Senior Design Manager

Design Manager / Senior Design Manager – MOD

Location: Bristol / Wiltshire Salary: £70,000 – £85,000 + car allowance + excellent package Sector: Tier 1 Main Contractor | Defence | New Build & Refurbishment

Design Manager – The Company

An excellent opportunity to join one of the UK’s largest and most financially secure privately owned construction groups, with annual turnover in excess of £1bn and an exceptional track record delivering major projects across the UK.

The business operates nationally through a network of regional offices, combining the resources, systems and project capability of a Tier 1 contractor with the long-term approach of a privately owned company.

Their Western region is going through a significant period of growth, with an expanding Bristol team and a strong secured pipeline across the South West. They deliver major projects across defence, education, commercial, residential and other public-sector markets.

They are now looking to strengthen their regional design team with an experienced Design Manager or Senior Design Manager.

Design Manager – The Role

Based from the Bristol region, you will take a key design management role on a major MOD project in Wiltshire, working as part of an experienced project and pre-construction team.

This is a construction-led Design Manager position requiring someone who understands how to manage the complete design process on complex Tier 1 projects from pre-construction through delivery.

Responsibilities will include:

• Managing and coordinating the design process through pre-construction and construction

• Leading external consultants, architects and specialist subcontractor design teams

• Reviewing and interrogating design information to ensure buildability and compliance

• Developing and managing design programmes and information release schedules

• Identifying design risks, clashes and potential programme issues

• Coordinating design with commercial, planning, building services and operational teams

• Managing RFIs, design changes, technical submissions and approvals

• Ensuring information is available to procurement and site teams in line with programme

• Liaising closely with the client and key project stakeholders

• Maintaining the standards and processes required when operating within a secure MOD environment

Design Manager – The Person

You will already be operating as a Design Manager or Senior Design Manager for a recognised main contractor.

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Previous experience delivering MOD / defence construction projects

• Strong Tier 1 or major main contracting experience

• Experience across complex new build and refurbishment projects

• A proven construction-led design management background

• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultants and subcontractor design

• Strong technical, commercial and buildability awareness

• The ability to manage the design process rather than purely produce design

• Experience taking projects through both pre-construction and live delivery stages

This is not an architectural design position. The role is best suited to an established contractor-side Design Manager accustomed to managing design as part of the overall construction process.

Design Manager – The Reward

Alongside a salary of £70,000 – £85,000 depending on experience, the position includes car allowance and a comprehensive benefits package.

More importantly, this offers the opportunity to join a highly secure Tier 1 contractor at a point of significant growth in the South West, with a strong forward workload and genuine long-term career opportunities within the regional business