COMMERCIAL & CONTRACTUAL ALIGNMENT

• Ensure all design development remains strictly within the commercially secured scope of works and contractual obligations, identifying potential scope creep, specification drift, or performance uplift at an early stage and escalating through formal change control procedures before implementation.
• Work collaboratively with the Commercial and Contracts teams to ensure design-led changes are properly documented, notified, and commercially protected.
• Prepare and coordinate RFIs, technical submissions, and formal design-related correspondence in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Ensure all issued design information is compliant, coordinated, and fabrication-ready prior to release to procurement, manufacturing, or supply chain.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the design team, encouraging learning, professional development, and the adoption of best practices.
• Maintain personal competence, ensuring skills, knowledge, and regulatory awareness remain current and aligned with statutory requirements.
• Carry out any other duties as deemed required by senior management.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

• Qualification in Construction Management, Architectural Technology, Structural Engineering, or similar.
• Experience managing a design team within the construction industry, including direct responsibility for programme, compliance, and team performance.
• Experience interpreting consultant specifications and managing design development within defined contractual and commercial boundaries.
• Experience operating within ISO 9001-aligned quality management systems and structured Common Data Environments (e.g., Procore or similar).
• Experience working with Tier 1 Main Contractors and coordinating system manufacturers and specialist suppliers.
• Experience in working with JCT/NEC & Bespoke contract forms across a range of procurement routes.
• Experience liaising with system manufacturers and specialist suppliers, incorporating structured technical engagement, coordination of design development, and critical review of supplier technical information to ensure all proposals align with the contractual scope and established compliance baseline.

DESIRABLE

• Chartered status or working towards professional accreditation (ARB, CIAT, CIOB, RICS, or equivalent).
• Working knowledge of thermal modelling and calculation software, such as Flixo, with the ability to interpret and apply outputs to coordinated façade and roofing design solutions.

SKILLS & BEHAVIOURS

• Independent, structured, and process-driven design leader with proven experience managing and developing multi-level design teams within the construction sector.
• Strong technical competence in UK Building Regulations, associated Approved Documents, and the Building Safety Act, with the ability to translate regulatory requirements into compliant, coordinated building envelope solutions incorporating fire, thermal, and structural performance.
• Clear understanding of technical and contractual risk, with disciplined control of scope, change management, and proportionate mitigation aligned to the company’s service offering.
• Commercially aware decision-maker who ensures design development remains within contractual obligations and protects margin.
• Confident in reviewing and implementing consultant and employer specifications, understanding performance responsibilities, and compliance routes.
• Strong quality and governance mindset, capable of implementing structured workflows, documentation control, and ISO-aligned processes without unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Digitally competent, with the ability to translate process into effective use of Common Data Environments and integrated digital workflows.
• Decisive and accountable leader who sets clear standards, challenges deviation where required, and resolves conflict constructively.
• Clear and credible communicator, capable of influencing internal stakeholders, engaging external parties, and delivering structured training where required.
• Highly organized and resilient under programme pressure, with strong analytical capability to identify root causes and drive issues through to resolution.
• Professional, discreet, and reliable, maintaining confidentiality and fostering a constructive, performance-focused working environment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Travel to UK and Ireland project locations may be required.
• Flexibility may be needed for occasional out-of-hours meetings or site reviews.
• Opportunity to shape and establish a key management function in a growing business.

Thornton is an equal opportunities employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business need, and are not influenced by protected characteristics.