Facade Design Manager

This is a genuine step-up opportunity for an experienced facade designer ready to move into a management capacity. Working for a long-established total building envelope specialist with over 50 years of design and manufacturing heritage, you will take overall responsibility for design delivery on projects, managing both in-house and outsourced designers alongside your own technical input.

The business designs and manufactures architectural facade and flat roofing systems from its Horsham base in West Sussex, with product lines spanning rainscreen cladding, fascia and soffit systems, support systems, copings and through-wall solutions. Recent expansion through strategic acquisition and MCRMA membership reflects an ambitious growth trajectory and a serious commitment to leading its sector.

Reporting to the Head of Technical, you will own the process from customer order placement through to manufacture release. This is a role for someone who wants their name against real projects, works comfortably across the full technical cycle, and is ready to take the next step into leading a design function.

Design Manager Salary & Benefits

Salary: £45,000 to £55,000 (DOE)
22 Days Holiday Plus Birthday and Bank Holidays
Ability to Purchase Additional Holiday
Medicash Health Benefit
Company Pension Scheme
Modern Horsham office, close to transport links
Ongoing training and development within an established specialist
Established family-founded business with over 50 years of trading history

Design Manager Job Overview

Accept overall responsibility for design on assigned projects, reporting to the Head of Technical
Oversee the process from customer order placement through to manufacture release
Deliver Approval, Construction Issue, Production and Installation drawings and documents
Ensure robust, cost efficient and buildable design solutions are adopted
Interpret architectural drawings and specifications to deliver compliant, buildable facade solutions
Coordinate in detail with customer designers and interfacing trades
Ensure designs meet UK Building Regulations, CWCT standards, fire and wind loading requirements, and site-specific engineering criteria
Check drawings and production information for accuracy and compliance
Manage outsourced and internal designers to hit quality standards and programme expectations
Proactively manage drawing issue, RFIs and comment response tracker
Liaise with the outsourced structural engineer to ensure designs are checked, verified and supported by engineering reports
Undertake hands-on design and drawing tasks where appropriate using AutoCAD, Revit and 3D CAD such as SolidWorks or Inventor

Design Manager Requirements

5+ years' experience within facade or architectural cladding industry
Proven ability to develop detailed component-level designs for metal cladding systems including aluminium, steel and rainscreen
Good understanding of structural principles in facade design including wind loads, bracket design, load transfer and thermal expansion
Familiarity with CWCT guidance, BS EN standards, UK Building Regulations and CDM Regulations as they apply to facades
2D AutoCAD proficient with working 3D CAD knowledge in SolidWorks or Inventor
Ability to use a range of IT packages including Microsoft Office and ERP systems
Self-motivated, well organised and proactive
Effective team player with good leadership qualities
Commercial awareness and strong attention to detail
Excellent problem-solving skills and clear written and verbal communication

What Makes This Opportunity Different?

A genuine progression role for an experienced facade designer moving into design management, with real ownership of projects from order to manufacture release
Join a total building envelope specialist with over 50 years of heritage and a clear growth trajectory following recent acquisition activity
Work on complex facade schemes that others avoid, from bespoke rainscreen solutions to landmark projects
MCRMA member with strong technical standing across rainscreen, fascia and soffit, support systems and flat roofing
Manage both in-house and outsourced designers, giving you leadership exposure alongside hands-on technical work
Established family-founded business with a genuine people-first culture and a track record of long-term employment

Bennett & Game Recruitment are acting as a Recruitment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Bennett and Game Recruitment are a multi-disciplined technical recruitment agency based in Chichester, West Sussex operating across the UK with specialist teams covering a range of industries.

We are acting as a Recruitment Agency in relation to this vacancy, and in accordance with GDPR by applying you are granting us consent to process your data, contact you about the services we offer, and submit your CV for the role you have applied for
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