Design Manager (Client-Side, Residential Development)
Location: Central London
Salary: £35,000 - £55,000 (dependent on experience)
A growing residential developer is looking to hire a Design Manager to sit on the client side and take ownership of the design and specification process across multiple live and upcoming schemes.
This is a newly created role driven by project demand and a clear need for stronger design oversight. You'll act as the link between architects, consultants and the construction team, ensuring that what gets built aligns with the developer's product standards, not just minimum compliance or cost-led decisions.
The role
You'll work closely with the founder, becoming a trusted right hand on all design-related matters. Day to day, you'll be reviewing drawings, interrogating specifications, and making commercially grounded recommendations before anything is signed off.
There's a strong pipeline of projects already underway, so you'll be stepping into a busy environment where your input will have immediate impact.
Key responsibilities
* Review architectural drawings and technical packages
* Sense-check design decisions against quality, usability, and cost
* Prepare and manage detailed specification documents
* Ensure consistency with internal product standards and market expectations
* Liaise with architects, consultants, and the construction team
* Act as a quality control layer between design and delivery
* Provide clear, confident recommendations on what works and what doesn't
What they're looking for
* Background in architecture or interior architecture (Part I or similar)
* Exposure to residential projects (practice or developer-side)
* Ability to read and interpret drawings with confidence
* Strong attention to detail and a practical mindset
* Commercial awareness, understanding cost implications and buildabilityComfortable challenging decisions and offering informed opinions
Equally important is mindset. This is a pragmatic, delivery-focused environment, less conceptual, more about getting the right product built to the right standard. You'll need to be resilient, collaborative, and able to hold your own in discussions with both design and construction stakeholders.
The environment
* Office-based in Angel, with a collaborative and growing team
* Close working relationship with the construction arm
* High level of autonomy, but strong visibility and influence
* Fast-paced, with multiple projects moving simultaneously
Why apply?
This is a chance to step into a role with real ownership early in your career, working directly with decision-makers and shaping the end product of residential developments. If you're looking to move away from purely design-led work into something more commercially grounded and client-side, this offers a clear path.
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