Lead Principal Designer - Building Safety Act

At TÜV SÜD Group we are passionate about technology. Innovations impact our daily lives in countless ways, and we are dedicated to being a part of that progress. We test, we audit, we inspect, we advise. We never stop challenging ourselves for the safety of society and its people. We breathe technology, we strive for professional excellence, and we leave a mark. We take the future into our hands. We are TÜV SÜD Group.
Position Summary:
The Lead Building Safety Act Principal Designer will be the organisation's technical lead for Building Safety Act consultancy services and Building Regulations Principal Designer (BR-PD) commissions. The role will provide expert advice to clients, undertake and oversee Gateway submissions, support duty holder compliance, develop and manage Golden Thread information processes, and establish a scalable team capable of supporting future growth in the Building Safety Act service line.
The position combines technical delivery, business development and team development, ensuring the organisation becomes a recognised market leader in Building Safety Act consultancy and Principal Designer services.
The role will lead the development of competence systems, duty holder coordination processes, Golden Thread information management and client advisory services aligned with current Building Safety Act requirements and Constructionline expectations.
There is an expectation that client site visits, customer Process Reviews away from the base office environment
Key Responsibilities:
Technical Leadership:
* You serve as the organisation’s lead technical authority on Building Safety Act compliance, HRB projects, Principal Designer duties and Gateway processes.
* You guide clients, developers and contractors through complex safety and regulatory requirements from project inception to occupation.
* You also develop tailored compliance strategies and maintain expert knowledge of all relevant legislation, competence frameworks and industry best practice.
Building Regulations Principal Designer Duties:
* You undertake Principal Designer appointments and oversee design compliance throughout the design phase, Co-ordinating designers, duty holders and regulators to ensure risks and regulatory issues are identified, communicated and resolved.
* You maintain clear cooperation between all parties and ensure compliance is embedded across the project lifecycle.
Gateway Management and Regulatory Engagement:
* You lead the preparation and submission of Gateway applications, Building Control packages and completion certificates.
* Management of change control and coordination of interactions with regulators, Building Control bodies and project stakeholders.
* Support development of internal procedures to streamline regulatory submissions and approvals.
Golden Thread Information Management:
* Support the design and management of the organisation’s Golden Thread methodology, setting standards for information collection, storage, change control and audit trails.
* Ensure project teams maintain accurate, accessible records and support clients in establishing compliant systems. You also create templates, workflows and governance structures to meet Building Safety Act requirements.
Competence and Governance:
* You lead the development of organisational competence frameworks and systems for evidencing skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours. You support recruitment, training and capability development while maintaining competency records and authorisation processes. Your work strengthens quality management and operational governance across the business.
Business Development:
* Identify and support and the organisation’s Building Safety Act growth and development of new consultancy services.
* You identify emerging market opportunities and support fee proposals, tenders and client presentations. You represent the business externally and build strategic relationships with clients and industry partners.
Team Leadership and Growth:
* Support the building of a multidisciplinary Building Safety Act team, supporting the aligned business growth recruitment plans. You mentor consultants, establish career pathways and manage team performance and utilisation, supporting the creation of a scalable operating model capable of supporting national delivery.
Internal Process Development:
* You support and provide technical input to maintain organisational procedures, templates, guidance and quality assurance processes.
* Support compliance with Constructionline, ISO and other accreditation requirements through strong governance and evidence management. Your work ensures consistent, high‑quality internal operations.
Essential Criteria:
* Significant experience in design management, compliance or principal designer roles.
* Experience managing complex multi-disciplinary design teams.
* Experience interacting with regulators and approval authorities.
* Experience developing new service lines or consultancy offerings.
* Experience leading and growing technical teams.
* Extensive understanding of: Building Safety Act., Building Regulations, CDM Regulations Higher-Risk Building requirements.
* Demonstrable experience delivering regulatory compliance and design management services.
Desirable Criteria:
* Degree, or equivalent, in a construction, engineering, architecture or building-related discipline.
* Chartered or Incorporated status with a recognised professional institution.
* Chartered Engineer, Chartered Building Surveyor, Chartered Architect or equivalent.
* Membership of relevant professional bodies.
* Registered Building Surveyor.
* Building Safety Act and BR-PD specific training and qualifications.
* Experience working with digital information management systems and Golden Thread requirements.
Further Information:
TÜV SÜD in the UK offers a competitive salary and benefits package that includes a minimum of 33 days holiday entitlement (for full-time employees, including public holidays), a contributory Group Personal Pension Plan and a non-contributory Group Life Assurance Scheme. We also offer various Salary Exchange/Sacrifice schemes (buying/selling holiday, cycle to work scheme, pensions), incentive schemes and comprehensive wellbeing support (Employee Assistance Programme, Dental Scheme and Occupational Health services). Dependent on their role, employees may also be eligible for hybrid/permanent home-working, a Company Car/Car Allowance and Private Medical Insurance.
At TÜV SÜD Group, we have employees from more than 100 different countries collaborating together. People of different backgrounds, skills, and pursuing different life goals. Our strength comes from these countless and varied perspectives.
We are committed to be an inclusive and diverse workplace by welcoming people of all backgrounds. We want Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) to be a foundation of our company and create an environment where all our employees can trust they will be treated with respect, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic background, faith, beliefs, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, or identity. As such, our employees are expected to behave at all times in a manner consistent with TÜV SÜD Group Code of Ethics and Company values.
We firmly believe embedding D&I in the heart of what we do will inherently contribute to the success of TÜV SÜD Group. Click here to find out more about Diversity at TÜV SÜD Group