Design Manager

Job Description

<strong>Job Requisition ID: </strong>155200<br><br>Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.<br><br>By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day<br><br><strong>Overview of the role:<br><br></strong>The role holder through and in close co-ordination with individual Project Team Leaders/Managers, effectively manage the design process and design consultants for individual projects and oversee and make successful the entire design process from pre-concept design stage through final design and for construction documentation (including selection of ID consultants).<br><br><strong>What you will do:<br><br></strong><strong>Responsible for:<br><br></strong><strong> Prequalifying and selecting Design Consultants <br><br></strong>Assess the market, define and assess specific requirements, define qualification / evaluation criteria, review available candidate consultants develop relevant interview process and questionnaires, interview candidates, assess and compare presentations, make recommendations for selection of ID Consultants<br><br><strong> Defining Design Scope and other relevant contribution to the creation / running / closeout of good design agreements/contracts </strong> <strong>and control of design costs<br><br></strong>Define and assess AFGRE requirements … convert requirements to unambiguous and specific design scope clauses, specific deliverables etc. … review and ensure completeness of design scope internally … review and ensure that combinations of different design scopes do not overlap and do not create ‘design gaps’ … review designs received (ongoing) against the design scope … assess progress and performance and make recommendations for payments to consultants … take action to resolve any situations where designers are in default of their design scope … in conjunction with the project team leader, adjust design scope as and when required, but with analysis and agreement and control of the consequences (cost and time) … make final assessment when design scope is completed/fulfilled and secure all final deliverables before closing off the agreement … create appropriate correspondence/records of all transactions.<br><br><strong> Coordination of different AFGRE requirements (owners vision, development, design, construction) into the designs <br><br></strong>Procure or make agreed definitions of all DFC requirements … assess those requirements for mutual compatibility in respect of design … iterate until reaching a set of requirements mutually compatible in respect of design … redefine these requirements if and when they change … put these requirements into design scopes … review designs against (latest) DFC requirements.<br><br><strong> Coordination and Interfacing <br><br></strong>Establish relevant communication and information exchange between designers … liaise with designers and monitor the communication … eliminate any inappropriate forms or lines of communications, or lack of communications, which arise … explicitly correct or cause to be corrected any misleading communications which arise … establish explicit feedback/acknowledgement in respect of any corrections … procure relevant designers’ reviews and comments on other designs and ensure that the results are communicated … chair and minute unambiguously an appropriate number and type of coordination meetings …assign and follow up on actions to solve any issues/problems arising … create appropriate correspondence/records of all transactions.<br><br><strong> Procurement and verification of acceptable design packages of design documentation for each design stage <br><br></strong>Establish schedule/extent of design deliverables … review designs delivered in respect of general compliance with design scope and AFGRE requirements … review designs delivered in respect of general quality and for gross or obvious errors … procure design reviews by others in AFGRE as appropriate … communicate the results of those reviews unambiguously to the designers for actions as required … communicate the results of those reviews elsewhere as appropriate assign and follow up on actions required until the designs are acceptable. Ensure that Consultant’s designs are fully compliant with Statutory Authorities regulations and requirements to secure the requisite design approvals and Non-Objection Certificates (NOC) from the Authorities (in support of design consultants) … procure Line Manager’s and team’s internal design approvals … explicitly release the designs when they are acceptable … create appropriate correspondence/records of all transactions.<br><br><strong> Measurement and control of design progress <br><br></strong>Establish a design programme compatible with the construction programme … establish a method of measuring the design delivery (completeness, correctness) against program … prioritise critical path designs and enforce that priority on the designers … accelerate or cause to be accelerated designs which are late until they are on time … report upwards on design progress in a regular and consistent manner .<br><br><strong> Management of design change <br><br></strong>Identify potential design changes before they occur … analyse and assess the implications (cost and time) … assess whether or not these implications require wider AFGRE approval – if they do then seek that approval … accept or reject the proposed change … communicate that acceptance or rejection unambiguously to all parties affected or likely to be affected … create appropriate correspondence/records of all transactions .<br><br><strong> Design Management staff </strong> and CAD / clerical staff reporting to or assisting the Team … Assign tasks which are appropriate in respect of the skills and experience and workload of the staff … liaise in respect of shared staff so as not to overload them and not to attempt to override others’ priorities … review the work done and provide appropriate feedback as appropriate<br><br><strong> Contribute to development of Design Management procedures </strong> Review / comment on design management procedures in respect of relevance, usability, and clarity. Provide feedback to your Line Manager in respect of procedures in use for implementation as and when required.<br><br><strong>Job Context:<br><br></strong>The anticipated workload for this position is directly related to our overall business plan and the planned procurement of design consultancy services for the development of individual building projects. The roll-out programme for our projects is defined by our 5–year plan, which can be subject to change when our business plan is impacted by external factors and market forces beyond our immediate control.<br><br><strong>Required skills to be successful:<br><br></strong><strong> Job-Specific Skills: <br></strong><ul><li> Prequalification of consultants </li><li> Definition of design scope clauses, deliverables etc- completeness and absence of any ‘gaps’ </li><li> Coordination with designers- clarity and accuracy of communicating AFGRE’s requirements </li><li> Review of design packages </li><li> Identification of cost/ time/ quality implication of any design change and recommendation thereof <br><br></li></ul><strong> Behavioural Competencies </strong> :<br><ul><li> Work co-operatively, constructively and in harmony within Team as an integral member of the organization </li><li> Anticipate business needs and be proactive </li><li> Combine energy and expertise to achieve common goals </li><li> Deliver what has been committed to the standards within business <br><br></li></ul><strong>What equips you for the role:<br><br></strong><strong> Minimum Qualifications and Knowledge: <br><br></strong>Interior Design Degree<br><br><strong> Minimum Experience: <br><br></strong>8 to 10 years hands-on experience in Design and Construction.<br><br>In-depth knowledge and use of mainly ID design standards, codes, practices and building regulations of the region.<br><br><strong>About Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate<br><br></strong>The real estate development and operations arm of Al-Futtaim, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate is responsible for a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across MENA. With high-quality residential, business, retail, tourism, educational and healthcare developments, the master developer caters to the diverse needs of cities and communities in the region. From origination, conception, development, sales, procurement and construction of mega-projects and the leasing, operation and management of these projects after completion, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate (AFGRE) has been developing and managing owned landbanks, unlocking the economic potential of the region and contributing to future development for more than 40 years.<br><br>Our focus is to enable and invest in meaningful relationships to make our properties the best places to live and work, build additional products and services and enable partnerships to create true value to our customers throughout their entire experience with us.<br><br>AFGRE is responsible for master planning of all projects in its portfolio, including two large scale mixed use destinations: Dubai Festival City and Cairo Festival City.