Rural Design | We're recruiting: Design Quality Manager

About the role

We are looking to recruit a Design Quality Manager to join our team delivering innovative timber framed houses across the extraordinary landscapes of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. You will help us maintain the high standard of integrated building design developed by architects Rural Design with contractor James MacQueen for a complete, turnkey home known as R.HOUSE.

Rural Design provide the designs for the homes which are delivered under a design and build arrangement with a significant prefabricated element. James MacQueen Building Contractors are responsible for delivering each home - pre-fabricating the kit within their workshops in Crossal on the Isle of Skye, erecting them on prepared plots before completing the fit out on site.

You will work alongside our architectural team in Portree and we anticipate you will be comfortable working within a design environment. Core responsibilities will include the following.

- provide a level of Design Quality Control during the construction stage through regular site visits to review the delivery of the construction designs

- provide guidance to site staff to help them maintain and improve the high standard of design and construction detailing of R.HOUSE through e.g. toolbox talks or off site workshops

- provide H&S guidance and advice for site staff and promote good working methods and excellent welfare standards

- review Contractor’s site set up to help identify and resolve any potential challenges

- provide ‘look ahead’ guidance to construction staff to help them identify potential risks to quality of delivery and actively assist in exploring mitigation methods

- assist with identifying defects, helping the construction team find solutions to resolve site issues in a collaborative way during site works and post completion

- respond to Contractor’s technical enquiries relating to site works and identify technical matters on site that might require escalation

- brief the construction team on site set out, and review final site set out prior to works

- provide continual design feedback: identify learning opportunities from construction stages to help the design team to improve the technical design and construction processes

- help R.HOUSE to manage client relations and expectations by providing the office team with regular site updates

- act as Principal Designer on behalf of Rural Design

As Principal Designer you will be responsible for planning, managing and monitoring pre-construction phase health and safety matters as required under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Your duties will therefore include compiling and preparation of Pre-Construction Information, ensuring our design team and other designers comply with their duties, maintaining design risk registers, helping to identify and control foreseeable risks, liaising with the Principal Contractor and health and safety consultants, reviewing Construction Phase Plans, and compiling the Health and Safety file.

The post will be a full-time position. You would ideally be based out of our studio in Portree but hybrid remote working would be considered for the right candidate. You will need to be mobile as attendance on the construction sites across the Highlands is a key part of your role.

Salary is expected to be in the range of £44,000 to £48,000 pro rata subject to experience and training needs.

About you

Ultimately we are looking for a candidate with good construction knowledge, significant site experience and used to taking a positive and collaborative approach when resolving challenges to building delivery. You will be comfortable in construction site environments, well organised and able to work as part of a team. You may have a background in architecture or construction generally.

You will have previous experience that demonstrates the above as well as an ability to co-ordinate information, work independently, and communicate effectively with suppliers, contractors and design teams. You would ideally have an interest in sustainable, timber framed design and prefabrication technology.

You will have an appreciation of good design, good working knowledge of spreadsheet software for management purposes and an understanding of technical construction drawings. Some knowledge of CAD software is advantageous but not essential and training can be provided.

About us

We are an architecture and design practice committed to a progressive and sensitive rural architecture. We place great value on team work and collaboration.

We are a friendly team, keen to share our knowledge and expertise. We offer a great opportunity for your personal development, as well as competitive remuneration, and an attractive working environment. Based on the Isle of Skye we are all keen to enjoy life to the full and the practice offers an excellent work-life balance.

We are an inclusive organisation and we want our team to be diverse. We encourage people from a variety of backgrounds with different skills and life experiences to join us.

An application letter explaining how you meet the requirements of the position, your availability to start and any salary expectations should be submitted together with a CV and portfolio (where relevant) to [email protected]

UPDATE: Closing date for applications is Wednesday 6th September 2023.

Strictly no agencies or third party applications please.