Design Manager – Freelance

Freelance Design Manager

Location: Bridgnorth, Shropshire (with site visits as required) Contract: Freelance | 2-3 days per week Sector: Commercial Construction

The Opportunity

My client is a Tier 2 main contractor with a strong pipeline of commercial build projects valued up to £25 million. We're looking for an experienced Design Manager to join them on a freelance basis, supporting our delivery teams through the design and preconstruction phases.

This is a flexible role suited to someone who thrives on variety, values autonomy, and wants to balance project work with other commitments.

What You'll Do

* Lead and coordinate the design process from tender through to construction, ensuring buildability, compliance, and programme alignment

* Manage design consultants and subcontractor design packages

* Chair design team meetings and track deliverables against project milestones

* Identify and mitigate design risks early

* Liaise with clients, architects, and engineers to resolve technical queries

* Support value engineering and ensure designs meet budget and specification

What We're Looking For

* Proven experience as a Design Manager within a main contractor environment

* Strong track record on commercial projects (offices, retail, industrial, mixed-use, apartments, residential)

* Confident managing multiple design packages and consultant relationships

* Solid understanding of UK Building Regulations, CDM, and relevant standards

* Excellent communication skills-equally comfortable in a design workshop or a site coordination meeting

* Self-sufficient and able to hit the ground running with minimal supervision

What We Offer

* Competitive day rate (negotiable based on experience)

* Flexible working pattern-typically 2–3 days per week, with scope to adjust around project demands

* A collaborative team and a varied project portfolio

* Opportunity for ongoing work as our pipeline grows

Interested?

Send your CV and day rate expectations to Heather Duncan in the Birmingham office. We'd love to hear from you