Design Manager

Design Manager – Social Housing

Northampton‑Based Contractor

Salary: Up to £70,000 + Car Allowance + Benefits

Benefits

Company pension
Life insurance
Car allowance
24 days holiday plus bank holidays
Ongoing training and career development
Employee Assistance Programme

The Company

A well‑established regional contractor delivering high‑quality Design & Build social housing projects across Northamptonshire and the wider Midlands. Schemes typically include low‑rise apartments and housing developments delivered for local authorities and housing associations. The business offers long‑term stability, a collaborative working environment and clear progression opportunities.

The Role

The Design Manager will take responsibility for managing and coordinating the design process across multiple residential schemes, from pre‑construction through to completion and handover. Working closely with the Commercial, Construction and Pre‑Construction teams, you will ensure design information is fully coordinated, compliant and issued in line with programme requirements.

Key duties include managing external consultants, coordinating multi‑disciplinary design teams, overseeing architectural and engineering information, and ensuring alignment with Employer’s Requirements and building regulations. You will lead design meetings, control design changes, identify and manage design risk, and resolve technical queries to support construction progress and cost certainty.

The role will also involve liaising directly with clients and housing associations, supporting value engineering exercises, and contributing to tender and bid stages when required.

The Right Person

Previous experience as a Design Manager or Senior Design Coordinator within social housing or affordable housing.
Strong knowledge of Design & Build procurement within residential construction.
Proven ability to manage external consultants and coordinate complex design packages.
Good technical understanding of building regulations, planning conditions and construction detailing.
Well‑organised, commercially aware and confident in decision‑making.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regionally from Northampton.

Keywords

Design Manager Northampton, Design Manager Social Housing, Residential Design Manager, Affordable Housing Design Manager, Design & Build Design Manager, Senior Design Coordinator, Housing Association projects, East Midlands construction jobs, Regional contractor roles