Job Description

Freelance Design Manager

Main Contracting Construction

Birmingham, West Midlands

Remuneration: £340 - £420 / day DOE Freelance / Temporary Role Duration: 8 - 12 weeks minimum Immediate Start

The Company

You will be working for an established & successful main contractor that have continued to grow from strength to strength in the current environment. They have won work in multiple sectors through competitive tenders and the negotiation of contracts. Sectors of work include Education, Care, Student Accommodation, Leisure and Commercial works. They are now seeking a Freelance Design Manager to join their team on a permanent basis.


The Role

This is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in a high-profile scheme, supporting a leading project team through the delivery phases of an office to student accommodation conversion scheme including the addition of an extra flooe in Banbury.

The successful candidate will work alongside a Senior Project Manager and site team to ensure the smooth coordination of all design information, manage third-party interfaces, and support the compliance, technical, and programme aspects of design delivery.

The role will involve liaising with clients on multiple elements of the role and be able to demonstrate excellent problem solving skills.

Responsibilites will include:

• Track and monitor the design programme and Information Release Schedule (IRS)
• Audit design documentation to ensure drawings and specifications align with the brief and project standards
• Conduct initial coordination checks of new information issued by consultants
• Support the closure of Building Control actions with consultants and internal teams
• Assist in tracking the discharge of planning conditions with relevant consultants
• Liaise closely with third parties such as Network Rail, undertaking associated coordination duties
• Provide general design coordination, supporting updates to design and contract information pre-construction and during build
• Attend and contribute to project meetings, including taking minutes when required
• Assist in the compilation and tracking of BREEAM documentation and attend BREEAM-related meetings
• Track and coordinate Technical Submissions and consultant responses alongside the DesignManager
• Track and coordinate RFIs with the DesignManager, ensuring timely responses and accurate records
• Communicate with the CDM/Principal Designer to ensure design information meets health and safety compliance standards
• Liaise with the Document Controller to ensure drawings, specifications, and design information are correctly managed and distributed
• Maintain and support company standard procedures for document control and design coordination
• Apply a working knowledge of substructure, superstructure, civils, envelope, M&E, and internal fit-out packages
• Attend / lead Design Team Meetings (DTMs) and coordination meetings, contributing to the resolution of design issues and action tracking

What you'll need to succeed:

You will have a good technical understanding of drawings and experience of managing design resource. You will have a strong main contracting background managing construction projects ideally in the Care, Education, Student Accommodation and Commercial sectors.

• Prior experience as a Design Manager with a main contractor
• Strong understanding of multi-disciplinary design coordination, ideally on student accommodation, industrial, commercial or other complex build schemes
• Excellent attention to detail and proactive approach to managing design deliverables
• Familiar with planning, Building Control, BREEAM, and CDM requirements
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with experience liaising with consultants, third parties, and internal teams
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines
• Confident using document control platforms and tracking tools (e.g., Viewpoint, Asite, or similar)
• Able to interpret technical drawings and specifications across all major construction packages

Experience in a similar role, preferably with a Main contractor

A proven track record of undertaking Design Manager duties at both tender and construction stages.

Design and Build experience

Excellent communication skills, both at the personal level and more formal reporting level

Projects will vary in value from £3m - £18m

Salary and Benefits:

On offer is a day rate of up to £420 DOE.

Please contact Scott Merrell on (phone number removed) or email to (url removed)?

We act as an Employment Agency/Business with regards to this vacancy. As an Equal Opportunities employer we welcome applications regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or age. All applicants are considered on the basis of their merits and abilities for the job.