Senior Design Manager

About Mace

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to enhance projects and redefine ambition. The company's values guide its approach and define the professionals it seeks to join its team.

The Role of Senior Design Manager

This is an opportunity to work on a large-scale program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project involves a major mixed-use development, including sports facilities, entertainment, arts, and associated infrastructure. As a Senior Design Manager, you will be part of Mace, one of the delivery partners, leading integrated teams throughout the project phases. This part-time role requires over 10 years of experience.

The Senior Design Manager will manage end-to-end design for commercial office assets, translating design visions into coordinated, investment-ready outcomes. This includes managing consultants, multidisciplinary teams, approvals, performance, and compliance, while ensuring design quality, sustainability, and value across concept, detailed design, and construction-ready delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Champion safety, ensuring compliance with HSE standards and fostering a positive safety culture.
• Manage end-to-end project delivery, maintaining quality systems and supporting senior leaders to achieve program milestones.
• Oversee budgets, risks, and ethical governance to contribute to business sustainability.
• Manage collaborative project teams, driving performance, stakeholder engagement, and innovation.
• Oversee structural engineering design, technical reviews, interfaces, and consultant performance.
• Ensure deliverables meet project briefs, specifications, regulations, sustainability standards, and approval requirements.
• Coordinate stakeholders, manage design risks, and report progress against milestones, procurement, and operational priorities.
• Lead the design team in technical design reviews to ensure compliance with project requirements, focusing on systems engineering, BIM, GIS, innovation, and value engineering.
• Maximize collaborative working relationships with internal departments and external parties to manage interfaces effectively.
• Manage the design process with external consultants from concept through construction documentation, ensuring conformity to project objectives and providing recommendations.
• Manage all matters related to design being 'fit for purpose', specifically 'Safety in Design'.
• Manage the design sign-off process by all design consultants and sub-designers.
• Manage design risk optioneering, including 'Value Engineering'.
• Manage coordination of interfaces to identify potential impacts on project programs, budgets, and quality.
• Ensure quality assurance processes are in place to review design deliverables and ensure compliance with project specifications, design standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure the team designs according to the cost/business plan, system, and operations plan.
• Assist Cost Consultants in assessing the cost of design changes and tracking them, ensuring proper change management processes are adhered to.
• Oversee the production of a Work Breakdown Structure for design/engineering deliverables suitable for documentation and aligned with procurement, construction staging, and project phasing requirements.

Candidate Profile

• Over 10 years of experience in design management.
• Proven ability to manage end-to-end design processes for commercial office assets.
• Experience in managing consultants, multidisciplinary teams, and approval processes.
• Strong understanding of design quality, sustainability, and value engineering.
• Commitment to safety, wellbeing, and inclusive work environments.

Mace Values

• Safety first - Going home safe and well: Championing a safe, diverse, and inclusive working environment.
• Client focus - Deliver on our promise: Owning the quality of deliverables and building long-term client relationships.
• Integrity - Always do the right thing: Influencing positive outcomes while aligning with compliance obligations.
• Create opportunity - For our people to excel: Fostering a continuous improvement culture and inspiring development.

Application Information

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Flexible working options, including part-time and hybrid arrangements, may be discussed if suitable for the role.