Design Manager - Defence & Federal Projects

Job DescriptionHelp us build the future and we’ll help you build a rewarding and purposeful career.
Our global network is made up of architects, designers, planners, engineers, and environmental scientists all working towards the same goal.
Join a team that brings inspirational architecture, landscapes, townscapes and places to our world, and we’ll provide you unlimited space to grow.
Who are we looking for?As our Defence and Federal market continues to expand, we are seeking to strengthen our team by welcoming a Design Manager with a focus on Defence Projects into our Canadian Operations.
This role focuses on the successful management and delivery of secure, high‑complexity defence infrastructure projects for Canadian public‑sector clients. The successful candidate will provide design management across a diverse defence portfolio, including military bases, armories, hangars, maintenance and storage facilities, training and recreational assets, industrial and logistics facilities, and civic buildings such as fire halls and police stations, supporting operations across land, air, and naval environments nationwide.
The candidate will be responsible for design scope, schedule, cost, and delivery outcomes, coordinating multidisciplinary design teams and managing interfaces across multiple disciplines. Experience delivering projects for Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is an asset, along with a strong understanding of federal governance, security requirements, and alternative delivery models.
This opportunity is ideal for a driven and experienced design manager looking to lead high‑profile defence projects while contributing to the growth and capability of GHD’s defence and federal practice.
Be part of the dynamic culture!Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in office, three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.
Working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of work and will see you involved in:
Lead and manage multi-disciplinary design delivery for design delivery for infrastructure and facilities projects, including federal defense work, to produce compliant, constructible solutions aligned with Client, operational, and construction requirements
Ensure all engineering design outputs align with GHD standards, project-specific processes, and federal regulatory requirements
Responsible for coordinating Quality Control of all deliverable submittals in accordance with GHD’s Quality Management System
Responsible for developing or verifying the technical scope of a project and working with disciplines to provide pricing during proposal, and subsequently work planning following project award to initiate design activities
Participate actively in the preparation and adherence to a schedule of deliverables in collaboration with the Project Controls team
Responsible for managing the engineering design budget and providing key inputs to the Project Controls team
Responsible for implementing and following the project’s Change Control system, including proactive escalation of potential changes
Participate to continuously review and improve the overall project strategy to meet design schedule and budget with the ability to support staging and phasing requirements.
Ensure fluid communication between the project management team, the design team, construction team and the various internal and external stakeholders as engineering elements
Verifies that the schedule and budget data match the progress of the professional services throughout execution of the project.
Coordinates the preparation of the design criteria by the team discpline leads
Lead the creation and execution of design work plan and level of effort (LOE).
Convenes, chairs and documents interdisciplinary design coordination meetings and brings forward updates and any critical issues that impact external stakeholders to the Project Manager.
May serve as liaison between the construction contract administrator and engineering team during construction. Coordinates multidisciplinary problem resolution resulting from non-compliance with drawings and specifications at the site.
What You Will Bring To The Team
Bachelor’s (B.Sc.) degree in or equivalent from a recognized college or university
5+ years of design management experience on multi-discipline architectural or engineering teams for infrastructure or facility projects within Canada and an additional 5+ years of industry experience.
Technical proficiency and previous project design experience in one or more discipline (civil, structural, architectural, process mechanical, building mechanical, electrical, or instrumentation & control) considered an asset
Knowledge of scheduling software and engineering and capital cost estimating techniques is a definite asset.
Experience with Building Information Modelling (BIM) on multi-discipline projects
Experience delivering projects using alternative delivery models (e.G., Design-Build, P3, Alliance) would be considered an asset
The ability to deal with uncertainty, changing and multiple priorities
Strong skills in verbal and written communication
Strong organizational skills
The salary range for this position is $ $81,270 - $135,450
The posted salary range represents the expected hiring range for GHD locations in its major city centres. Ranges may vary for positions in other locations. At GHD, base salary is determined by your skills, experience, qualifications and work location. We are committed to offering competitive compensation and adhere to all relevant pay transparency legislation.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruiting is just getting started and may be used during the process to improve efficiency and fairness. Your application may be reviewed by both AI and our hiring team. While AI supports some steps through the process, all final hiring decisions are made by humans
This position is for an existing vacancy
As a diverse and inclusive organization, we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is an equal opportunity employer. Upon request, GHD will provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process.
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