Design Manager

Sanderson Group is a leading name in the design and delivery of luxury retirement living and high-end residential homes, with a proud legacy of innovation and excellence in architectural design across New Zealand. Based in stunning Tauranga, we manage the full development journey in‑house, and we’re growing our team to match our pipeline of projects. About the role: We’re looking for an experienced Design Manager to be the critical link between our architectural team and our construction sites here in Tauranga. This is a hands‑on senior role – you’ll make sure design intent gets translated into buildable, well‑coordinated outcomes, from early concept right through to building consent and into construction. You’ll own the design programme, lead our consenting processes, and be the person who keeps design, council, and site all moving in the same direction. Reporting to our Chief Executive Officer and working closely with our Architectural Studio Leads, Project Manager and Senior Site Manager, this role suits someone who’s commercially minded, organised, and comfortable balancing good design with the realities of cost and buildability. Key Responsibilities: Own the design programme and milestones from concept through to building consent, driving the external consultants to keep consents on track Act as the main link between architecture and construction, keeping documentation coordinated and aligned with site sequencing Identify buildability risks, clashes, and documentation gaps early, and resolve them Manage resource and building consent processes end‑to‑end, including council engagement and consent conditions Attend site meetings and council pre‑application discussions, representing the project where needed Help drive resolution of RFIs, variations, and technical queries during construction Make sure design outputs work within development budgets, supporting value engineering without compromising quality Build strong working relationships across architecture, consultants, council, and construction teams About You: A qualification in Architecture, Construction Management, or a related field Significant experience in architectural documentation and project coordination within a construction environment A proven track record managing a design programme and holding both internal teams and external consultants to deadlines Experience managing resource and building consent processes, council relationships, and consent conditions Strong knowledge of the NZ Building Code, the Resource Management Act, and consent processes A confident communicator who can work across studio, site, and council Decisive, proactive, and detail-focused without losing sight of the bigger picture #J-18808-Ljbffr