Design Manager

Design Manager – Exeter – Tier 1 Main Contractor

We’re working with a highly regarded Tier 1 main contractor with a strong regional presence across the Southwest, delivering award-winning projects in education, healthcare, commercial, leisure, and public sectors. They are looking to appoint an experienced Design Manager to join their team given a healthy pipeline of works. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a forward-thinking contractor that embraces modern methods of construction and digital technologies to deliver sustainable, high-quality schemes.

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The Role

Reporting to the Regional Design Manager, you will lead and coordinate the design process on multiple projects, ensuring the delivery of compliant, coordinated, and cost-effective design solutions through both pre-construction and delivery stages.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing the design process to produce technically compliant and value-engineered design packages.
• Building collaborative relationships with clients, consultants, subcontractors, and internal teams.
• Chairing design workshops and coordinating complex design information to meet programme deadlines.
• Validating technical details and mitigating design risks to support smooth project delivery.
• Advising on subcontractor design scope and working drawings.
• Supporting compliance with all statutory, legal, planning, and sustainability requirements.
• Championing digital construction and driving continuous improvement.

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About You

We’re keen to speak with candidates who can demonstrate:

• Strong understanding of both the design and construction process, and the interface between them.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and collaboration skills.
• Proactive, “can-do” attitude with a desire to innovate and improve.
• Previous experience managing design on large-scale construction projects.
• HNC in Building Studies or a Degree in Design Management, Architecture, or a related discipline.
• Relevant driving licence.

 

Should you wish to discuss, please do call RGB Recruitment Exeter and ask for Nicky Harris.