qualifications (degree/HNC or equivalent)
REMUNERATION

A comprehensive and competitive package is on offer, which includes:
Car allowance or company vehicle
Private healthcare
Enhanced pension contributions
Bonus scheme
Generous holiday entitlement
Ongoing professional training and development
Laptop, phone and other relevant tools
Supportive and collaborative working environment