Senior Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Manager

Company: Built Australia

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Construction Management / Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-25

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical for bridging the gap between design intent and construction reality, ensuring seamless project delivery.

• Focuses on proactive design coordination, risk identification, and stakeholder engagement to maintain project timelines and quality standards.

• Requires a strong technical judgment to balance design requirements with commercial, programme, and buildability considerations.

• Drives efficiency and safety through rigorous review of design documentation and participation in value and safety initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the construction industry, but its core function of managing design information flow, stakeholder alignment, and documentation review aligns closely with operational management principles found in Revenue Operations and GTM functions. The emphasis on translating requirements into actionable plans, managing cross-functional inputs, and ensuring timely delivery of critical information are transferable skills highly valued in operations roles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Translate client requirements, consultant inputs, and project constraints into a clear and executable design pathway for project delivery teams.

• Lead and manage comprehensive design coordination efforts across a diverse range of stakeholders, including architects, engineers, services consultants, local authorities, subcontractors, and specialist advisors.

• Ensure design milestones are meticulously aligned with procurement schedules and construction activities, providing project teams with necessary information ahead of critical decision points.

• Conduct thorough reviews of design documentation, assessing against time, cost, quality, compliance, and buildability criteria to proactively identify and mitigate risks, gaps, and opportunities.

• Support and actively participate in design reviews, value management workshops, and Safety in Design processes to enhance project outcomes for clients, end-users, and delivery teams.

• Foster a collaborative environment where design challenges are addressed early and effectively, ensuring clarity and confidence for construction teams.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design management processes and documentation workflows within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive and integrated approach to design management, mirroring the strategic and operational demands of a Senior Revenue Operations Manager or Sales Operations Manager. The need to align diverse inputs (client requirements, consultant inputs) with project constraints and deliver a clear "pathway" is analogous to aligning sales strategy with market conditions and internal capabilities. The review of documentation against multiple criteria (time, cost, quality, compliance, buildability) is akin to operational performance analysis and risk assessment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Relevant qualification in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

• Bachelor's degree is typically required, with advanced degrees or professional certifications being a strong asset. Experience:

• Proven experience in coordinating design deliverables on construction projects, with a preference for experience within a Design and Construct or Main Contractor environment.

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex project timelines, procurement cycles, and design documentation workflows.

• Experience in leading cross-functional teams and engaging effectively with diverse stakeholders. Required Skills:

• Design Coordination: Expertise in orchestrating the efforts of multiple design disciplines to achieve project objectives.

• Construction Management Fundamentals: Solid understanding of construction staging, procurement processes, and regulatory approvals.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to engage confidently and effectively with clients, consultants, authorities, subcontractors, and internal delivery teams.

• Documentation Review: Skill in critically assessing design documents for risks, gaps, and opportunities across multiple dimensions (time, cost, quality, compliance, buildability).

• Communication & Planning: Strong verbal and written communication, with excellent planning and organizational capabilities to translate complexity into clear, actionable steps.

• Problem-Solving: Demonstrated ability to identify issues, analyze root causes, and develop practical solutions that balance competing priorities.

Preferred Skills:

• Safety in Design: Familiarity with and application of Safety in Design principles and processes.

• Value Management: Experience in facilitating or participating in value management initiatives to optimize project outcomes.

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in using modern digital platforms for design collaboration and document management.

• Risk Management: Advanced understanding of construction project risk identification and mitigation strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the listed skills are construction-specific, the underlying competencies—coordination, stakeholder management, documentation review, planning, problem-solving, and risk assessment—are core to any senior operations role. A candidate for a Senior RevOps or Sales Ops role would need to demonstrate equivalent skills in areas like CRM data management, sales process optimization, cross-functional alignment, and performance analytics.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex construction projects where you played a key role in design coordination and delivery.

• For each project, clearly articulate your specific responsibilities, the challenges encountered, and the solutions implemented.

• Highlight examples of design documentation review processes and how you identified and mitigated risks.

• Include evidence of how you translated client requirements and project constraints into actionable design pathways.

• Demonstrate your ability to manage design information flow and ensure alignment with procurement and construction timelines. Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of your approach to developing and managing design coordination processes, including workflow diagrams or process maps.

• Showcase how you have documented and communicated design milestones and critical decision points to project teams.

• Include case studies illustrating how you have supported value management or Safety in Design initiatives through process implementation.

• Demonstrate your methods for reviewing and improving design documentation workflows for efficiency and accuracy.

📝 Enhancement Note: Operations professionals are often required to build a "portfolio" of process improvements, system implementations, and data-driven insights. This section translates that expectation into a construction design context. Candidates should be prepared to present detailed case studies that demonstrate their strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and quantifiable impact on project outcomes, much like an operations candidate would present on revenue growth, sales efficiency, or process optimization.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Design Managers in London with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is £70,000 - £95,000 per annum. This estimate considers the cost of living in London, the responsibilities of the role, and the company's positioning as a leading construction firm. Benefits:

• Comprehensive professional development opportunities, including training and potential for further certifications.

• Wellbeing support programs designed to promote a healthy work-life balance.

• Exposure to a diverse range of large-scale and impactful construction projects.

• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge digital solutions and innovative construction methods.

• Collaborative work environment with talented and driven professionals.

• Potential for career advancement within a growing international company. Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

• Flexibility may be required to attend critical site meetings or address urgent design coordination issues outside of standard hours, reflecting the demands of active construction projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical compensation for this role in London. A candidate applying for a senior operations role in London with similar experience would likely expect a comparable salary range, potentially with bonuses and other performance-based incentives common in operations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Construction, Property Development, Infrastructure. Built Australia operates within a dynamic sector that requires robust project management, technical expertise, and strong stakeholder relationships. The company emphasizes innovation and digital solutions to deliver smarter, safer, and more efficient outcomes.

Company Size: Over 1,600 employees globally. This size indicates a well-established organization with significant project capacity and resources, offering stability and opportunities for professional growth.

Founded: Built was founded with a vision to combine Tier 1 capability with the agility of private ownership, allowing for quicker decision-making and a more responsive approach to market needs.

Team Structure:

• The Design Management function likely sits within a broader Project Delivery or Operations division.

• Reporting structure typically involves a Senior Design Manager reporting to a Project Director or Head of Design/Construction, with direct oversight of design coordinators and close collaboration with site teams, commercial managers, and project managers.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, involving close liaison with clients, external consultants (architects, engineers), subcontractors, statutory authorities, and internal commercial, procurement, safety, and delivery teams. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: While not explicitly stated as "data analysis" in the traditional operations sense, the role requires rigorous review of documentation and performance metrics (time, cost, quality, compliance, buildability) to derive insights and inform decisions.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: A core function is translating requirements into clear design pathways and ensuring documentation moves in step with programme and procurement needs, inherently involving workflow planning and optimization.

• Automation & Efficiency Practices: Built's commitment to digital solutions suggests an openness to automation and efficiency improvements in design and construction processes, which the Senior Design Manager would contribute to.

Company Website: https://www.built.com.au/ (Note: While the provided URL was null, a general search for "Built Australia" leads to this domain.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's culture emphasizes agility, innovation, and impact, which are also highly valued in operations roles. The "Tier 1 capability with agility" suggests a structured yet responsive environment, conducive to implementing and refining operational processes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Management. This level signifies a role with significant responsibility, requiring independent judgment, leadership in a specialized area, and the ability to influence project outcomes. It's a position that often serves as a stepping stone to more senior leadership roles within project delivery or operations management.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a Project Director or Head of Design/Construction, indicating a direct line into senior project leadership. This provides high visibility and the opportunity to influence strategic project decisions.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and tangible impact on the successful delivery of construction projects. By ensuring design clarity, managing risks, and aligning stakeholders, the Senior Design Manager directly influences project quality, buildability, safety, and adherence to time and cost constraints. This mirrors the impact of operations on revenue, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in construction project delivery, design management, and stakeholder relations. Develop advanced skills in risk assessment, value engineering, and compliance.

• Industry Specialization: Gain specialized knowledge in specific project types (e.g., commercial, residential, infrastructure) or technical areas.

• Leadership Development: Progress to roles such as Head of Design, Project Director, or senior operational leadership positions within Built, overseeing larger teams and more complex portfolios.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain broader understanding of commercial, procurement, and site operations through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a Senior Design Manager in construction involves deepening technical expertise and expanding leadership scope, similar to career progression in operations, where one might move from managing specific processes to overseeing entire operational functions or strategic initiatives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Built fosters a collaborative and dynamic work environment. The Senior Design Manager will likely operate from a professional office setting, potentially co-located with project teams or central management, facilitating easy communication and collaboration.

Office Location(s): London, England. This indicates a presence in a major global city, offering access to a diverse talent pool and a vibrant business ecosystem. Specific office addresses would be provided upon application.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role necessitates frequent interaction with internal teams and external consultants, promoting a collaborative workspace that encourages open communication and problem-solving.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to modern project management software, design collaboration platforms, and digital tools used by Built to enhance efficiency and project delivery.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to engage with project managers, site engineers, commercial teams, and other design professionals, fostering knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving.

Work Schedule: While primarily a standard 40-hour work week, the dynamic nature of construction projects may occasionally require flexibility to attend site visits, critical client meetings, or address urgent design coordination issues. This is typical for roles requiring hands-on involvement in project delivery phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaboration and technology in the workspace is consistent with modern operations environments, where efficient communication and access to digital tools are paramount for driving productivity and process improvement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and application by the recruitment team to assess alignment with core requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Hiring Manager (likely a senior leader in Design or Construction) to delve into your experience, technical skills, and approach to design management. Be prepared to discuss specific project examples.

• Technical/Team Interview: This may involve a panel interview with key stakeholders (e.g., Project Director, senior engineers, other design managers) to assess your technical judgment, problem-solving abilities, and ability to collaborate within a team environment.

• Case Study/Presentation: You may be asked to prepare a presentation on a past project, focusing on your role in design coordination, challenges overcome, and quantifiable outcomes. This is a key opportunity to showcase your portfolio.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final conversation with senior leadership to confirm cultural fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Projects: Organize your portfolio by project, clearly outlining the project scope, your specific role, key responsibilities, and the duration of your involvement.

• Highlight Design Coordination: Emphasize your experience in leading and managing design coordination across multiple disciplines and stakeholders. Use clear examples of how you facilitated communication and resolved conflicts.

• Showcase Problem-Solving: Detail specific design challenges you encountered and how you applied your technical judgment and problem-solving skills to find practical solutions. Quantify the impact where possible (e.g., cost savings, time efficiencies, risk mitigation).

• Demonstrate Documentation Review: Provide examples of your review process, highlighting how you identified risks, gaps, or opportunities in design documentation and the actions you took.

• Align with Company Values: Tailor your presentation to reflect Built's emphasis on innovation, safety, buildability, and client focus.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for questions that test your understanding of construction project lifecycles, procurement strategies, and common design challenges.

• Practice articulating your approach to managing competing priorities (time, cost, quality, safety).

• Develop concise explanations for complex technical issues and how you communicate them to non-technical stakeholders.

• Research Built's recent projects and company values to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and case studies is highly relevant for operations roles. Candidates should be prepared to present detailed examples of process improvements, system implementations, or data analyses that demonstrate their strategic thinking and impact on business objectives.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Project Management Software: Proficiency in industry-standard project management platforms for scheduling, task tracking, and resource allocation (e.g., Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Aconex).

• Design Collaboration Platforms: Experience with systems designed for managing and sharing design documents and models, facilitating multi-disciplinary collaboration (e.g., BIM 360, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore).

• Document Management Systems: Familiarity with systems for organizing, storing, and controlling project documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Performance Tracking Tools: Ability to track and report on key project metrics related to design progress, budget adherence, and compliance.

• Reporting Dashboards: Experience in creating or utilizing dashboards to visualize project status and key performance indicators for stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how client requirements are managed and how project information flows is analogous to CRM principles.

• Familiarity with workflow automation tools that might be used to streamline design review or approval processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, this section would detail specific CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot), marketing automation tools (Marketo, Pardot), business intelligence tools (Tableau, Power BI), and other operational software relevant to revenue generation and efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Build Differently: Embracing innovation and new ways of working to achieve superior outcomes.

• Grow with Purpose: Commitment to personal and professional development, contributing to a meaningful career.

• Thrive in a Team: Valuing collaboration, shared strengths, and mutual support to achieve exceptional results.

• Curiosity & Ownership: Encouraging proactive engagement, taking initiative, and driving projects forward with a sense of responsibility.

• Practical Problem-Solving: Focusing on delivering tangible solutions that address real-world challenges.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where design management is integrated with all facets of project delivery, requiring strong communication and relationship-building skills.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and continuous improvement of processes, including design coordination workflows.

• Knowledge Sharing: An emphasis on sharing best practices and lessons learned across projects and teams to elevate overall performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Built's values of innovation, collaboration, and ownership resonate strongly with the ideal culture for operations professionals. The emphasis on "practical problem-solving" and "building differently" aligns with the goals of operations in creating efficient, effective, and innovative business processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Competing Priorities: Effectively managing the inherent tension between design quality, construction timelines, budget constraints, and stakeholder demands.

• Navigating Complexity: Translating intricate technical designs and client requirements into clear, executable plans for diverse project teams.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Ensuring consistent understanding and buy-in from a wide array of internal and external stakeholders with potentially conflicting interests.

• Adapting to Innovation: Staying abreast of and integrating new digital solutions and construction methodologies into established design and delivery processes.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Technical Skills: Deepen expertise in areas like Building Information Modeling (BIM), sustainable construction practices, and complex engineering coordination.

• Leadership Training: Opportunities to develop leadership capabilities for managing larger teams and more strategic initiatives.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant industry events and obtaining professional certifications to enhance credentials.

• Mentorship: Access to experienced leaders within Built who can provide guidance and support for career progression.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in complex operational environments, requiring strategic thinking, adaptability, and strong interpersonal skills. The growth opportunities highlight a commitment to continuous learning and career development, crucial for retaining top talent in operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Strategy & Methodology: "Describe your approach to developing a design pathway from initial client brief to construction readiness. How do you ensure all constraints are considered?" (Prepare to discuss phased approaches, risk assessment, and stakeholder input integration.)

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "Walk me through a time you had to manage conflicting design requirements from different consultants or stakeholders. How did you achieve consensus and ensure project progress?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, and finding common ground.)

• Problem-Solving & Efficiency: "Describe a situation where a design issue threatened to derail a project timeline or budget. What was your process for identifying the issue, proposing a solution, and implementing it efficiently?" (Use the STAR method to detail a specific example showcasing your analytical and problem-solving skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Built Australia, and how do your values align with our emphasis on innovation and building differently?" (Research Built's recent projects, company ethos, and articulate specific points of connection.)

• "How do you foster collaboration within a project team, especially when dealing with diverse expertise and perspectives?" (Discuss your communication style, methods for building rapport, and conflict resolution.)

• "How do you measure the success of your design management efforts beyond just project completion?" (Consider metrics like buildability improvements, safety record, client satisfaction, and cost efficiency.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Impact-Driven Narratives: For each project, focus on the "what," "how," and "so what." Clearly state the problem, your actions, and the quantifiable results or impact.

• Visual Aids: Utilize clear diagrams, flowcharts, or visual representations of your design coordination process or problem-solving steps. If possible, include redacted sample documents.

• Concise & Focused: Be prepared to present your key projects within a defined timeframe, highlighting the most relevant aspects for the role.

• Engage Your Audience: Make it a conversation rather than a monologue. Be ready to answer questions about your decision-making process and rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for these types of questions involves demonstrating not just technical knowledge but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and alignment with the company's operational philosophy. For operations candidates, this means preparing examples of process optimization, system implementation successes, and data-driven strategic recommendations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Built Australia careers page.

• Tailor Your CV: Highlight experience in design coordination, stakeholder management, and project delivery within construction environments. Use keywords from the job description such as "design coordination," "buildability," "procurement," and "compliance."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate your strongest projects that demonstrate your ability to manage design information flow, resolve complex issues, and contribute to efficient project delivery. Focus on quantifiable achievements and clear articulation of your role.

• Research Built Australia: Understand their company values, recent projects, and approach to innovation. Prepare to discuss how your skills and experience align with their strategic objectives.

• Practice Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common interview questions, focusing on using the STAR method for behavioral questions and preparing specific examples that showcase your problem-solving and leadership capabilities.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.