Lead Design Manager
Description
Job Purpose
To lead and manage the design process across major projects, ensuring coordinated, technically compliant, commercially viable, and high-quality design solutions are delivered in accordance with project objectives, budgets, programmes, and regulatory requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the end-to-end design management process from concept and design development through detailed design, construction, and project handover.
Develop and implement project design strategies, design programmes, deliverable schedules, and management plans.
Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams including architectural, structural, MEP, landscape, infrastructure, and specialist consultants.
Manage external design consultants and monitor performance against contractual scope, deliverables, programme, budget, and quality requirements.
Review design submissions, drawings, specifications, reports, and technical documentation to ensure compliance with project requirements.
Ensure effective coordination and integration between all design disciplines and identify and resolve design conflicts and interface issues.
Monitor design progress against approved programmes and ensure key design milestones and deliverables are achieved.
Lead design review meetings, technical workshops, coordination meetings, and design presentations with consultants and key stakeholders.
Coordinate closely with Project Management, Technical, Commercial, Procurement, Construction, BIM, and other project functions throughout the design process.
Ensure design solutions comply with applicable UAE regulations, authority requirements, building codes, technical standards, and project specifications.
Coordinate with Stakeholder and Authority teams to facilitate design-related approvals, permits, and NOCs.
Lead value engineering initiatives to optimize design, cost, constructability, operational performance, and lifecycle value without compromising project objectives.
Manage design changes and assess their potential impact on project scope, programme, cost, quality, and construction.
Identify design-related risks, constraints, and dependencies and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are implemented.
Support procurement and tendering activities through preparation and review of design scopes, technical requirements, tender documentation, and technical evaluations.
Provide design support during construction and facilitate timely resolution of RFIs, design clarifications, technical queries, and site-related design issues.
Ensure design documentation is appropriately controlled and coordinated through BIM and Common Data Environment processes.
Support testing, commissioning, handover, and project close-out activities from a design perspective.
Provide leadership, guidance, and mentoring to Design Managers and other members of the design team.
Prepare regular design progress reports and provide updates on key risks, decisions, approvals, and outstanding matters to project leadership.
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, or a related design discipline.
Master’s degree or relevant professional accreditation would be an advantage.
Minimum 12–15 years of relevant design and design management experience, including significant experience leading multidisciplinary design teams on large-scale and complex projects.
Strong experience within real estate development, construction, infrastructure, or major project environments.
Proven experience managing design consultants through concept, detailed design, construction, and handover stages.
Strong understanding of multidisciplinary design coordination, constructability, value engineering, BIM, and design governance.
Good knowledge of UAE building regulations, authority requirements, codes, and approval processes.
Demonstrated experience coordinating with consultants, contractors, authorities, and senior project stakeholders.
Key Competencies
Design Management • Multidisciplinary Design Coordination • Consultant Management • Design Leadership • Technical Review • Value Engineering • BIM & Digital Coordination • Design Risk Management • Authority Coordination • Constructability • Stakeholder Management • Team Leadership