Design Manager

About the role

The Design Manager supports the coordination and management of the design phase across active preconstruction projects. Reporting to the Senior Design Manager and Vice President, Preconstruction, this role offers a motivated AEC professional the opportunity to deepen their design management practice in a collaborative, contractor-led environment.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with architects, engineers, and subcontractors to support design development that meets client requirements and aligns with budget, schedule, and constructability goals.
• Facilitate communication between design and construction teams to identify and resolve conflicts early.
• Track design deliverables and manage the design schedule in coordination with the project team.
• Participate in page turn reviews and document design decisions and open items for follow-up.
• Support the design phase from schematic through construction documents, helping to manage schedules and track deliverables.
• Identify scope gaps, feasibility challenges, and budget concerns and proactively escalate to senior team members.
• Aid in maintaining and updating the project cost model as design decisions are made.
• Lead workshops with self-perform and trade partners to validate design feasibility and optimize cost efficiency.
• Support value engineering efforts and phased permitting strategies under the direction of senior staff.
• Help coordinate early work packaging to enable fast-track project starts.
• Act as the primary point of contact for client communication on design-related matters under the direction of senior leadership.
• Prepare and maintain clear documentation of design decisions, open items, and action logs for distribution to all stakeholders.
• Assist in preparing materials for presentations and design review meetings.
• Lead multi-disciplinary team meetings and contribute to an accountable, solutions-oriented team culture.
• Cookordination with internal teams including estimating, scheduling, and self-perform groups to integrate design with construction planning.
• Review design documents for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with California Building Code, ADA standards, and other applicable regulations.
• Support constructability reviews and flag issues for resolution with the design team.
• Coordinate with contractors to ensure compliance with conditions of approvals and mitigation measures for projects.
• Contribute to pursuit efforts by providing design coordination support, assembling project approach materials, and ensuring compliance with proposal requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in the AEC industry, with at least 2 years in a design coordination or design management support role.
• Experience on design-build, design-assist, or CM at-risk projects preferred.
• Proficiency required: Revit, Bluebeam, Procore, MS Office Suite.
• Proficiency preferred: AutoCAD, Navisworks, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet.
• Familiarity with BIM coordination workflows and LOD standards a plus.
• Working knowledge of California Building Code and ADA standards.
• Ability to read and interpret schematics, drawings, and project specifications.
• Familiarity with design phase sequencing (SD, DD, CD) and preconstruction processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills across all organizational levels.
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent deliverables.
• Collaborative team player with a growth mindset and willingness to take on new challenges.
• Proactive in identifying and escalating issues.