Design Manager

We’re seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead our national Interior Design and Documentation function across our Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide offices. This is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving design quality, documentation excellence and operational efficiency across the business. This role does not require a design background. We’re looking for an accomplished people leader and delivery manager who can guide high-performing teams, oversee standards and workflows, and ensure seamless coordination across design and documentation disciplines. A little about our people: We’re tea drinkers, chocolate fiends, coffee lovers, footy tragics, dog devotees but most of all, we’re people who genuinely care. We show up for each other, we show up for our clients, and we show up for our community. Our core values guide everything we do: We walk in each other’s shoes; we do what we say, and we get stuff done; we are nimble and easy to do business with; we continuously improve through innovation; we are accountable to our customers and to each other; and we are a Community at Concept. And these aren’t posters on a wall, they shape how we lead, deliver, and grow. What we do: We are a design & build company who exist to turn everyday spaces into meaningful experiences, specialising in the office and health sector. Overview of the position: The Design Manager will lead and mentor design and documentation teams across three offices, building a collaborative, high performing and accountable national culture. The role will oversee design and documentation from concept to completion, uphold quality and design intent, and continually improve standards, workflows and digital delivery. It will manage national resourcing, recruitment and onboarding, plan capacity around the project pipeline, and champion smarter ways of working. The role connects design, documentation and delivery, keeps communication clear across studios, reports on resourcing, progress and quality, and represents the design function in leadership and client forums. Our expectations of you: You are an organised, strategic and people focused leader who thrives in multidisciplinary environments, builds strong high performing teams and lifts delivery performance. You bring at least ten years’ experience in project delivery, documentation, design management, construction, consultancy or a related professional services environment, including proven senior leadership of teams across multiple locations or disciplines. It is essential that you have a strong track record of leading and mentoring leaders, growing capability and succession, and delivering consistent high-quality outcomes at scale. You strengthen systems, processes and QA frameworks, refine documentation standards and resource planning, and know how to balance workloads to meet deadlines while reducing risk. You communicate with clarity and confidence with senior leadership, project teams and clients, uniting studios across regions and translating strategy into day to day action, measurable results and smooth workflow from concept to delivery. You enjoy leading people, driving continuous improvement and innovation, and you balance creative ambition with operational rigour, accountability and a strong focus on quality and performance. Desirable traits for this position: Experience leading teams in a creative + technical delivery environment (e.g., design, documentation, architecture, construction, engineering, project management). Familiarity with digital delivery tools and structured documentation workflows (e.g., Revit, BIM, or comparable systems). Exposure to design & build or end-to-end project delivery models. Experience working within or contributing to formal quality systems (ISO or similar). Interest in innovation, automation and continuous improvement in professional services delivery. So what's next? The hiring process is simple. Read this. Like it. Reach out. We’ll chat, introduce you to the team, and make sure it’s a great fit on both sides. Advice from us: If it’s not for you but someone sprang to mind, refer them Lastly: If you’re a leader who enjoys building great teams, strengthening systems and delivering quality at scale, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a short cover letter outlining your relevant experience. #J-18808-Ljbffr