Design Manager - Advanced Delivery

Overview

The Design Manager - Advanced Delivery leads the integration of design and construction teams to deliver coordinated, constructible, and cost-effective designs on schedule and within budget. This role supports advanced delivery models (Design-Build, IPD, P3, EPC), ensuring design intent, risk management, and project readiness for execution.

Responsibilities

Preconstruction & Proposal Phase

• Serve as primary liaison between design and construction teams during proposals.
• Lead strategy for design services breakdown and integration of specialty consultants or design/build trades.
• Define technical scope, manage RFIs, and ensure comprehensive bridging documents.
• Develop and maintain design deliverable schedules aligned with procurement and build phases.
• Validate A/E scope and fee structure; support Teaming Agreements.
• Collaborate with estimating to break down RFPs and support subcontractor/vendor pricing.
• Assemble and maintain the Endorsed Project Baseline (proposal, estimate, contract, schedule).
• Identify and communicate requirements to clarify RFPs for design and construction.

Design Development & Delivery

• Oversee design progression to ensure alignment with budget, schedule, and constructability; lead target value design.
• Facilitate design charrettes, team chartering, and owner approval processes.
• Coordinate permitting process and maintain related schedules.
• Monitor and document design changes, minimizing scope creep.
• Lead design risk management, including cost-benefit analyses for RFIs and changes.
• Ensure Health & Safety integration: complete Safety Risk Assessments, introduce Hierarchy of Controls, and incorporate logistics planning into design.
• Ensure effective coordination between the VDC (Virtual Design & Construction) team and the design team to align digital modeling, clash detection, and constructability reviews with project goals.
• Maintain tools for tracking design issues and changes.
• Promote a design-build mindset and collaboration between disciplines.
• Oversee and validate design team invoices.

Construction Integration

• Communicate design scope and intent to construction teams.
• Support development of construction budgets from design estimates.
• Assist in trade contractor/supplier scope definition and procurement.
• Provide feedback for future bids and risk assessments.
• Resolve scope conflicts and develop recovery plans as needed.
• Ensure design team responsiveness to field issues and facilitate risk-mitigating solutions.

Quality, Compliance & Documentation

• Oversee design QA/QC for regulatory and standards compliance.
• Improve documentation of design basis and assumptions.
• Emphasize the importance of delivering the proposed design and managing scope changes.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years’ experience in design/project management for large-scale construction.
• Proven experience with advanced delivery models (Design-Build, IPD, P3, EPC).
• Strong understanding of design-to-budget, constructability, and risk management.
• Experience establishing and executing departmental processes and procedures.
• Experience with Assumptions Management, Change Management, requirement tracking, and Corrective Action Programs.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and team-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and drive consensus.
• Proficiency in design and construction management software/tools.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Collaborative leadership and influence
• Risk identification and mitigation
• Innovation and continuous improvement
• Results-oriented and accountable

Additional Information

• May support preconstruction, estimating, or procurement as needed.
• Expected to contribute to organizational learning by sharing lessons learned and best practices.

 

Salary to be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, and/or experience of the applicant, as well as the internal equity and alignment with the team.

For Baltimore, MD this ranges from $130,000.00 - $175,000.00 plus benefits and retirement program.

For Arlington, VA this ranges from $145,000.00 - $195,000.00 plus benefits and retirement pro