Design Manager

Position Summary

As a Design Manager, you will lead complex design-build and construction management projects from a pre-construction perspective, ensuring design outcomes align with client expectations, budget constraints, and constructability requirements. You will work closely with senior leadership, consultants, and pre-construction teams to guide the design process from concept through to construction readiness, overseeing consultant performance, driving high-quality design documentation, and maintaining strong client relationships. You will be responsible for balancing design intent with practical delivery, ensuring a seamless transition into construction while supporting successful project outcomes.

As a Design Manager your key accountabilities will involve:

• Acting as the primary point of contact for clients and consultants during the design and pre-construction phases, building strong relationships and ensuring their goals are reflected in the design while managing expectations around scope, schedule, and budget.
• Leading the construction management process across CM, design-build (DB), progressive design-build (PDB) and integrated project delivery (IPD) projects, coordinating architects, engineers, and consultants to deliver aligned, high-quality design documentation from concept through to construction.
• Facilitate design coordination meetings and workshops, ensuring all disciplines are aligned, risks are identified early, and design progress stays on schedule.
• Overseeing consultant performance, define clear scopes of work, and ensure accountability throughout the design process.
• Leading design development to balance client vision with constructability, cost, and schedule, working closely with estimating and pre-construction teams to deliver value engineering solutions and maintain budget alignment.
• Advising clients and internal teams on building codes, bylaws, permitting requirements, and sustainability considerations, while supporting and leading municipal approval processes.
• Identifying and resolving design-related risks, ensuring sound decision-making and alignment with contract and project requirements.
• Supporting RFQ/RFP pursuits by contributing to design strategy, and collaborating with proposal teams to ensure solutions are practical, competitive, and aligned with delivery capabilities
• Leading the transition of projects into construction, ensuring operations teams are set up for success with a clear understanding of design intent, scope, and client commitments.
• Maintaining client engagement into early construction to ensure continuity, satisfaction, and resolution of any design-related issues.
• Demonstrating strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence multidisciplinary teams, build trust, and present ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Staying highly organized and detail-oriented, effectively managing multiple priorities, design deliverables, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

As a Design Manager your experience and qualifications will include:

• 8+ years of experience in construction, architecture, or real estate development, with a focus on design coordination, project management, or pre-construction.
• Degree or diploma in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience working on large-scale commercial, institutional, or residential projects, with exposure to the full project lifecycle from pursuit through to construction.
• Being comfortable managing external consultants, leading the design process and making design decisions in collaborative environments such as DB, PDB or IPD.
• Strong understanding of contracts, budgeting, supply chain and constructability
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with clients, consultants, and internal teams.
• Adept organization skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Practical problem-solving with strong business and commercial judgment.
• Experience supporting RFQs/RFPs and contributing to winning work.
• Familiarity with municipal approvals, building codes, and permitting processes.
• Experience with BIM/VDC and project management or design collaboration tools.
• Professional designations such as PMP, Gold Seal, P.Eng., AIBC, or LEED are considered an asset.

What we have to offer:

• Competitive salary, plus potential bonus & profit sharing
• Matching RRSP
• Extended benefits, Employee Assistance Program, life insurance, AD&D, LTD, CI
• Paid vacation
• Professional development support
• Head Office centrally located in Burnaby and transit-accessible
• Lunch catered to the office twice a week
• Office gym and group personal training classes
• We get together often for company-wide social events

We have a lot to be proud of at Ventana Construction. As a full-service construction partner, our goal is to deliver the best building and the best service possible for our clients. Our tag line, “Relationships to build on” is a philosophy that we truly believe in, and we encourage our team to practice every day. Building and maintaining strong relationships is vital to our success. Recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers, we are dedicated to upholding our company values as we continue to be a leader in this industry.

By bringing together smart, dedicated and supportive colleagues from diverse backgrounds, we deliver top-notch client service in a collaborative work environment. The high performing, values driven atmosphere provides the opportunity for you to make a real impact and build a rewarding career at Ventana. Being a part of Ventana means working on a variety of interesting projects including breweries and recreation complexes, working with a supportive team, and being proud to say, “we built that”.