Design Manager - Construction Projects
Posted date [2026-05-25]
(ID: 45630)
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Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim is one of the most progressive regional family business houses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
Job Description and Requirements
Design Manager - Construction ProjectsJob Snapshot
Role: Design Manager - Construction Projects
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Construction
Function: Design
Experience: 15-20 years
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
Design Manager - Construction Projects in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a Construction hiring opportunity for an experienced design management professional who can lead multidisciplinary design coordination, manage approvals, control design risks, and support complex real estate and construction project delivery. The role is focused on ensuring design information is complete, compliant, coordinated, and released in line with project schedules, contract requirements, BIM workflows, and operational needs.
This position requires a senior professional with strong experience in construction design management, contractor coordination, technical approvals, value engineering, commercial risk awareness, HSE design risk control, and stakeholder communication across major GCC projects.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Construction
Function: Design
Salary: 30000-45000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Design Manager - Construction Projects role supports project success by ensuring that all design deliverables are properly planned, reviewed, coordinated, approved, and issued to construction teams without avoidable delay. The role connects design, operations, procurement, planning, commercial, subcontractors, consultants, and client representatives to keep technical information aligned with programme and contract obligations.
The position has direct impact on construction efficiency, cost control, claim prevention, value engineering, design quality, buildability, HSE risk reduction, and timely project delivery. It is suited for a confident design leader who can manage complex technical interfaces while protecting business and project interests.
Key Responsibilities
* Implement the Design Management Plan and manage design deliverables in line with project programme requirements.
* Control the release, review, approval, and distribution of design documents, shop drawings, material approval requests, sample boards, mock-ups, and related submissions.
* Lead multidisciplinary design coordination with operations, procurement, planning, commercial, subcontractors, consultants, and client-side representatives.
* Ensure subcontractors and sub-consultants provide fully coordinated design information through structured progress meetings and technical reviews.
* Check design compliance against contract drawings, specifications, employer requirements, authority standards, and project delivery expectations.
* Identify value engineering opportunities that improve buildability, reduce unnecessary cost, and support practical construction delivery.
* Monitor design cost exposure, missing information, design changes, variations, delay events, and potential commercial risks.
* Work with commercial and planning teams to support claims, delay records, Extension of Time requirements, and formal correspondence where required.
* Coordinate design information through BIM models to support updated, accurate, and timely model delivery.
* Lead the design team by setting priorities, reviewing progress, resolving technical issues, and maintaining control of the design programme.
* Engage with clients, project management consultants, consultants, and authority representatives to resolve technical concerns and obtain approvals.
* Maintain instruction trackers, design change records, document logs, and audit-ready design documentation in line with company IMS requirements.
* Provide technical support to project delivery teams and ensure current design information is available to site teams and subcontractors.
* Prepare handover design documentation according to project requirements and closeout standards.
* Identify and reduce construction-related HSE design risks, legacy risks, quality concerns, and environmental design issues.
* Mentor junior staff and support the development of design coordination capability within the project team.
Ideal Profile
The ideal candidate has 15-20 years of experience in the construction industry, with strong exposure to major building, mixed-use, real estate, infrastructure, or development projects in the GCC. Experience with Tier 1 main contractors in the UAE is highly preferred.
A Bachelor degree or Diploma in Architecture, Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering, or MEP Engineering is required, with Architecture preferred. The candidate should have at least 10 years of relevant design management experience or a fully qualified professional background with strong post-qualification experience.
The role requires someone who can manage complex projects independently, lead multidisciplinary design teams, deal confidently with clients and consultants, and make practical decisions that support programme, quality, cost, compliance, and construction delivery.
Skills Set
* Construction design management
* Design coordination
* Architectural design review
* Shop drawing approvals
* Material approval requests
* BIM coordination
* Design Management Plan
* Value engineering
* Contract compliance
* Employer requirements review
* Technical submissions
* Design risk management
* HSE design risk mitigation
* Commercial risk awareness
* Extension of Time support
* Claims coordination
* Change management
* Instruction trackers
* Consultant coordination
* Client communication
* Subcontractor design coordination
* Project documentation
* IMS compliance
* Sample board review
* Mock-up approval
* Construction programme alignment
* GCC construction projects
* UAE contractor environment
Why Join Us
This role offers a senior opportunity within the Construction sector in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, supporting major real estate and development projects where design quality, coordination, approvals, and buildability are essential to successful delivery. It is a strong fit for experienced design managers who want to work on large-scale projects with commercial importance, technical complexity, and long-term regional impact.
The position provides exposure to high-value developments, multidisciplinary teams, client and consultant coordination, BIM-led workflows, and a stable business environment where design leadership directly influences project performance and delivery outcomes.
About the Company
Al-Futtaim is a diversified regional business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with operations across automotive, retail, financial services, real estate, healthcare, engineering, and technology. Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate manages major development and property portfolios across the region, including residential, commercial, retail, tourism, education, healthcare, and mixed-use destinations, with a strong focus on creating high-quality places to live, work, and invest.
