Head of Design

Solihull, England, United Kingdom

7/23/2025

Tasks

You will lead a multi-disciplinary team of Architects, Engineers, CAD / BIM Designers, Senior / Design Managers and deliver collaborative solutions that add value to the STRABAG Building business in the timely delivery of cost-efficient solutions on construction projects during the work winning stage and through the project delivery stage. You will have full ownership, responsibility and accountability for the function. You will collaborate with all internal departments to ensure alignment to company strategy, budget and objectives. You will highlight risks, identify potential opportunities and mentor the continuous improvement initiatives to improve efficiencies.

• Providing leadership and strategic direction to the multi-disciplinary team that is in turn lead by team leads consisting of the design disciplines Civil, Structural, Architectural, Temporary Works, BIM, ZT and Geotechnical.
• Develop and own digitalisation process for Building Business Unit liaising with internal and external stakeholders (ZT, SID etc.).
• Ensure all projects are compliant with design processes and drawing / document management systems (Aconex, Fusion Live, etc.).
• Day to day management of the design management team including communication of the departmental performance to the Business Unit Directors.
• Technical advice and support to all the pre-construction and delivery projects within the Building Business Unit.
• Carry out necessary administrative approvals in accordance with STRABAG policies.
• Attend upstream meetings with the senior team and provide input to STRABAG Building business as required.
• Ensuring that suitable arrangements are made to manage and control departmental spend and budget setting and review.
• Responsible for technical delivery of projects, peer review of tenders and specifications relating to all aspects of engineering i.e. Temporary Works, Geotechnical, Vertical Build, Civil and Structural.
• Mentoring team members so that meaningful delegation can apply within the team.
• Ensure latest learning and development initiatives are implemented s required within the team and promote research and development.
• Technical review of all design commissions to ensure compliance with the company governance requirements.
• Appoint design leads for all Building projects.
• Help employees to understand their team members and Business Unit goals and their contribution to these.
• Drive a high-performance culture by working with team members to get SMART objectives measure their progress.
• Provide effective guidance, advice, feedback using coaching and mentoring techniques.
• Role model inclusive behaviours creating an environment where your team can share ideas, collaborate, innovate and continuously improve.
• Provide a lead on change and team development.
• Promote effective teamwork through communication and consultation on shared goals.
• Recognise high performance and leverage employee strengths to achieve and maintain high performance.
• Identify business related learning and development needs jointly with your team members. Ensure that they own their learning and development and that opportunities are available to learn on the job as well as through business related development opportunities.
• Develop and maintain high quality relationships with Business Unit Directors, and wider team subject heads
• Design and construction of the built environment including office, commercial, retail, industrial.
• Experience in buildability and temporary works design and site logistics.
• Detailed understanding, experience and knowledge with all building materials – concrete, steel, composites, post tensioning, glass, cladding, aggregates, etc.
• Delivering seminars and workshops to internal and external teams.
  
  

Qualifications

Required

• Experience in project-based and pre-construction design management across a variety of infrastructure and vertical build projects.
• Advanced Technical competence in the design and construction of civil engineering works, nuclear, power, process, manufacturing, industrial and logistics structures
• Understanding of digital engineering in design and construction phases and of using the Digital Plan of Works.
• Experience of managing the challenges associated with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Detailed understanding of British Standards, Eurocodes and other international codes.
  
  

Desirable

• Health & Safety training e.g., CITB SMSTS. Training regarding Health and Safety at Work Act, Construction Design and
• Management (CDM) and behavioural safety.
• Degree in Architecture, Construction Management, Civil or Structural Engineering. Membership of CIOB, RIBA, ICE or similar equivalent.