Senior Design Manager

Galliford Try
Full-time•Guildford, United Kingdom

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Manager

Company: Galliford Try

Location: Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time, Fixed Term Contract

Category: Design Management / Construction Operations

Date Posted: 2026-07-30

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

  • Lead and manage the design process for construction projects, ensuring efficient development and delivery of designs from bid stage through to project completion.

  • Oversee key relationships with clients, subcontractors, and internal project teams, fostering collaboration and clear communication to drive project success.

  • Ensure strict adherence to Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) regulations, with a particular focus on CDM 2015 compliance and the principle of prevention in design.

  • Proactively identify and mitigate design risks while capitalizing on opportunities to enhance project outcomes, ensuring commercial viability and quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Design Manager, implying a significant level of responsibility for design strategy, execution, and team leadership within construction projects. The fixed-term nature suggests a project-driven need, likely for a substantial development or infrastructure project Galliford Try is undertaking.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Manage client relationships, ensuring design deliverables meet expectations and contractual requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

  • Lead the selection and appointment of design consultants, conducting thorough competency checks and managing their performance and fee schedules.

  • Develop, monitor, and report on comprehensive design programmes, including Information Release Schedules, to track progress, quality, and potential deviations.

  • Oversee and manage statutory and third-party processes, including planning applications, building control submissions, and environmental certifications like BREEAM.

  • Conduct regular site inspections to verify that the constructed product aligns with the approved design criteria and quality standards, identifying and rectifying any discrepancies.

  • Implement and enforce the Galliford Try Building Management System to ensure consistent and high-quality design processes across all projects.

  • Apply and monitor compliance with CDM 2015 regulations, integrating safety-by-design principles and risk mitigation strategies into all design development phases.

  • Collaborate closely with the Planning team to align design programmes with overall project schedules, ensuring constructability and efficient sequencing.

  • Manage the design change process, assessing commercial implications and

Application Requirements

Candidates must have extensive experience and knowledge of CDM 2015 and the ability to interpret complex design and construction programmes. Strong communication skills, commercial acumen, and the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders are essential for this role.