Senior Design Manager

Posted 20 August 2026
LocationAuckland
Job type Permanent Recruitment
Discipline Construction, Architecture & Design
Reference133276

Job Description

Are you an experienced Design Manager who thrives on delivering complex healthcare projects that genuinely improve communities? Do you enjoy leading multidisciplinary teams, navigating stakeholder complexity, and translating clinical and operational requirements into successful built outcomes?

We are seeking a Senior Design Manager - Health to join a leading project consultancy recognised for delivering some of New Zealand most significant healthcare infrastructure projects.
This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in the planning and delivery of hospitals, healthcare facilities, and specialist medical environments.

The Opportunity

As Senior Design Manager, you will take ownership of the design process across major healthcare projects from project inception through to delivery. Working closely with clients, health planners, consultants, and project stakeholders, you will ensure design outcomes align with the approved Functional Design Brief, model of care, operational requirements, programme, budget, and quality expectations.
You will be a trusted advisor to clients and a respected leader within project teams, providing strategic direction while proactively managing design risk, coordination, and stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities
  • Lead multidisciplinary design teams across complex healthcare projects.
  • Facilitate user engagement workshops and stakeholder consultation processes.
  • Establish and manage design programmes, design governance, and approval pathways.
  • Ensure design outputs align with Functional Design Briefs, models of care, and healthcare planning requirements.
  • Manage coordination across architecture, engineering, specialist consultants, and project stakeholders.
  • Lead design reviews and assurance processes throughout project delivery.
  • Integrate clinical, operational, facilities management, security, and asset lifecycle requirements into project design.
  • Drive constructability reviews and design risk management initiatives.
  • Oversee design budgets, consultant scopes, forecasts, and design variations.
  • Manage BIM requirements and digital project delivery processes where required.
  • Build and maintain strong client relationships and contribute to business development activities.
  • Mentor and support emerging design management professionals.
What we're Looking for

You will bring a strong combination of technical expertise, leadership capability, and healthcare project experience, including:
  • Relevant tertiary qualification in architecture, engineering, construction, project management, or a related discipline.
  • 10 – 15 + years' experience delivering design management services on complex healthcare or major infrastructure projects.
  • Strong understanding of healthcare planning principles, models of care, and stakeholder engagement processes.
  • Demonstrable experience in managing a consistent approach in hospital design
  • Demonstrable experience in managing design parameters/outputs for differing forms of Contract procurement
  • Ability to work at programme level across several hospital redevelopments as part of a team including Cost Planning, Project Controls, Programming, Strategic Commercial and procurement, and Business case functions
  • Excellent knowledge of New Zealand consenting processes and the NZ Building Code.
  • Proven capability managing design scope, programme, budgets, and consultant teams.
  • Exceptional communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.

Circa: $200K - $220K + Benefits

For a confidential discussion or to learn more about the opportunity, please get in touch with Matt on 027 554 4064 or email your details to matt.shortt@beyond.co.nz

Ref: 133276