Design Manager

Design Manager

Location: Cradley Heath, West Midlands
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working Environment: On-site

We are recruiting an experienced Design Manager to join an established specialist sheet metal fabrication business based in Cradley Heath.

This is a key position offering the opportunity to lead a dedicated design and CAD team while remaining hands-on with technically challenging projects. Working across bespoke sheet metal fabrication and architectural metalwork projects, you will oversee designs from initial customer concept through to manufacture and installation.

With an established workload and customer base, this position would suit an experienced Design Manager, Drawing Office Manager or Senior Design Engineer looking to take ownership of a design function and develop a team.

The Role

As Design Manager, you will act as the technical link between customers, the design team, production and live construction sites.

You will be responsible for ensuring designs are technically accurate, cost-effective and suitable for manufacture, while providing leadership and technical guidance to the wider design team.

Key Responsibilities

Manage, mentor and coordinate the workload of Designers and CAD Operators.

Ensure drawings are completed accurately and in line with project deadlines.

Lead the design of complex sheet metal fabrications and architectural metalwork.

Produce detailed manufacturing drawings incorporating flat-pattern development and bend allowances.

Use Autodesk Inventor for 3D modelling and AutoCAD for 2D technical drawings.

Ensure designs consider manufacturing constraints, costs and production efficiency.

Produce and oversee CNC programmes and manufacturing data.

Translate 3D models into nested CNC, laser and punch data.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing customers.

Act as a key technical point of contact, providing engineering advice and recommending appropriate design changes.

Attend customer meetings and discuss technical requirements.

Visit live construction sites to carry out surveys and take accurate measurements.

Resolve engineering and installation challenges on site.

Liaise with contractors, installation teams and other project stakeholders.

Work closely with the workshop to ensure designs can be manufactured efficiently.

Standardise and improve drawing office procedures and processes.

Improve communication between design and production teams.

Identify opportunities to reduce waste, errors and rework.

About You

We are looking for a technically strong engineering professional with significant hands-on experience within sheet metal fabrication or architectural metalwork.

You should have:

Proven experience designing complex sheet metal fabrications or architectural metalwork.

Strong Autodesk Inventor 3D modelling experience.

Strong AutoCAD 2D drawing experience.

A thorough understanding of sheet metal fabrication and manufacturing processes.

Previous experience managing, supervising or leading a CAD, design or drawing office team.

Experience producing detailed manufacturing drawings.

The ability to understand manufacturing constraints and design for manufacture.

Confidence visiting live construction sites and understanding structural interfaces.

Strong customer-facing and communication skills.

The ability to provide technical advice and negotiate design changes with customers.

Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

Experience using Radan or similar CAM/nesting software would be highly advantageous, as would holding a valid CSCS card.

The Ideal Candidate

This opportunity would suit an experienced Design Manager, Drawing Office Manager, CAD Manager or Senior Design Engineer with a strong background in sheet metal fabrication.

You will enjoy combining team leadership with hands-on technical design work and be equally comfortable communicating with customers, site teams and workshop personnel.

You'll need a practical understanding of how designs translate into manufacture and installation, with the ability to identify potential problems before they reach production or site.

What's on Offer

Competitive salary based on experience.

Comprehensive handover with the existing Design Manager.

Opportunity to take ownership of established projects and customer relationships.

Company pension scheme.

25 days' holiday plus Bank Holidays.

Travel allowance for site visits.

Subsistence allowance.

On-site parking.

Permanent, full-time position
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed