Senior Design Manager

Are you a Senior Design Manager with experience leading from early stage through to handover?

A senior role for an experienced Design Manager who can lead multidisciplinary design development across complex, high‑value infrastructure projects. This position suits someone with strong pre‑construction capability, commercial awareness, and a practical understanding of self‑delivery. You'll bring proven experience working with multiple materials including steel, reinforced concrete and timber, and be comfortable managing design on major, technically challenging schemes.

The Role

You will lead design development from early concept through detailed design and into delivery, ensuring all design outputs are coordinated, buildable and commercially aligned. Working closely with pre‑construction, commercial, engineering and delivery teams, you'll manage interfaces, drive clarity, and ensure design supports safe, efficient construction on site. This is a role for someone who can operate confidently in complex environments, balancing technical detail with programme, cost and delivery pressures.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage multidisciplinary design teams across major infrastructure projects
Oversee design development during pre‑construction, ensuring buildability, sequencing and logistics are fully considered
Drive design assurance, technical governance and compliance with standards and regulatory requirements
Manage design interfaces between steel, RC, timber and other material packages
Work closely with commercial teams to ensure design supports cost plans, procurement strategy and risk management
Support self‑delivery teams with clear, practical design information and timely resolution of technical queries
Coordinate temporary works, construction methodology and engineering inputs
Maintain structured design reviews, reporting and documentation
Engage with clients, stakeholders and supply chain partners to ensure alignment and clarity
Identify risks early and implement sensible mitigation measures to protect programme and costRequired Experience

Strong background as a Design Manager or Senior Design Manager on complex or major infrastructure projects
Proven experience in pre‑construction, including design development, buildability reviews and early‑stage planning
Solid commercial understanding, including cost drivers, procurement and risk
Experience working with steel, reinforced concrete, timber and other structural materials
Knowledge of self‑delivery environments and the realities of construction execution
Comfortable managing multidisciplinary teams and complex design interfaces
Strong communication, coordination and reporting capability
Relevant qualification in civil engineering, structural engineering or similarDesirable

Familiarity with digital design tools and common platforms (Aconex, BIM 360, CDEs)
Exposure to project controls disciplines (risk, change, cost, earned value)
Professional membership or working towards itWhat This Role Offers

A senior position with real influence over design and delivery on major infrastructure projects. You'll work in a technically challenging environment with a contractor known for engineering capability, self‑delivery strength and high‑quality execution. Strong progression opportunities and a collaborative, structured working culture.

Aldwych Consulting 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 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.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business