Principal Designer

The Principal Designer will support Parkside Safety Services Ltd in discharging its duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 across a range of design and engineering activities. The role is intended for someone who already has a sound foundation in construction, design coordination, CDM, health and safety or project delivery, and who is ready to develop into a more capable and independent Principal Designer over time.

The role will help ensure that health, safety and risk management are embedded within the design process from early concept through to delivery. The postholder will coordinate design risk registers, support pre-construction information and Health and Safety File activities, contribute to project reviews and meetings, and help improve business-wide systems, consistency and compliance in relation to Principal Designer duties.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The postholder will provide practical support to project and business teams so that Principal Designer duties are delivered consistently, proportionately and in line with legal and company requirements.

Principal Designer and CDM Support

• Support the delivery of Principal Designer duties across multiple projects in line with CDM 2015 and associated guidance.
• Assist design teams in identifying foreseeable risks and ensuring hazards are eliminated or reduced so far as is reasonably practicable through design.
• Help ensure design risk is considered early and throughout the design process rather than treated as a late-stage compliance exercise.
• Support the review of drawings, specifications, reports and technical submissions to identify health, safety, constructability and maintainability issues.
• Contribute to the preparation, coordination and review of pre-construction information and Health and Safety File information.
• Escalate significant concerns, omissions or non-conformances to senior colleagues in a timely and professional manner.

Design Risk Management and Information Coordination

• Update and maintain project design risk registers in a clear and consistent format.
• Coordinate input from designers, engineers, project managers and other relevant parties.
• Track actions arising from design risk reviews, workshops and project meetings, supporting timely close-out.
• Help ensure residual risks are clearly described, allocated and communicated to those who need the information.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies or unclear risk information and work with project teams to resolve them.
• Maintain suitable records of design risk decisions, assumptions, actions and information issued to other dutyholders.

Project and Stakeholder Support

• Attend and contribute to design reviews, coordination meetings, risk workshops and client or project meetings as required.
• Liaise with internal designers, project managers, clients, contractors, principal contractors and other dutyholders.
• Support clear communication of CDM responsibilities and design risk information across the project team.
• Provide practical input to project teams where CDM, design risk or Principal Designer support is required.
• Help ensure the right information is provided to the right people at the right stage of the project lifecycle.

Governance, Compliance and Quality

• Support the business in maintaining consistent Principal Designer processes, templates, registers and records.
• Assist with internal audits, compliance checks and quality reviews relating to design risk management and CDM delivery.
• Contribute to lessons learned reviews and help embed improvements into future project delivery.
• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, guidance and industry good practice, applying this knowledge appropriately in day-to-day work.
• Work in line with company procedures, quality requirements and document control expectations.

Business Support and Continuous Improvement

• Support wider business activities connected to health, safety, design governance, project delivery and operational improvement.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of procedures, work instructions, lessons learned and standard documentation relating to Principal Designer services.
• Assist in building awareness across the business of design risk, CDM responsibilities and good practice.
• Work collaboratively across teams to help strengthen Parkside’s overall capability and consistency in this area.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Qualifications

• Relevant qualification in construction, civil engineering, architecture, design, health and safety, project management or a related discipline.
• NEBOSH Construction Certificate, NEBOSH General Certificate, IOSH Managing Safely, APS training or similar relevant qualification would be desirable.
• Membership of, or working towards membership of, IOSH, APS, CIOB, ICE or another relevant professional body would be beneficial.
• Commitment to continued professional development in CDM, design risk management and Principal Designer duties.

Experience

This role is not intended for a fully developed senior Principal Designer. We are looking for someone with the right foundation, attitude and potential to grow into the role.

• Experience in construction, civil engineering, design coordination, CDM, health and safety, project delivery or a related technical environment.
• A working understanding of CDM 2015 and the role of the Principal Designer and other duty holders.
• Experience reviewing or coordinating technical project information.
• Experience maintaining risk registers, action trackers, compliance records or controlled project information.
• Experience participating in design reviews, risk reviews, coordination meetings, site or project assurance activities, or similar delivery environments.
• Exposure to pre-construction information, Health and Safety Files, design risk registers, RAMS review or related governance activities would be desirable.
• Experience in consultancy, engineering, utilities, infrastructure, industrial or construction project environments would be beneficial.

Skills and Attributes

• Good understanding of construction and design risk, with a willingness to develop further as a Principal Designer.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to coordinate information, maintain registers and follow through on actions.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to describe risks, actions and residual issues clearly.
• Able to build positive working relationships with colleagues, clients, designers and other stakeholders.
• Able to challenge constructively and elevate concerns appropriately.
• Sound judgement, attention to detail and a professional approach to compliance, quality and accountability.
• Practical and proportionate approach to risk management.
• Comfortable working across multiple projects and priorities.
• Competent in standard office systems, document management tools and structured registers or trackers.
• Develop towards more independent delivery of Principal Designer duties over time.
• Build confidence in leading design risk discussions and contributing to client or project meetings.
• Strengthen knowledge of CDM 2015, design risk management and relevant industry guidance.
• Support improvements to company templates, processes and working practices as capability develops.
• Undertake relevant training, mentoring and professional development agreed with the business.

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