Our client is leading boutique residential design and construction company delivering bespoke homes across Melbourne. Specialising in creating high-quality custom residences, guiding clients through every stage of the journey from concept design through to construction and completion.

Currently seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead and coordinate the design process across multiple custom residential projects, ensuring exceptional design outcomes, seamless project delivery and an outstanding client experience.

This is senior leadership position within the business and strategic hire, working closely with the Director, and have responsibility of the Design team.

The Design Manager is responsible for managing the end-to-end design process, coordinating consultants, overseeing documentation, and ensuring projects progress efficiently from concept through planning approvals and construction documentation.

Overarching responsibility of the design team, this individual will be the go to for the current internal team for design and technical guidance.

This role acts as the key link between clients, designers, consultants and the construction team, ensuring design intent, budget, buildability and project objectives remain aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

Design Leadership & Coordination

• Manage the design process from initial client briefing through to construction documentation.
• Coordinate architects, interior designers, consultants and external stakeholders.
• Lead design review meetings and ensure project milestones are achieved.
• Drive design quality while balancing budget, programme and buildability requirements.
• Ensure design outcomes align with client expectations and company standards.

Client Management

• Act as the primary design contact for clients throughout the project lifecycle.
• Facilitate design presentations, workshops and project reviews.
• Manage client expectations regarding scope, programme and budget.
• Develop strong relationships and deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Consultant Management

• Coordinate planning consultants, engineers, surveyors, energy assessors and other specialist consultants.
• Review consultant deliverables for accuracy, coordination and compliance.
• Manage consultant programmes and project deadlines.

Planning & Documentation

• Oversee planning permit applications and authority approvals.
• Review design and construction documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Ensure compliance with the National Construction Code, local planning requirements and relevant Australian Standards.
• Manage drawing revisions and documentation control processes.

Construction Interface

• Collaborate closely with estimating and construction teams during design development.
• Identify design risks and resolve buildability issues early in the process.
• Support value engineering initiatives while maintaining design integrity.
• Provide design support throughout the construction phase.

Business & Team Development

• Contribute to continuous improvement of design systems and processes.
• Mentor design and documentation team members.
• Support business development activities and project pursuits where required.
• Promote a collaborative and high-performance team culture.

• Degree qualification in Architecture, Building Design, Interior Architecture or related discipline.
• Ideally 15 years' + experience in design management, architecture custom residential project delivery.
• Proven experience delivering custom residential projects A to Z.
• Strong understanding of planning approvals, residential construction and project delivery processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Proficiency in Archicad and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong knowledge of the National Construction Code and Australian Standards.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and presentation skills.

• Client-focused with exceptional relationship-building skills.
• Strong leadership and organisational capabilities.
• Commercially aware with an understanding of project budgets and delivery outcomes.
• Highly proactive and solutions-oriented.
• Passionate about residential design excellence and customer experience.

• Project design milestones achieved on programme.
• Successful planning and authority approvals.
• Client satisfaction and referral outcomes.
• Documentation quality and coordination.
• Design-to-budget performance.
• Effective consultant and stakeholder management.
• Contribution to business growth and process improvement.

This role offers the opportunity to play a pivotal part in delivering exceptional custom homes while shaping the design experience for clients from vision through to reality.

Our client is leading boutique residential design and construction company delivering bespoke homes across Melbourne. Specialising in creating high-quality custom residences, guiding clients through every stage of the journey from concept design through to construction and completion.

Currently seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead and coordinate the design process across multiple custom residential projects, ensuring exceptional design outcomes, seamless project delivery and an outstanding client experience.

This is senior leadership position within the business and strategic hire, working closely with the Director, and have responsibility of the Design team.

The Design Manager is responsible for managing the end-to-end design process, coordinating consultants, overseeing documentation, and ensuring projects progress efficiently from concept through planning approvals and construction documentation.

Overarching responsibility of the design team, this individual will be the go to for the current internal team for design and technical guidance.

This role acts as the key link between clients, designers, consultants and the construction team, ensuring design intent, budget, buildability and project objectives remain aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

Design Leadership & Coordination

• Manage the design process from initial client briefing through to construction documentation.
• Coordinate architects, interior designers, consultants and external stakeholders.
• Lead design review meetings and ensure project milestones are achieved.
• Drive design quality while balancing budget, programme and buildability requirements.
• Ensure design outcomes align with client expectations and company standards.

Client Management

• Act as the primary design contact for clients throughout the project lifecycle.
• Facilitate design presentations, workshops and project reviews.
• Manage client expectations regarding scope, programme and budget.
• Develop strong relationships and deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Consultant Management

• Coordinate planning consultants, engineers, surveyors, energy assessors and other specialist consultants.
• Review consultant deliverables for accuracy, coordination and compliance.
• Manage consultant programmes and project deadlines.

Planning & Documentation

• Oversee planning permit applications and authority approvals.
• Review design and construction documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Ensure compliance with the National Construction Code, local planning requirements and relevant Australian Standards.
• Manage drawing revisions and documentation control processes.

Construction Interface

• Collaborate closely with estimating and construction teams during design development.
• Identify design risks and resolve buildability issues early in the process.
• Support value engineering initiatives while maintaining design integrity.
• Provide design support throughout the construction phase.

Business & Team Development

• Contribute to continuous improvement of design systems and processes.
• Mentor design and documentation team members.
• Support business development activities and project pursuits where required.
• Promote a collaborative and high-performance team culture.

• Degree qualification in Architecture, Building Design, Interior Architecture or related discipline.
• Ideally 15 years' + experience in design management, architecture custom residential project delivery.
• Proven experience delivering custom residential projects A to Z.
• Strong understanding of planning approvals, residential construction and project delivery processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Proficiency in Archicad and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong knowledge of the National Construction Code and Australian Standards.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and presentation skills.

• Client-focused with exceptional relationship-building skills.
• Strong leadership and organisational capabilities.
• Commercially aware with an understanding of project budgets and delivery outcomes.
• Highly proactive and solutions-oriented.
• Passionate about residential design excellence and customer experience.

• Project design milestones achieved on programme.
• Successful planning and authority approvals.
• Client satisfaction and referral outcomes.
• Documentation quality and coordination.
• Design-to-budget performance.
• Effective consultant and stakeholder management.
• Contribution to business growth and process improvement.

This role offers the opportunity to play a pivotal part in delivering exceptional custom homes while shaping the design experience for clients from vision through to reality.