Design Manager

Role Overview

Design Manager at AtkinsRéalis, based in the KSA and GCC Region. This role manages multidisciplinary design delivery across projects of varying scale and complexity.

Company Overview

AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization that connects people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We work with industry partners, clients, and a global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Role Purpose

The Design Manager plans, coordinates, and oversees the design process to ensure successful project delivery. The role works closely with project delivery teams to establish project objectives, contribute to Project Execution Plans, and oversee design programme inputs. The Design Manager ensures design activities remain on track, key milestones are achieved, and project management standards are consistently applied throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Design Coordination & Planning

• Convene, coordinate, and manage the overall technical input of the multidisciplinary design team, ensuring coordinated, compliant, and high-quality design outputs.
• Create and maintain the Design Management Plan (DMP) in collaboration with the Project Manager and design team, ensuring alignment with scope, programme, organisation charts, and communication pathways.
• Develop a multi-disciplinary programme with buy-in from technical leads that aligns with project requirements.
• Develop strategies for project design packaging to align with the needs of design and/or construction phasing and schedule.
• Establish the technical set-up of the project and support the technical set-up of project deliverables and models, including document structure, numbering, and tracking mechanisms.

Interface Management & Coordination

• Hold accountability for the design coordination process, including interfaces between disciplines, sub-consultants, third parties, and Client requirements, in accordance with quality management procedures.
• Promote collaboration and consistent engagement across technical package leaders and sub-consultants.
• Maintain consistent and productive input from the leaders of technical package groups.
• Support stakeholder engagement and approvals processes, ensuring submissions are coordinated and aligned with Client and statutory requirements.

Technical Leadership & Team Management

• Manage and assign tasks to the design team, ensuring that team members have the necessary tools, resources, and technical support to complete their tasks efficiently and effectively.
• Actively oversee the quality of work delivered, ensuring that deliverables are reviewed and approved prior to submission to clients.
• Share and promote the technical achievements of the technical team.
• Demonstrate structured, methodical, and proactive leadership.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage with the Client's technical team to achieve consensus on design philosophies and outcomes under the guidance of the Project Manager and/or Project Director.
• Provide advice and appropriate technical resources to address Client queries and design comments in a timely and structured manner.
• Manage client expectations and support the delivery of project outcomes that meet or exceed client requirements.

Quality, Compliance & Documentation

• Maintain project documentation, ensuring that projects comply with regulatory requirements and maintain the company's project management methodology.
• Confirm that contractual deliverables have been met prior to the production of invoices.

Change & Risk Management

• Compile technical input into change management requirements and coordinate with Technical Leads to determine impact on time and resources.
• Compile potential scope gaps, changes, and variations, assessing impacts on time and effort in coordination with the Project Manager and Technical Leads.
• Track design progress actively, identify risks or constraints, and support mitigation actions in coordination with the wider project team.

Budget & Resource Management

• Work within budgets defined and accepted by the design Technical Leads.

Continuous Improvement

• Apply experience and lessons learned from previous projects to enhance delivery efficiency and quality.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture or a relevant design or engineering discipline.
• Minimum 8 years' experience in the Middle East.
• Proven experience working within a multidisciplinary design or built environment consultancy.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Design Management or similar roles.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong capability in multi-disciplinary design coordination and interface management.
• Sound knowledge of design and construction processes, including Safety in Design requirements.
• Proficient in digital delivery and BIM-enabled environments, including Revit, Navisworks, and design coordination tools.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Project, Excel, and Word.
• Strong understanding of Quality Management requirements.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence skills.
• Ability to lead without reliance on authority, influencing outcomes through credibility and clarity.
• Results-oriented with a continuous improvement and growth mindset.
• Upholds the highest standards of integrity, safety, and professionalism.

Additional Information

Employment Terms

• Employee
• Regular position

Benefits

• Tax-free salary.
• Life insurance coverage.
• Medical insurance.
• Annual leave balance.
• Company gratuity scheme.
• Discretionary bonus program.
• Annual flight contribution.
• Transportation and housing allowances.
• Employee Wellbeing Program: 24/7 access to specialists in finance, legal matters, family care, personal health, fitness, and nutrition.

Commitment to Diversity

AtkinsRéalis seeks to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world-class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.