Senior Design Manager

Overview

John Sisk & Son have an opportunity for Senior Design Manager to join our large residential project in Manchester.

The Senior Design Manager is accountable for leading and coordinating the design process on complex projects, ensuring that design solutions are compliant, deliverable and aligned with client, statutory and contractual requirements. The role manages internal and external design resources, providing leadership, guidance and assurance throughout pre-construction and delivery stages. The Senior Design Manager works closely with Principal Design Managers, Technical Advisors, project teams and stakeholders to deliver technically robust and commercially viable design outcomes.

This includes ensuring effective integration of health and safety, sustainability and buildability across all design stages.

John Sisk & Son have been building excellence as a family‑owned international construction company by offering trust, certainty and value to our clients whilst being at the heart of change.

Design Leadership

• Lead the design management process on allocated projects from pre‑construction through delivery.

• Develop and manage project design programmes, ensuring deliverables are met in line with contract requirements.

• Manage design risks, identifying issues early and implementing mitigation strategies.

• Ensure design outputs are fully coordinated, buildable and cost effective.

Coordination and Integration

• Oversee the coordination of consultants, subcontractors and supply chain partners.

• Ensure integration of health and safety requirements, sustainability targets and technical standards into design solutions.

• Manage design change control, ensuring impacts on programme, cost and risk are assessed and communicated.

• Support the implementation of MMC, digital engineering and innovative solutions in line with project strategy.

Team Development

• Support continuous improvement in design management processes and tools.

• Provide guidance, mentoring and coaching to Design Managers, Assistant Design Managers and Graduate Design Coordinators.

• Contribute to the development of best practice, lessons learnt and technical knowledge sharing across the business.

Quality and Compliance

• Review design documentation for statutory compliance, technical accuracy and alignment with client specifications.

• Ensure that residual design risks are identified, recorded and addressed.

• Lead technical design reviews, value engineering workshops and design team meetings.

• Support the Principal Design Manager and Technical Advisor in achieving design quality and assurance targets.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact for clients, design consultants, statutory authorities and internal teams on design matters.

• Present design solutions and progress to clients, project teams and senior leadership.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with external consultants and the wider supply chain.

• Extensive experience in design management within construction or a related sector.

• Proven track record of leading the design process on large‑scale or complex projects.

• Strong knowledge of building regulations, statutory requirements and industry standards.

• Experience in integrating health and safety, sustainability and MMC into design delivery.

• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong problem‑solving, planning and decision‑making capability.

• Leadership skills with the ability to develop and mentor junior staff.

• Residential experience over 20 storeys

• Concrete frame experience

• BSA experience of GW2 ideal

• Strong knowledge of BRs specifically fire and acoustics

• Dalux experience beneficial

• Experience of managing a small team (2-3)

Required

• Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management or related discipline.

• Minimum 8–10 years’ experience in design management roles within Tier 1 or equivalent projects.

• In‑depth knowledge of design processes, compliance requirements and risk management.

Desirable

• Professional membership of RIBA, CIOB, Engineers Ireland or equivalent institution.

• Training in BIM, digital engineering or MMC.

• Postgraduate qualification in sustainable design, project…