Position Summary
As a Design Manager, you will lead complex design-build and construction management projects from a pre-construction perspective, ensuring design outcomes align with client expectations, budget constraints, and constructability requirements. You will work closely with senior leadership, consultants, and pre-construction teams to guide the design process from concept through to construction readiness, overseeing consultant performance, driving high-quality design documentation, and maintaining strong client relationships. You will be responsible for balancing design intent with practical delivery, ensuring a seamless transition into construction while supporting successful project outcomes.
As a Design Manager your key accountabilities will involve:
- Acting as the primary point of contact for clients and consultants during the design and pre-construction phases, building strong relationships and ensuring their goals are reflected in the design while managing expectations around scope, schedule, and budget.
- Leading the construction management process across CM, design-build (DB), progressive design-build (PDB) and integrated project delivery (IPD) projects, coordinating architects, engineers, and consultants to deliver aligned, high-quality design documentation from concept through to construction.
- Facilitate design coordination meetings and workshops, ensuring all disciplines are aligned, risks are identified early, and design progress stays on schedule.
- Overseeing consultant performance, define clear scopes of work, and ensure accountability throughout the design process.
- Leading design development to balance client vision with constructability, cost, and schedule, working closely with estimating and pre-construction teams to deliver value engineering solutions and maintain budget alignment.
- Advising clients and internal teams on building codes, bylaws, permitting requirements, and sustainability considerations, while supporting and leading municipal approval processes.
- Identifying and resolving design-related risks, ensuring sound decision-making and alignment with contract and project requirements.
- Supporting RFQ/RFP pursuits by contributing to design strategy, and collaborating with proposal teams to ensure solutions are practical, competitive, and aligned with delivery capabilities
- Leading the transition of projects into construction, ensuring operations teams are set up for success with a clear understanding of design intent, scope, and client commitments.
- Maintaining client engagement into early construction to ensure continuity, satisfaction, and resolution of any design-related issues.
- Demonstrating strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence multidisciplinary teams, build trust, and present ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Staying highly organized and detail-oriented, effectively managing multiple priorities, design deliverables, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
As a Design Manager your experience and qualifications will include:
- 8+ years of experience in construction, architecture, or real estate development, with a focus on design coordination, project management, or pre-construction.
- Degree or diploma in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
- Experience working on large-scale commercial, institutional, or residential projects, with exposure to the full project lifecycle from pursuit through to construction.
- Being comfortable managing external consultants, leading the design process and making design decisions in collaborative environments such as DB, PDB or IPD.
- Strong understanding of contracts, budgeting, supply chain and constructability
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with clients, consultants, and internal teams.
- Adept organization skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Practical problem-solving with strong business and commercial judgment.
- Experience supporting RFQs/RFPs and contributing to winning work.
- Familiarity with municipal approvals, building codes, and permitting processes.
- Experience with BIM/VDC and project management or design collaboration tools.
- Professional designations such as PMP, Gold Seal, P.Eng., AIBC, or LEED are considered an asset.
What we have to offer:
- Competitive salary, plus potential bonus & profit sharing
- Matching RRSP
- Extended benefits, Employee Assistance Program, life insurance, AD&D, LTD, CI
- Paid vacation
- Professional development support
- Head Office centrally located in Burnaby and transit-accessible
- Lunch catered to the office twice a week
- Office gym and group personal training classes
- We get together often for company-wide social events
