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Design Manager - Contractor

United Arab Emirates  |  Permanent

Our regarded Main Contracting Client has a new requirement for a well experienced Design Manager to join their team in Dubai to work on major new school and educational facility civil construction projects in the Emirates. Successful candidates will have a proven background as a Design Manager on major education projects in the UAE or wider GCC. Candidates must have worked for a recognised main contractor client in the capacity of design or technical manager.


This role is available for immediate joining and is a direct hire, permanent opportunity employed by our client.


Responsibilities

  • Attend briefing meetings as part of the design handover from Stage 1 to Stage 2 to progress the design.
  • Progress and manage all aspects of design development through the pre planning and planning stages including management of specialists and consultants.
  • Advise and brief the estimator once a project has entered pricing during stages 2, 3 and 4 and provide design management support during this period.
  • Assist the Head of Design and Planning and the Construction Manager in the identification and management of project risks, producing registers and schedules for projects under their management.
  • Develop and update Data Sheets and other supporting documents and specifications in line with client requirements.
  • Arrange and chair Design meetings with consultants and clients.
  • Attend and assist in briefing the Construction Team during the Stage 4 handover.
  • Assist in Consultant appointments and project design programming.
  • Uploading and distributing drawings through Workspace document management system.
  • Plan information required for the project, through design programmes, client choice schedules and procurement schedules.
  • Arrange and chair design meetings with architect/engineer/ designers as required to generate and co-ordinate information.
  • Manage design consultants to produce information to programme.
  • Work with Consultants to define cost and manage project specific issues in both pre and post contract scenarios.
  • Arrange design meetings with client to firm up design management strategies and their client choice requirements.
  • Liaise with clients to review and approve drawings and project information to a stated programme.
  • Manage the design approval process of all design consultants / sub-contract designers and material supply designers.
  • Control the design sign off process by all design consultants / sub-contract designers including internal design checking
  • Manage the production of specialist design – both material & sub-contract.
  • Manage the MEP design process, seeking technical approval
  • Manage design change and design notification instructions whist design is incomplete and prior to hand over to Construction Teams.
  • Prepare a Design & Build Managers Report for presentation at monthly site and Project
  • Review meetings and attendance at Site Meetings and Project Review Meetings for the first 3 months of a project to coincide with the objective to have design significantly completed as early as possible.
  • Manage the building control process ensuring a co-ordinated approach with all design consultants and achieve Plans Approval notification.
  • Liaise with the architects and other design consultants over other statutory authorities and approvals.
  • Oversee the planning process to full condition approval, through liaison with the architect who will manage the process.
  • Review drawing information and contract project particulars, ensuring their alignment.
  • Control the drawing management and distribution of all design consultants / sub-contract designers.
  • Collaborate with Estimators and Project Surveyors to ensure designs comply with project cost parameters and resolve any queries that may arise.
  • Use standard documents in the production of detailed design.
  • Checking of internal design against specification and budget
  • Review feasibility / planning design against Client budgets
  • Cost check details with the Estimator and Project Surveyor against specification and budgets
  • Assisting with the preparation of the O&M Manuals.
  • Achieving Customer Satisfaction ratings in line with the company dashboard
  • Correct use of Workspace document management system


Design Manager Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
  • Minimum 12-15 years overall experience.
  • PMI or APM Qualification / Construction Management Certification
  • (LEED) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional preferred
  • Technical expertise - BIM-Revit Architecture, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop, MS Projects + MS (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access), Internet applications; expertise in local construction codes; well versed of health and safety regulations;
  • Exceptional leadership skills; Client-orientation; Authority; Organization; strong communication and interpersonal skills; Foresight; tenacious, structured, methodical, organised, inquisitive, factual, shrewd, self-reliant, hard working
  • Previous experience of working in a recognised Main Contractor and working on school / educational facilities is essential.
  • Full life cycle delivery of major Civil Construction projects & developments is essential
  • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills


Interested candidates are invited to share their up to date CV directly to jobs@j10consulting.ae for further review and shortlisting.


Date Posted: 26 Jan 2026

Status: Filled