Senior Design Manager

Design Manager – Fit Out & Refurbishment Location: London (with occasional site visits as required) Salary: Competitive + Package (Bonus, Travel Allowance, Pension, Healthcare) Project Value: Up to £8m The Company Our client is a leading £500m turnover main contractor, specialising in high-quality fit-out and refurbishment works across the UK. Operating across both public and private sectors, they have built a strong reputation for delivering technically challenging Cat A and Cat B projects with a focus on quality, consistency, and client satisfaction. Due to continued success and a robust pipeline of secured projects, they are seeking an experienced and proactive Design Manager to join their expanding team. This role offers the opportunity to manage end-to-end design coordination on fit-out schemes up to £8m, primarily within the education and commercial office sectors. The Role As Design Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the design process from pre-construction through to handover. You will work closely with clients, consultants, subcontractors, and internal project teams to ensure all design information is accurately developed, coordinated, and delivered in line with project timelines, budgets, and compliance requirements. Key Responsibilities Manage and coordinate all design activities across multiple Cat A & Cat B fit-out and refurbishment projects. Act as the key liaison between clients, architects, consultants, subcontractors, and internal teams to ensure efficient communication and collaboration. Lead design meetings, workshops, and coordination reviews. Review and monitor design deliverables to ensure compliance with ERs, statutory regulations, quality standards, and buildability requirements. Manage the flow of design information to support procurement and construction programmes. Identify and mitigate design risks and interface issues across disciplines (architecture, structure, MEP). Support the pre-construction team during tenders, including the review of Employers’ Requirements and input into Contractor’s Proposals. Produce and manage design trackers, design programmes, and submittal logs. Ensure all design outputs meet project milestones and integrate fully with procurement and delivery stages. Coordinate with Building Control, Planning Authorities, and Fire Consultants to achieve statutory approvals. Manage changes during construction to preserve design intent and minimise impact on programme and cost. Project Examples Office Fit Out: £7.5m Cat B scheme for a global financial services client, including open-plan workspace, collaboration zones, meeting rooms, and high-spec finishes. Education Refurbishment: £6.8m phased upgrade of teaching facilities, science labs, and communal areas within a live secondary school environment. Candidate Profile To succeed in this role, you should have the following: Previous experience as a Design Manager on Cat A and Cat B fit-out/refurbishment projects, ideally within the education or commercial sectors. Solid technical understanding of design processes, building systems, and construction methods. Strong coordination skills across architectural, structural, and MEP disciplines. Familiarity with UK building regulations, fire strategy, and planning requirements. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, design deadlines, and technical deliverables. A proactive and solution-focused mindset with high attention to detail. Background in architecture, building services engineering, or construction management is advantageous. Exposure to technically challenging, fast-paced projects