Design Manager

Role purpose

Design and consultant leadership

• Lead the architectural design lifecycle from concept through tender and IFC with international and local consultants.
• Protect the design vision, brand, and quality benchmarks through construction.
• Oversee consultant activities, progress, deliverables, and compliance.
• Manage consultant scopes, fee negotiations, contracts, performance, and variations; chair reviews and coordination sessions and close actions.

Cost, quality, and compliance

• Manage design against approved budgets, investment case, cost plans, and master programme; identify and report risks, issues, and milestones.
• Review documentation for quality, completeness, coordination, and constructability; oversee quality assurance, value engineering, and design optimization.
• Ensure compliance with local authority requirements, UAE planning regulations, international best practices, and Fire and Life Safety codes.

Tender and construction support

• Support tender strategies, issue and manage RFPs, evaluate technical submissions, and recommend appointments with Commercial and Procurement teams.
• Review construction RFIs, material submissions, mock-ups, and shop drawings; resolve design issues without compromising design intent.
• Contribute to Project Management and Design Implementation Plans and uphold design procedures, reporting, and governance.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture; a master’s degree is preferred.
• Membership of a recognized professional architectural body such as RIBA, AIA, or equivalent is preferred.
• At least 12 years of experience in a consultancy and/or developer environment, with strong exposure to large-scale developments.
• Proven Middle East project delivery experience; UAE experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of UAE legal, authority approval, and planning frameworks for architectural design.

Skills and competencies

• Strong proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe Suite, and BIM implementation processes.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary BIM coordination and design delivery in complex developments.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management; commercial acumen to balance design, cost, and programme.
• Fluent in English; detail-oriented and proactive in a fast-paced, developer-led environment.

About Arada

Application process

• The employer asks candidates to complete assessments and interviews independently, without generative AI assistance.