At HDR, our employee‑owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. We foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, constantly asking ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Watch Our Story: https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story
Each role throughout our organisation makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures; it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high‑performance data centres driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience.
About the Role
As a Design Manager (Internal title: Project Manager), you will lead and coordinate design delivery across multi‑discipline project teams, ensuring client requirements are clearly understood and translated into a robust design delivery plan. You will manage the design programme, interfaces, information flow and change control, ensuring design outputs are delivered safely, to the required quality, on time and within budget while working under pressure and meeting tight deadlines.
About You
We are seeking a personable, self‑starter with a positive, professional ‘can do’ attitude and the ability to maintain strong working relationships across disciplines and with clients. You should have strong leadership capability, be able to motivate, coach and guide diverse teams, and possess excellent facilitation and communication skills (written and verbal). You will handle transmittals, registers, and approval workflows with quality discipline.
Responsibilities
* Identify and agree project objectives with the Project Director and develop a strategy for achieving programme, budget and quality targets.
* Assemble and own the design delivery programme and delivery plans, keeping these updated as design develops.
* Facilitate communication, coordination and information flow with the client, internal teams, sub‑consultants and partners.
* Lead Design Team Meetings (DTMs), ensuring clear minutes, decisions and timely completion of actions.
* Implement and continuously improve project management processes (e.g., change control) and coordinate target‑led workshops to resolve critical design issues.
* Manage RFIs, early warnings and general communications to reduce project risk and support successful delivery.
* Analyse, process and respond to design transmittals (drawings, specifications, reports and other project documents).
* Review and evaluate quotations to ensure alignment with scope, budget and client requirements.
* Manage changes and delays, ensuring impacts are assessed and resolved or mitigated appropriately.
* Maintain a thorough understanding of project scope and design responsibility; update design delivery programme, resources and instructions accordingly.
* Itemise scope of services, briefing schedules and documentation requirements; regularly assess against standards to improve deliverables.
* Instigate efficiency, appropriate innovation and buildability across design stages with the wider design team.
* Ensure technical compliance and quality production of all deliverables; record scope changes affecting fee basis and advise the Project Director/KAH.
* Close out the project on completion, ensuring lessons learned are captured and disseminated and that a client satisfaction process is initiated.
Perform other duties as needed.
Skills and Requirements
* Degree‑level education (engineering, architecture, construction management or related discipline) or equivalent experience.
* Demonstrable experience coordinating multi‑discipline design delivery on complex projects.
* Understanding of design process, roles and responsibilities; ability to coordinate internal and external disciplines.
* Knowledge of ISO 9001/14001 quality processes and project governance desirable.
* Commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture.
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each others life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day. Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
Primary Location
United Kingdom-England-London
Other Locations
United Kingdom-Scotland-Glasgow, United Kingdom-England-Manchester
Schedule
Full‑time
Employee Status
Regular
Job Posting
Feb 25, 2026
Equal Opportunity Statement
At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.
Ready to learn more? Lets work together to make great things possible.
We design solutions to the worlds greatest challenges. We’re always looking for great talent to join our global teams.
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