Job Title: Principal Designer
Location: Chester
Salary: In the region of £45-55,000 DOE
About the company:
This well‑established RIBA‑chartered architectural practice based in near Chester, Tarporley and Northwich has been delivering high‑quality design, technical services, and project delivery for over four decades. It works across residential, rural estate, commercial, educational and specialist sectors, offering a comprehensive range of services from conceptual design through planning and detailed technical delivery to construction oversight. The practice combines strong design capability with robust technical delivery and provides in‑house Principal Designer services as part of its end‑to‑end offering.
Benefits
* Competitive salary commensurate with experience
* Opportunity to lead Principal Designer services in a respected design practice
* Collaborative team environment with experienced architects, technologists, and designers
* Exposure to diverse project types- from residential and rural estates to commercial and educational sectors
* Support for professional development and industry membership progression
* Workplace pension and standard holiday entitlement
Key Responsibilities / Daily Duties
* Act as Principal Designer under CDM Regulations 2015, ensuring statutory compliance and coordination of health & safety through all pre‑construction stages
* Work closely with design teams, clients, consultants, and contractors to integrate risk management into project workflows
* Review design information to identify, assess and mitigate design risks, ensuring safe outcomes
* Prepare and maintain pre‑construction information, risk assessments, method statements and other CDM‑related documentation
* Visit sites regularly to advise on design‑related safety matters and ensure compliance with agreed standards
* Provide guidance to project teams on CDM and Building Regulations implications
* Support continuous improvement of design processes and contribute to quality assurance systems
Ideal Candidate
* Proven experience delivering Principal Designer duties in architectural or construction design environments
* Accredited Principal Designer (e.g., APS membership) with solid experience interpreting and applying CDM Regulations
* Excellent knowledge of UK Building Regulations, health & safety legislation and CDM compliance
* Strong communication skills with the ability to liaise with clients, contractors, and multidisciplinary design teams
* Proactive, well‑organised and capable of managing multiple concurrent projects
* Confident working independently and as part of small, collaborative teams
* Experience in a practice environment or consultancies handling a broad variety of projects is highly desirable
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