Design Manager

Willmott Dixon are currently recruiting for a Design Manager to work on exciting new projects with our London & East construction business. With offices in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, and Chelmsford (Essex), we deliver projects across multiple sectors within north London, the northern home counties and East Anglia. This will be a hybrid role which will require a presence in our Hitchin office 3 days per week.

As a Design Manager you will be responsible for the development and control of a design on one or more projects. You will identify where we can add extra value for our customers whilst ensuring buildability and quality that meet statutory requirements.

The Design Manager will collaborate with project stakeholders, including architects, engineers, contractors, and customers, to establish project requirements, objectives, and design criteria. You will also share your experience by guiding, mentoring and imparting knowledge to other team members.

The Project

Some of the duties / responsibilities will include:

• Manage the design phase of construction projects from concept development to construction documentation, ensuring compliance with project objectives, codes, regulations, and standards, for example, fire, planning and building control, among others.
• Select and contribute to the appointment of design partners, ensuring design responsibilities are correctly apportioned between them and the supply chain partners delivering the Contractor's Design Portion.
• Participate in the selection and procurement of design solutions including modern methods of construction (MMC), materials, finishes, sustainable technology, ensuring they align with project specifications, budgets, and timelines with the wider project team.
• Arrange and prepare for design reviews to assess progress, to identify potential risks or deviations, and implement corrective measures as necessary.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, and other design professionals to develop comprehensive design plans, drawings, and specifications and work with the design manager to ensure that they accurately represent project requirements.
• Coordinate and manage external design consultants, reviewing and providing feedback on their work to ensure design integrity, consistency and quality.

Essential and Desirable Criteria

Essential / desirable criteria

Essential


• Working knowledge of the wider construction industry, its challenges and future direction.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Technical knowledge of construction design principles, practices, and systems, including architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical disciplines.
• Ability to work within a team environment.
• Able to use Microsoft suite of office programmes including Excel, Word, Outlook and Microsoft Project, Bluebeam, use appropriate software to review 3D models.

Desirable


• Working towards CIOB or another related professional membership.
• Construction related degree.
• Valid driving licence.
• Appropriate CSCS card.

Personal Qualities

Some of the key attributes you have will include:

• Adaptable when dealing with people and managing relationships.
• Seeing the bigger picture and planning ahead.
• Working as part of a team.
• A good forward planner and excellent motivator.
• Able to identify and manage risk and opportunity.
• Constantly reinforce our customer first ethic.
• Provide cost effective and innovative technical solutions.
• A key decision-maker.
• Willingness to continually develop personal and technical effectiveness.

Additional Information

Willmott Dixon embraces diversity in the workplace and will consider flexible and agile working. We are a disability confident employer.

Benefits: In return we reward our people generously with a competitive package that gives you flexible benefits to fit your lifestyle and priorities. This includes but is not limited to, an enhanced pension scheme, full / heavily discounted private medical, life assurance, incentive bonus and a car scheme which will make us a market leader in sustainable company travel. Applicable roles will benefit from a motoring expenditure allowance (MEA) and everyone can access a new generation of low carbon and electric cars via the Willmott Dixon run car leasing scheme.

About Us

With 170 years of rich history, Willmott Dixon’s purpose beyond profit is to deliver brilliant buildings, transform lives, strengthen communities, and enhance the environment so our world is fit for future generations. Ensuring that we add lasting value to the neighbourhoods we work in; our values, people, innovation, partnerships and focus on sustainability has allowed us to build a successful and trusted privately owned business where our people can thrive.

Construction is changing and we are at the forefront of that change. Pioneering new ways to build, innovating the way construction is viewed and establishing ourselves as one of the top employers in any industry. It truly is an amazing company in one of the most exciting industries with a vast array of professional career paths.

Willmott Dixon was awarded No 1 in the Best "Big" Companies (2022) to work for and already holds the Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2022 and is the first major contractor and developer to win a King’s Award for Enterprise in the category of sustainable development.