Principal Designer (CDM)

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Principal Designer (CDM 2015) to support a portfolio of refurbishment, maintenance, repair and property improvement projects across its operational estate.

This is a hands-on Principal Designer appointment, not a compliance, advisory or administrative position. The successful candidate must have proven experience delivering the statutory Principal Designer role under CDM 2015 and be able to demonstrate how they have actively influenced design decisions, coordinated design teams and managed construction risks throughout the pre-construction phase.

The role offers the opportunity to work across a varied programme of projects involving existing buildings, structures and infrastructure assets, helping to ensure health and safety risks are identified, eliminated or reduced through effective design leadership.

Contract Details

• Contract Length: 6 Months
• Rate: £400 per day Inside IR35
• Location: Wallasey
• Working Pattern: 4 days onsite per week
• Interview Process: Single-stage virtual interview (5-6 competency-based questions)
• Start Date: Immediate / quick turnaround process

Applicants living further afield will still be considered, provided they can commit to the onsite requirement.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Undertake the statutory Principal Designer duties in accordance with CDM 2015.
• Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during the pre-construction phase.
• Lead design risk reviews and maintain project design risk registers.
• Coordinate multiple designers and design disciplines across concurrent projects.
• Review and manage Pre-Construction Information (PCI), identifying information gaps and required investigations.
• Chair design coordination meetings and drive the resolution of outstanding actions.
• Ensure significant residual risks are identified, managed and communicated to relevant duty holders.
• Oversee the preparation and maintenance of Health & Safety Files.
• Manage design change processes and assess the impact of design amendments on project risk.
• Escalate significant design-related health and safety concerns to client stakeholders when required.
• Provide portfolio-level reporting across multiple projects.

What We're Looking For

Essential Experience

You'll be able to clearly demonstrate:

• Experience acting as the appointed Principal Designer under CDM 2015.
• Delivery of Principal Designer duties on refurbishment, maintenance, alteration and improvement projects involving existing buildings and structures.
• Management of multiple projects simultaneously.
• Coordination of multidisciplinary design teams.
• Leading design risk management workshops and maintaining design risk registers.
• Managing Pre-Construction Information and Health & Safety Files.
• Experience working on projects involving:
  • Existing services and utilities
  • Structural alterations
  • Occupied premises
  • Asbestos information
  • Hidden or unforeseen site conditions
• Escalation and resolution of significant design-related health and safety risks.

Essential Knowledge

• CDM Regulations 2015, particularly Principal Designer duties.
• Design risk management principles.
• Pre-Construction Information requirements.
• Health & Safety File requirements.
• Duty holder coordination under CDM 2015.
• General Principles of Prevention.

Desirable Qualifications

• IMaPS or CMaPS
• APS Membership
• IOSH Membership
• NEBOSH Construction Certificate
• Construction, engineering, surveying or related professional qualification
• Public sector project experience