Design Manager

Location: Tonbridge (Projects across London, Surrey & Kent)
Sectors: Education, Local Authority, Police / Blue light, Commercial & Light Industrial
Contract Type: Permanent

The Opportunity

We are working with a well-established main contractor delivering a diverse portfolio of projects across education, local authority, blue light, commercial, and light industrial sectors, up to £25M. With a strong pipeline of work in London, Surrey, and Kent, they are seeking an experienced Design Manager to take ownership of design delivery across multiple frameworks and project types, from new-build to refurbishment schemes.

This role is ideally suited to a Design Manager with a main contractor background and proven experience coordinating complex projects across multiple sectors through the full design and construction lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

*

Lead and manage the design process from pre-construction through to project completion

*

Coordinate external consultants, subcontract designers, and internal project teams

*

Manage design risk, programme alignment, and change control processes

*

Chair and actively contribute to design team and coordination meetings

*

Ensure design information is issued accurately and in line with construction requirements

*

Support tender and pre-construction activities across multiple frameworks

Ideal Candidate Profile

*

Proven experience as a Design Manager working for a main contractor

*

Experience delivering projects across education, local authority, blue light, commercial, or light industrial sectors

*

Solid understanding of Design & Build and framework procurement routes

*

Strong coordination, communication, and stakeholder management skills

*

Comfortable working on live construction projects across multiple sites

What's on Offer

*

Competitive salary

*

Long-term, varied pipeline of projects across multiple sectors

*

Opportunity to work with an established contractor on repeat frameworks

*

Supportive, well-structured design and delivery teams

Interested?

If you are a Design Manager with multi-sector experience and a main contractor background — or know someone suitable — please get in touch for a confidential discussion