Design Manager

Position Overview We are looking for an experienced, creative, and technically minded Design Manager to lead and coordinate design activities across projects while ensuring high standards of quality, functionality, consistency, and timely delivery. The role is responsible for managing design teams, coordinating with internal departments and external consultants, reviewing design concepts and technical documentation, and ensuring design solutions align with project objectives, brand standards, technical requirements, budgets, and timelines. The Design Manager will work closely with senior management, architects, engineers, product teams, marketing, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders to manage design development from initial concepts through review, approval, production, implementation, and final delivery. Key Responsibilities • Develop and implement design strategies, standards, workflows, guidelines, and processes aligned with business and project objectives. • Lead and coordinate design projects from initial brief and concept development through detailed design, approval, production, implementation, and completion. • Manage, supervise, and coordinate internal designers, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, freelancers, and external creative partners where applicable. • Review design concepts, drawings, layouts, specifications, prototypes, presentations, visual materials, and technical documentation to ensure quality and consistency. • Translate business objectives, customer requirements, technical specifications, project briefs, and stakeholder expectations into practical design solutions. • Prepare and communicate creative briefs, design directions, project requirements, milestones, deliverables, and approval processes. • Conduct regular design reviews and provide clear, constructive feedback to internal and external design teams. • Ensure designs comply with approved brand guidelines, technical standards, project specifications, quality requirements, and relevant regulations. • Coordinate design activities with Marketing, Product, Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing, Operations, Sales, and other relevant departments. • Manage design schedules, milestones, dependencies, resources, priorities, and deliverables to ensure projects remain on track. • Identify design risks, technical constraints, resource requirements, scope changes, and potential delays, and develop appropriate solutions. • Review materials, finishes, technologies, components, construction methods, production requirements, and other design-related considerations based on project needs. • Coordinate with suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, consultants, and external service providers regarding design specifications and implementation requirements. • Review technical drawings, prototypes, samples, mock-ups, specifications, and production documentation before approval or release. • Maintain proper version control, design documentation, change records, approvals, and project files. • Manage design changes and ensure relevant stakeholders are informed of approved revisions and their impact on cost, schedule, quality, and implementation. • Monitor design quality throughout project execution and ensure final deliverables meet approved standards and specifications. • Support project budgeting by reviewing design-related costs, materials, suppliers, production requirements, and potential cost-saving opportunities. • Coordinate with Procurement and suppliers to evaluate quotations, materials, samples, production capabilities, and technical feasibility. • Research emerging design trends, technologies, materials, customer preferences, competitor activities, and industry developments. • Encourage innovative, practical, sustainable, and commercially viable design solutions where appropriate. • Ensure design activities consider relevant safety, accessibility, environmental, regulatory, and sustainability requirements. • Organise design meetings, workshops, presentations, site visits, reviews, and stakeholder sessions. • Present design concepts, recommendations, progress updates, and solutions to senior management, clients, or other stakeholders. • Gather and evaluate stakeholder feedback and translate it into clear design actions and improvements. • Prepare design reports, project updates, presentations, documentation, and management summaries. • Recruit, train, mentor, and develop design team members where required. • Establish clear performance expectations and encourage collaboration, creativity, accountability, and continuous professional development within the design team. • Protect confidential project information, intellectual property, creative assets, technical documentation, and business information. • Identify opportunities to improve design processes, workflows, documentation, quality control, and project delivery efficiency. Requirements • Degree or diploma in Design, Architecture, Engineering, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Product Design, or a related discipline. • Proven experience in design management, creative leadership, design coordination, project design, or a similar role. • Strong portfolio or demonstrated experience managing and delivering design projects. • Strong understanding of design principles, design development processes, technical documentation, quality control, and project workflows. • Experience managing multidisciplinary design teams, consultants, contractors, suppliers, or external creative partners. • Strong knowledge of relevant design software such as Adobe Creative Cloud, AutoCAD, Revit, SolidWorks, SketchUp, Figma, or other industry-specific tools depending on the design discipline. • Strong project management skills with the ability to manage scope, timelines, resources, budgets, risks, and multiple deliverables. • Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, stakeholder management, and leadership skills. • Ability to balance creative requirements with technical feasibility, commercial objectives, project constraints, and customer expectations. • Strong attention to detail with excellent organisational and problem-solving abilities. • Ability to interpret technical information, drawings, specifications, briefs, and project documentation. • Experience coordinating with vendors, manufacturers, contractors, consultants, and other external stakeholders. • Knowledge of relevant industry standards, regulations, safety requirements, accessibility, and sustainability practices is an advantage. • Strong ability to work under deadlines and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment. • Professional, collaborative, proactive, and results-oriented approach. • Relevant professional certifications, design qualifications, or project management certifications are an advantage. • Show more