Design Manager

A well-established fit-out contractor is looking for an M&E Design Manager to lead the mechanical and electrical design function across a varied portfolio of commercial projects. You'll be taking ownership of M&E design from concept through to handover, working on schemes for blue-chip end clients across retail, hospitality, and commercial sectors. This is a role for someone who enjoys the pace of fit-out, knows how to balance commercial pressure with design quality, and wants real autonomy over how the function runs.

What you'll be doing Leading M&E design across a portfolio of live fit-out projects, coordinating with architects, consultants, and the internal delivery team Reviewing and challenging designs from external consultants, picking up buildability issues early, and driving value engineering where it makes sense Managing the design programme against tight delivery deadlines and supporting the pre-construction team with tenders, costings, and technical input What we're after A solid background in M&E design management within a fit-out or main contractor environment Strong working knowledge of current Building Regs, CIBSE guides, and relevant British Standards across both mechanical and electrical disciplines Someone confident running the design process end to end, comfortable pushing back on consultants, and able to communicate cleanly with non-technical stakeholders Why it's worth a look The business has a strong pipeline of repeat work with established commercial end clients, a tight-knit team, and a culture that actually lets technical people get on with the job. Based along the M62 corridor with flexibility on working arrangements. If you're an M&E Design Manager weighing up your next move, or open to a confidential conversation about what else is out there, drop me a message.