Building Regulations Principal Designer
Posted
Summary
A hands-on, client-facing Building Regulations Principal Designer in Harmony Fire's construction safety consultancy: leading Gateway 2 applications for higher-risk buildings and guiding internal and client design teams on compliance with Building Regulations as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022. Core expertise spans building control, HRB compliance, and CDM/principal designer duties.
Harmony is on a mission to be the best life safety partner to work with and for. Rated an ‘Outstanding Employer’ by Best Companies in 2025, we are only getting bigger and stronger — and we’re looking for A-players to help us get there.
We are passionate about making a difference and obsessed with quality. Our goal is to build a world where every resident can sleep safely at night, knowing their home is 100% safe.
The Building Safety Act 2022 has fundamentally changed the obligations placed on designers and principal designers across the construction industry. Gateway 2 applications, higher-risk building compliance, and the duties placed on design teams demand a level of regulatory oversight that is now a legal requirement — not an optional extra. Harmony Fire’s Consultancy team is a dedicated construction safety, CDM, and Building Safety Act practice with a strong reputation across the residential and NHS estate sectors, and we are looking for a Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD) to fulfil this mission-critical function.
Reporting to the Principal Fire Engineer and working closely with our internal pre-construction teams, facade engineers, and fire and structural engineering colleagues, you will provide the technical and regulatory oversight that ensures our clients and their design teams meet their obligations as designers and principal designers under the revised Building Regulations. This is a hands-on, client-facing role at the heart of some of the most significant building safety programmes in the UK.
We are passionate about making a difference and obsessed with quality. Our goal is to build a world where every resident can sleep safely at night, knowing their home is 100% safe.
The Building Safety Act 2022 has fundamentally changed the obligations placed on designers and principal designers across the construction industry. Gateway 2 applications, higher-risk building compliance, and the duties placed on design teams demand a level of regulatory oversight that is now a legal requirement — not an optional extra. Harmony Fire’s Consultancy team is a dedicated construction safety, CDM, and Building Safety Act practice with a strong reputation across the residential and NHS estate sectors, and we are looking for a Building Regulations Principal Designer (BRPD) to fulfil this mission-critical function.
Reporting to the Principal Fire Engineer and working closely with our internal pre-construction teams, facade engineers, and fire and structural engineering colleagues, you will provide the technical and regulatory oversight that ensures our clients and their design teams meet their obligations as designers and principal designers under the revised Building Regulations. This is a hands-on, client-facing role at the heart of some of the most significant building safety programmes in the UK.
- Provide guidance and support to internal pre-construction teams, facade engineers, and fire and structural engineering colleagues in fulfilling their designer and principal designer responsibilities under the Building Regulations for both HRB (Higher-Risk Building) and non-HRB projects.
- Lead and manage Gateway 2 applications for higher-risk buildings, ensuring all required documentation, design compliance evidence, and regulatory submissions are accurate, complete, and delivered on time.
- Develop, implement, and manage processes, strategies, and documentation to demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022.
- Address Building Regulations design queries from internal teams and clients, actively contributing to collaborative, solution-focused outcomes where compliance and buildability are both maintained.
- Review design information and technical documentation to identify and flag Building Regulations compliance risks at the earliest possible stage.
- Support pre-construction teams in structuring their design management approach to meet BRPD obligations, providing practical guidance on documentation requirements and compliance evidence.
- Liaise with Building Control Bodies (BCBs), Registered Building Inspectors, and the Building Safety Regulator as required on behalf of clients and internal teams.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Building Regulations, the Building Safety Act 2022, associated secondary legislation, and guidance, ensuring Harmony’s approach remains current and compliant.
- Contribute to the development of Harmony’s BRPD methodology, templates, and standard documentation, supporting the growth of this function across the consultancy.
- Represent Harmony in client-facing meetings, design team reviews, and regulatory discussions, presenting compliance positions clearly and credibly.
- An A-player mindset — high standards, extreme ownership and the drive to do things properly, the first time.
- Proven experience in a building control, building inspector, facade engineering, or principal designer role, with a strong working knowledge of Building Regulations and the obligations placed on designers and principal designers.
- Deep knowledge and understanding of the Building Regulations as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022 — including the Gateway regime, HRB requirements, and the duties placed on dutyholders throughout the design process.
- Experience managing or supporting Gateway 2 applications, or a thorough understanding of the process and documentation requirements.
- Ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical guidance for design teams and pre-construction colleagues.
- Experience working across residential, social housing, or NHS estate projects (preferable).
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills — able to produce clear, well structured compliance documentation and present technical positions confidently to clients and regulators.
- Strong stakeholder management skills — credible and authoritative with clients, design teams, and regulatory bodies.
- Degree or MSc in a construction-related field, building control, or building inspector discipline.
- Accreditation or membership with RIBA, RICS, CABE, or a relevant professional body (preferable).
This is a chance to take on a mission-critical role at one of the UK’s most respected construction safety and building safety consultancies — working at the leading edge of Building Safety Act implementation, Gateway 2 applications, and higher-risk building compliance, alongside fire engineers, facade engineers, and structural specialists on some of the most significant building safety programmes in the country. At Harmony, we ask a lot — and we give a lot back. The hours are real, the standards are high and the work is demanding, but for those who show up, deliver and go the extra mile, the rewards follow. A-players here enjoy a competitive salary, a Personal Development Plan with ongoing training and mentoring, unlimited holiday, a bonus scheme paying up to 50% of annual salary, enhanced maternity and paternity, lunch, snacks and refreshments on us every day (fresh fruit and Takeaway Friday included), a team social budget, cycle to work, an auto-enrolment pension, two major company events a year and our Reward and Recognition scheme — including European mini-breaks for those who go above and beyond. It is a collaborative, high-energy environment focused on doing things the right way — and none of it is a perk for showing up; it’s what we share with the people pulling the business forward.
Harmony is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment regardless of age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief. We want everyone who works with us to feel valued and to make a difference.
Harmony is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment regardless of age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief. We want everyone who works with us to feel valued and to make a difference.