Design Manager

Freelance Design Manager (Enabling Works & Surveys)

Rate: Competitive Day Rate - Inside of IR35

Duration: Long-term

Location: Hybrid (3 days WFH / 2 days Liverpool office & site)

Looking for a solid, long-term freelance contract on a massive civils scheme where you actually have a say in how things are run? This is it.

My client is gearing up for the critical Enabling Works phase of a landmark infrastructure project in the North. We need a heavy-hitting freelance Design Manager to grab the reins and get the site ready for the main construction phase. You'll be working directly as the right-hand to the project's Technical Lead, meaning you're right in the thick of the decision-making, not just pushing paper in a corner.

Roles & Responsibilities:

This is a fast-paced, hands-on role where you'll own the foundational stage of the project. Your main focus areas will be:

Enabling Works Design: Managing the design for all the critical prep work-think utility diversions, temporary works, site clearance, and access roads.

Survey Support: Overseeing and coordinating all the essential site surveys (geotechnical, topo, utilities) and making sure that data is successfully baked into the designs.

Target Costing: Working closely alongside our commercial and pricing teams to help build, refine, and lock down a realistic Target Cost for the works.

Tech Lead Support: Keeping the Technical Lead in the loop, managing design risks, and solving engineering headaches before they ever hit the site.

Requirements:

We need a self-starter who can plug in and hit the ground running from day one without needing their hand held.

The Background: You're an established freelance Design Manager with plenty of major UK civils or infrastructure experience under your belt.

The Specialty: You've specifically managed enabling works designs before and know exactly what it takes to get a mega-project off the ground.

The Know-How: You understand how to interpret survey data and know your way around estimating and Target Cost development (if you know NEC contracts inside out, that's a massive bonus).

The Setup: You're organized enough to drive things forward independently on your 3 remote days, and ready to collaborate face-to-face during your 2 days in Liverpool.

Randstad CPE values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

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