Senior Design Manager

Senior Design Manager - Bristol
Location: Bristol
Salary: £70,000 - £80,000 + Package
Sectors: Commercial | Accommodation | Leisure | Industrial

A well‑established main contractor with a group turnover of over £500 million is looking for a Senior Design Manager to join its Bristol team. The regional office currently delivers around £80-90 million of work each year and has clear plans to grow toward the £200 million mark as the team expands.

This is an important hire for the business and a chance to play a real part in shaping how the region develops. You'll be working closely with a locally based Head of Design, supporting live projects while also getting involved in preconstruction, process improvements and helping to strengthen the design function as the office grows.
The team delivers new‑build schemes across commercial, accommodation, leisure and industrial sectors, typically ranging between £10m and

The Role
You will take a leading position within the regional design function, managing the design process across preconstruction and delivery phases. Alongside the Head of Design, you'll help drive technical excellence, oversee consultant coordination and ensure buildable, cost-efficient solutions are developed for each project.
This is both a delivery and regional development role, ideal for someone who enjoys taking ownership, mentoring junior team members and contributing to a growing business.

Key Responsibilities

Lead design coordination on new-build schemes ranging from £10m-£70m
Manage the full design process from tender stage through to handover
Drive consultant management, ensuring clear information flow and programme alignment
Oversee technical reviews, buildability assessments and value engineering
Support preconstruction teams with bid writing, tender submissions and technical clarifications
Chair design workshops, DTM meetings and coordination sessions
Collaborate closely with commercial, planning and operations leads
Ensure design compliance across building regulations, planning conditions and client specifications
Work with the Head of Design to strengthen regional design processes and technical capability
Mentor junior design staff and contribute to team growth

Ideal Candidate

Established Senior Design Manager or strong Design Manager ready to step up
Experience working for a main contractor on complex new-build schemes £10m+
Strong technical grounding across structures, envelope and MEP coordination
Confident managing multiple consultants and design packages
Comfortable working across several sectors (commercial, industrial, accommodation, leisure)
Highly organised, proactive and confident in client-facing environments
Someone who wants to help influence and grow a regional business
Based in or able to commute to - Bristol and wider South West projects

What's on Offer

£70,000 - £80,000 salary + competitive package
Opportunity to help shape and grow an ambitious Bristol region
Pipeline of diverse, high-quality projects from £10m-£70m
Strong technical leadership from a locally based Head of Design
Genuine progression within a large, well-supported national group
Modern, collaborative working environment with forward-thinking processes
Access to major frameworks and long-term regional workload

How to Apply
If you're interested in this opportunity, please apply via the link or contact James Mitchell for a confidential conversation.
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