Design Manager - Permanent
Client: Tier 1 Main Contractor
Salary: £60,000-£65,000 + Car / Car Allowance DOE NEG
Location: Office base in Derby
Project: DfE Schools - Birmingham, West Midlands

The Company
We're recruiting on behalf of a highly regarded, Tier 1 main contractor with a strong national presence and an excellent reputation for delivering complex, high-value education and public sector schemes (amongst others). This is a business that invests in its people, offers genuine long-term career development, and has a well-established pipeline of DfE-funded work.

The Role
An immediate requirement has arisen for a Design Manager to join the team on a landmark £60m new build school project in the Birmingham, West Midlands region. You will be the sole design lead on the project, working closely with and supported by a Senior Design Manager and a Regional Design Manager. This is a hands-on, client-facing role where you'll own the design process from pre-construction through to completion.

Base location is the Derby office. The expected working pattern is approximately 3 days per week on site in the West Midlands, 1 day per week in the Derby office, with potential for 1 day working from home once you're settled and performing — though this is not a contractual guarantee. Candidates must be comfortable with regular travel between Derby and the site in West Midlands and should not apply if they are unable to commit to the Derby office base.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage the design process on a large-scale DfE school project
Coordinate with design consultants, the client team and internal stakeholders
Manage RFIs, design information schedules and drawing registers
Identify and resolve design risk, clashes and buildability issues
Support pre-construction and procurement activities as required
Report into Senior and Regional Design Management as part of a wider support structure

What We're Looking For

Proven experience as a Design Manager on large-scale main contractor projects
Recent, demonstrable DfE school project experience is a strong preference and will be a key differentiator in the selection process — please highlight this clearly in your application
Comfortable operating as the lead design contact on a project with senior support
Able and willing to be based from a Derby office with regular travel to a Birmingham, West Midlands region site (essential)
Strong communication, coordination and stakeholder management skills
Degree or HND in a relevant construction or engineering discipline preferred
You must be happy to provide verifiable work references

Don't have DfE school experience? We work with a number of leading main contractors on a variety of design management roles nationwide — if you're an experienced Design Manager looking for your next opportunity, we'd still love to hear from you.
The Package

Salary: £60,000 - £65,000 (dependent on experience)
Car allowance or company car
Permanent position with an established, financially stable contractor

How to Apply
If you have strong DfE education sector experience and are looking to join a leading Tier 1 contractor on a high-profile school programme, we'd love to hear from you. Please apply with your up-to-date CV and contact details (including postcode) and we will be in touch

Kingdom Search Limited is acting as a recruitment consultancy on behalf of our client. All applications are treated in strict confidence

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Design Manager - Construction - Midlands (DfE Schools)