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Design Manager - Head of Architecture
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Design Manager - Head of Architecture
Location: Remote | Hybrid/Flexible UK (travel to clients, project sites and office as required)
Salary: Up to £90,000 (DOE)
Sector: Defence / Government / Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
Security Clearance: Active UK SC clearance (DV desirable)
The Opportunity
We’re looking for a Design Manager: Head of Architecture to lead and assure architectural design across a portfolio of secure and accredited infrastructure projects supporting Defence, Government, and CNI clients. This is a senior leadership position, combining hands-on architectural oversight with team leadership, governance, and strategic direction, driving design excellence and continuous improvement across the business.
Reporting to the Head of Operational Delivery (Professional Services), you’ll be the principal architectural authority—setting standards, embedding best practice, and ensuring all designs are compliant, secure, resilient, commercially sound, and deliverable.
What you’ll be doing
- Lead the architectural function, setting design standards, governance, processes, and best practice
- Provide strategic and technical leadership across all architectural design activities
- Manage the design process end-to-end (concept through handover) and assure quality, programme, and cost
- Coordinate and lead multidisciplinary design teams (architects, engineers, consultants, specialist subcontractors)
- Develop solutions that balance security, resilience, operational needs, budget, and delivery constraints
- Lead client-facing design activity including workshops, consultations, and presentations
- Support tenders, proposals, and business development, providing technical leadership
- Ensure compliance with relevant UK building regulations, planning, H&S, and environmental obligations
- Mentor and develop the team, supporting recruitment, capability growth, and professional standards/chartership
- Manage design risks, assumptions, and dependencies across the project lifecycle
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What we’re looking for (Essential)
- Significant experience in architectural design + design management within Defence, Government, CNI, secure environments, or similarly complex infrastructure sectors
- Proven leadership of multidisciplinary design teams and delivery of complex projects
- Strong knowledge of secure facility design, resilience, and operational infrastructure
- Experience delivering across all RIBA Plan of Work stages
- Strong understanding of UK Building Regulations, planning processes, and construction legislation
- Experience managing external consultants and design supply chains
- Leadership and people management capability with excellent stakeholder communication skills
- Commercial awareness—able to balance technical, operational, and financial considerations
- Degree in Architecture (or related built environment discipline)
- Chartered Architect (ARB/RIBA) or equivalent
- Full UK Driving Licence
- Ability to obtain and maintain SC clearance (DV desirable)
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Desirable
- Delivery experience for MOD, Government Departments, Defence Primes, or CNI operators
- Knowledge of security accreditation processes and secure estate requirements
- BIM / digital design / Common Data Environments exposure
- Project management qualification (PRINCE2 / APM or equivalent)
- Experience supporting bids/frameworks and business growth activity
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