Job Description

Freelance Design Manager - Prison Construction Project

Location: Bath
Contract Type: Freelance / Contract
Duration: 6-12 Months
Rate: Competitive Day Rate (DOE)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Design Manager to join a major prison construction project based near Bath. This role offers the chance to work on a complex and high-profile scheme, managing the design process through key stages of delivery and ensuring the successful coordination of multidisciplinary design teams.

This position would suit a Design Manager with experience delivering large-scale public sector, custodial, healthcare, defence, infrastructure, or other technically complex construction projects.

• Lead and manage the design process throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate consultants, subcontractors, and project stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of design information.
• Review design documentation for quality, compliance, buildability, and programme requirements.
• Manage design deliverables and monitor progress against project milestones.
• Identify and mitigate design-related risks and coordinate solutions to technical challenges.
• Facilitate design workshops and coordination meetings.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, project specifications, and relevant regulations.
• Support construction teams with technical design queries and change management processes.

• Proven experience working as a Design Manager on major construction projects.
• Strong understanding of design coordination, project delivery, and construction processes.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Ability to work collaboratively with site, commercial, and client teams.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience on secure, public sector, healthcare, defence, custodial, or similarly complex projects would be advantageous.

• Freelance contract for an initial 6-12 month period.
• Opportunity to contribute to a significant and nationally important construction project.
• Long-term project pipeline with potential for extension.
• Competitive day rate based on experience.
• Site-based role near Bath with immediate or short-notice starts considered.

If you have a strong background in design management and are looking for your next freelance opportunity on a major project, we would like to hear from you. Please submit your CV along with details of your availability and relevant project experience.