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Now Hiring – Design Manager

Are you a Design Manager, Looking for a new and exciting role? Why not join us at The Qube?

Job title: Design Manager

Salary: £40k-£45k PA DOE

Working hours: Monday-Friday 8.30am – 5.00pm

Location: Qube HQ – NN6 8LH

Reporting to: Head of Design & Pre-Construction   

Holiday entitlement: 20 days + Bank holidays (1 added per year, Max 25)

As a Design Manager at The Qube, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the design and delivery on every aspect of our projects. You will be responsible for overseeing the design process from conception to execution, ensuring that all projects align with our core values and meet the high standards expected by our clients. As a design led main contractor, we believe that good design is the ‘golden thread’ that runs through all our projects and decision-making processes. You will play a key role in helping to deliver and evolve this ideal.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Design Projects: Working with and reporting to the Head of Design you will oversee and manage the project design process (incorporating each RIBA stage as necessary), ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with client requirements. This includes ensuring projects meet statutory and regulatory requirements and performance standards.

PCSA Agreement experience: You will have experience of running Pre-Construction Service Agreements from concept through to completion. This will involve working with our surveyors, consultants and wider design team from initial enquiry through to ensuring the construction team have everything they need to start on-site.

Building Collaborative Teams: Work closely with architects, engineers, and sub-consultants/contractor’s teams to deliver high-quality design solutions. You will use your industry experience to develop clear scope of works agreements for our consultants, reviewing their fee proposals and appointing and leading dynamic design teams.

Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the design lead for our clients, the design team and other Qube departments on projects under your responsibility. Attend and chair design team meetings, coordinating all relevant information and action points. Provide regular project updates and feedback to the Head of Design and other Qube departments as agreed.

Budget and Risk Management: Provide awareness of project budgets, ensuring cost-effective solutions by understanding and communicating commercial impact of design decisions. Work with other Qube departments to manage and record any project variations and ensure accurate information is provided to ensure these can be costed accurately. Manage and record risk throughout the project life cycle. Ensure that project design risk is reviewed periodically, and findings reported back necessary stakeholders as appropriate. 

Information Management: Develop and maintain project information management processes. Ensuring all project design information is managed and issued in line with company and client requirements. Working with the project design team, you will create and manage a coordinated design programme. Ensuring that design information release dates are fully coordinated, and that design information links to key project and procurement dates.

Quality Assurance: Conduct reviews of design information to ensure it meets project and regulatory requirements. Provide critical feedback to the design team on issued information and collate all comments from stakeholders.

Innovation and Trends: Stay abreast of the latest design trends and technologies, integrating innovative solutions that keep The Qube at the forefront of design.

Brand Alignment: Ensure all design elements are consistent with The Qube’s values, ethos, and standards. That our decisions are client focused, desirable, deliverable and are fiscally sensible.

Mentor and Lead: Provide leadership and mentorship to the design team, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Skills and Education – required

  • Bachelor’s degree in construction, Architecture, or a related field is required.
  • Professional chartered membership is desirable (MCIAT, RIBA, CIOB etc) or the drive and ambition to work towards approval.
  • Further training and/or qualifications in project management, design management or sustainable design/MMC would be welcomed.
  • Exceptional design sensibility with a keen eye for detail and a strong understanding of aesthetic and technical principles. Ability to understand design information and communicate design ideas clearly.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, with strong organisational, process focused and time-management skills.
  • Excellent leadership abilities with strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively engage with teams and stakeholders.
  • Proficiency in design software such as AutoCAD and Revit desirable, and other relevant office software tools. Strong understanding of construction technology, methodology and the ability to communicate these concepts.
  • Knowledge of sustainable design practices and materials, with a commitment to environmentally responsible design.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think creatively and propose innovative solutions.

Experience Required

• Minimum 5 years of experience in design management or a similar role within the main contractor or architectural practice.
• Proven track record in demonstrating success in leading and delivering complex design projects from inception to completion covering multiple RIBA Stages.
• In-depth knowledge of design trends, technologies, and best practices within the creative and architectural sectors.
• Experience of requirements of RIBA Stages including UK planning application policy and process and requirements and UK Building Regulations compliance.
• Experience in the design and delivery of SIPs, modular or MMC projects particularly in education desirable, but not essential.

Person specification:

  • Detailed design understanding
  • Resilient
  • Strategic thinker
  • Experienced leader
  • Confident at making decisions
  • Be quality and client focused.
  • Hardworking and honest
  • True team player
  • Strong growth mindset

In return/benefits:

  • Frequent company events
  • Private health care package
  • Enhanced maternity leave
  • Enhanced paternity leave
  • On-site gym
  • On-site badminton court
  • On-site EV charger
  • Life Assurance (3x salary)
  • Frequent team lunches
  • Monthly incentive prizes (Employee of the month)

If you would like to learn more about this role, please get in touch with Head of Design, Dominic Skinner. Dominic.skinner@theqube.co.uk