Senior Design Manager Job Opening in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Role Overview
As a Design Manager, you will oversee and coordinate design activities within the Design department, managing complex and atypical projects. Your responsibilities will include stakeholder and consultant management, conducting technical reviews, providing design quality and functionality advice, addressing engineering and statutory considerations, and ensuring deliverable completeness. You will also lead internal design studies, research, and technical analysis.

Key Responsibilities
1. Design Brief and Assessment:

• Evaluate plot characteristics including physical attributes, location, visibility, access, and circulation.
  Develop comprehensive design briefs that encompass project objectives, context, and technical criteria.
• Collaborate with the Project Management team to integrate infrastructure, engineering, and statutory considerations into the design brief.

2. Design Process Management:

• Oversee projects from conceptual design through to tender documentation and construction.
• Define project timeframes, objectives, and documentation requirements with consultants.
• Ensure effective communication and documentation among stakeholders.
• Lead design reviews to ensure alignment with project objectives, cost, efficiency, user experience, and aesthetics.
• Conduct technical evaluations of design criteria, performance, engineering coordination, and statutory issues.
• Provide feedback on design deliverables for executive presentations and manage design changes.
• Resolve conflicts and secure necessary statutory approvals.
• Develop marketing materials for project launches.

3. Development Briefs and Budgets:

• Advise on development brief documents, including project positioning and statistical targets.
• Identify and assess key design, infrastructure, engineering, and statutory considerations impacting the development strategy.
• Perform independent cost analysis and coordinate with the Commercial department for cost benchmarks.
• Advise on project budgets, including detailed breakdowns of costs.
• Support return on investment (ROI) calculations to evaluate the benefits of various design considerations.

4. Research and Development:

• Lead research on city and product design innovations, such as smart technologies, mobility, and sustainability.
• Develop and enhance departmental systems, including guidelines and templates.
• Provide expertise on development briefs, budgets, and cost analysis.
• Support ROI calculations.

5. Project Schedule and Reporting:

• Define project schedules and milestones.
• Create and manage roadmaps for weekly progress tracking.
• Prepare and present progress reports for executive review.

Skills and Qualifications for Success
Experience:

• 10-12 years of experience in design and management roles, ideally with leading local developers or consultancy firms.
• Proven track record managing residential and commercial projects; experience with hospitality projects is advantageous.

Technical Skills:

• Versatility across design disciplines, including architecture and interior design, with proficiency in graphics and presentations.
• Advanced knowledge of technical requirements for buildings, including expertise in structural systems, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) systems, civil works, and interactions with statutory authorities.
  Presentation Skills:
• Ability to prepare and deliver clear and compelling presentations to executive management.
  Educational Background:
• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or a related field.
• Extensive experience in Residential and Commercial projects (offices, community facilities) through
• all design stages, from concept to IFC (Issued For Construction).
• Supplementary training in business or real estate is a plus.