Construction Design Management
Careers Explorer:
Leading, managing and coordinating the design and/or construction process on building and infrastructure projects.
Overview
You will often oversee making sure a building or other kind of structure is done properly from start to finish – driving the project from the first idea through to the end.
As a Design and Construction Manager, you will be based either in a design studio, office or on a construction site.
You will either work for small or large organisations within a design or construction project team and your job is to lead, manage and coordinate the design and/or construction process on building and infrastructure projects.
You would act as the link between designers (i.e. Architects, Engineers) construction teams and project stakeholders.
A leader and involved in a project from start to finish, you’ll ultimately contribute to the management of project handover and completion to the customer/client, as well as being instrumental in recording feedback from stakeholders leading to the implementation of best practice in future projects.
Top 5 Tasks
- Controlling the development of the design concept and translating this into the final building or installation.
- Maintaining and co-ordinating the flow of design information to enable construction work to run efficiently
- Ensure that potential risks have been taken into account
- Ensure the project has minimal impact on the environment and the local community
- Interact with the project team
Salary
Newly trained design managers can earn around £27,500.
Trained with experience design managers can earn in the region of £30,000-£60,000.
Senior, chartered or master design managers can earn up to £90,000.
Salaries depend on location, employer and level of responsibility.
Am I Suited?
- Technically-minded
- Excellent communicator
- Leader
- Team player
- Planner
Many Construction Managers and other construction professionals started their careers as apprentices.
Qualifications
This is a multi-skilled role requiring significant technical skills. It is possible to go into this kind of role without formal qualification requirements, but it’s generally more accepted if you complete one of the following qualifications:
- BTEC in Building Studies, Building Engineering or Building Management
- HNC/HND/degree in Construction Management or Architecture (or their equivalent such as the Scottish SCQF/SVQ)
- BSc in Design and Construction Management
- Accredited programme in Architectural Technology
Further qualifications – and Chartered status – can be gained through courses accredited by The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), or the Chartered Institute of Architectual Technologists (CIAT).
