Design Manager (Architect) - Global Design Practice
2 days ago
City of London
Grõ Careers Exclusive Access A rare transition route for architects with major-project leadership experience. For architects who’ve spent years delivering complex, high-profile projects - and discovered your real strength lies in orchestrating the process, aligning teams, managing programmes, shaping scope, and driving clarity - this is the opportunity that finally recognises that skillset. A leading global architectural practice is expanding its in-house Project & Design Management Group, and Grõ Careers has been appointed exclusively to identify architects with proven leadership on nationally or internationally recognised projects. This is a pathway designed for architects like you: Equal parts strategist, organiser, communicator, design guardian and delivery lead. The Opportunity You’ll join a respected, international studio whose work spans cultural landmarks, large-scale masterplans, complex public-sector projects, education, mixed-use, civic work and major regeneration. The Project & Design Management Group sits at the centre of these projects - ensuring world-class design is delivered through precision, structure, and proactive coordination. As a Design Manager, you will: • Lead the design process across multiple disciplines, setting programmes, defining deliverables, shaping stage strategy and establishing workflows., • Bring clarity early - scope, DRM, risk, appointments, responsibilities, programme, information exchange, and interfaces., • Chair and coordinate project kick-offs, design team meetings, client/stakeholder workshops, and technical reviews., • Align scope, design intent and contractual obligations - identifying gaps, managing change, negotiating fees, and ensuring delivery stays on track., • Monitor and manage risk across complex projects, maintaining risk registers, ensuring compliance and championing robust standards., • Work closely with commercial and cost teams, advising on cost plans, tender queries and procurement processes., • Represent the studio with confidence, fostering trust with demanding clients, public authorities and consultants. This is not a diluted role. It is a strategic, delivery-focused position at the intersection of design quality, technical accuracy and programme control - where you influence how major projects happen, not just what they look like. Why This Role Exists Across the industry, leading design practices are discovering what Grõ has long known: • Architects with true leadership and project-delivery depth make exceptional Design Managers. This Group has been created to elevate that capability - embedding project management intelligence within a design-led environment, rather than outsourcing it. Your expertise will shape flagship projects, unlock clarity for world-class design teams, and provide structure that allows creativity to flourish. Who This May Appeal To You’re an architect who has taken on far more than drawings. You’ve led complex, multi-stakeholder projects, managed teams, coordinated consultants, delivered at scale, and been the one who “keeps the whole thing together.” You might recognise yourself in experience similar to: • Leading major projects/masterplans (£100m-£200m+) through design, coordination and delivery, including multi-building schemes and large consultant teams., • Establishing project set-up, programmes, DRMs, deliverables maps and workflow systems, • Managing change control, negotiating fees, advising on procurement and reviewing cost plans, • Responding to RFIs, tender queries, coordinating cross-discipline technical information at scale, • Leading planning strategies, complex or even listed building consents, stakeholder sessions and client workshops, • Chairing meetings, driving clarity, resolving ambiguity and fostering collaboration, • Developing internal standards, project templates, protocols, or toolkits You are comfortable being the person who: • Sees the whole board, not just the next task, • Brings order to complexity, • Represents projects with confidence, • Spots risks early, • Ensures design intent survives delivery, • Thrives where organisation, communication and leadership are valued, • Wants a career beyond traditional architectural progression Ideal Background We are particularly interested in architects who: • Have 4-12 years’ experience (guide), ideally in a respected national or international design studio, • Have led large or complex projects, ideally £30m-£200m+, • Understand RIBA stages 0-6, with strong coordination depth, • Have demonstrable team leadership experience (3-10+ direct coordination desirable), • Are fluent in project documentation - programmes, risk registers, change logs, DRMs, tender information, • Have previously acted as Project Architect, Project Lead, or taken on partial DM/PM responsibilities, • Bring strong communication, diplomacy, and stakeholder confidence, • Want to step into a full-time Design/Project Management role, not just “more architecture”, • Are motivated by structure, clarity, systems, and high-performance team delivery Why This Move Matters This transition offers: • A clear, respected pathway into full Design/Project Management, • Exposure to globally significant projects and international teams, • The chance to influence methodology and delivery on some of the industry’s most complex schemes, • A progression route that values your leadership, not your overtime Practical Details • Location: London, • Employer: Global architectural studio (details shared with successful applicants post-screening), • Role Type: Full-time, Design/Project Manager within the in-house Project Management Group, • Salary: Competitive, benchmarked to reflect leadership and delivery capability, • Exclusivity: Grõ Careers is the sole recruitment partner for this search How to Apply If you're an architect with major project leadership experience looking to transition into Design Management, this is an exceptionally rare opportunity. Send your CV to Grõ Careers or reach out for a confidential conversation. Shortlisted applicants will receive tailored guidance on how to frame their experience for a DM pathway, including CV and portfolio refinement.