Location: Central London
Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience
Reports To: Head of Design / Project Director
About the Company
Our client is a leading Tier One commercial fit out and refurbishment contractor, delivering high-quality projects across corporate interiors, healthcare, education, financial, technology, hospitality, retail, and life sciences sectors. With a Turnover of approximately £100m, the company is growing rapidly, with an expanding project pipeline and a strong focus on employee development.
They pride themselves on providing structured career progression, hands-on training, and opportunities for ambitious individuals to take on greater responsibility across a range of projects.
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead design management for commercial fit out and refurbishment projects up to £80M. The role is critical in ensuring design quality, client satisfaction, and seamless coordination between design and construction teams.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and manage the design process from concept to completion, ensuring alignment with client requirements, budget, and programme.
- Collaborate closely with clients, architects, engineers, consultants, and internal teams to develop innovative and practical design solutions.
- Review, coordinate, and approve design submissions, ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and quality standards.
- Manage design risk, proactively identifying and mitigating potential issues early in the project lifecycle.
- Oversee multidisciplinary design teams, promoting collaboration, efficiency, and delivery of high-quality outputs.
- Monitor and control design budgets, resources, and schedules, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
- Support preconstruction teams with feasibility studies, value engineering, and client presentations.
- Maintain clear and effective communication with all stakeholders, providing regular updates on design progress and challenges.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the design team.
Project Experience:
The successful candidate will have experience across a wide range of fit out and refurbishment projects, including:
- High-value projects up to £285M
- Large commercial fit outs in the £50M–£120M range
- Mid-sized projects around £20M–£40M
- Smaller office or retail fit outs typically between £1M–£10M
Requirements:
- Proven experience as a Design Manager or Senior Design professional on commercial fit out/refurbishment projects.
- Strong technical knowledge across MEP, architecture, and interior design disciplines.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Track record of delivering projects to high standards of quality, on time, and within budget.
- Proficiency in design software and BIM coordination processes.
- Strong understanding of UK building regulations, health & safety, and quality standards.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Why Join Us:
- Work on a variety of high-profile and diverse projects, from multi-million-pound fit outs to smaller refurbishment schemes.
- Structured career development with mentorship and training opportunities.
- Take on greater responsibility in a fast-growing, dynamic company.
- Collaborative and supportive working culture, with a focus on innovation and quality.
