Construction Design Manager - Healthcare and Mission Critical Buildings

Description of the company:

Our client is a major general contractor operating across Canada and the United States, with a Buildings division that takes on some of the most complex, high-profile projects in the country. Their portfolio spans healthcare, education, transit, entertainment venues, and multi-family residential, with a strong emphasis on technical execution and long-term community impact. They're employee-owned, and the culture reflects it.

Why is this role open:

The Ontario region is growing quickly, and the Buildings division is expanding its design management function to keep pace with a busy pipeline of large, technically demanding projects. This role was created to lead and grow the Construction Design Management team while reporting to the Senior Design Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Set strategic direction for the design management function and oversee the full design process from pursuit through project delivery
• Act as the primary client-facing lead on all design matters, running meetings and workshops, managing expectations, and keeping communication clean across consultants, the construction team, and the client
• Coordinate across in-house teams including construction execution, MEIT, estimating, BIM/VDC, quality, HSE, scheduling, risk, commercial, and project management
• Coach, mentor, and grow the Construction Design Management team
• Tackle complex technical coordination and constructability challenges, flagging design issues early and making sure documentation is ready for construction
• Lead design reviews and audits, uphold technical standards, and maintain document quality across all phases
• Provide leadership input on risk, sequencing, cost efficiency, and design impacts to support informed decision-making

Must-haves:

• 7+ years in construction management, design management, or project delivery
• Demonstrated leadership on complex, technical building projects (healthcare, labs, transit, mission-critical, food processing, or similar)
• Background in Design-Build or Integrated Project Delivery environments
• Strong people leadership, with a track record of coaching teams and influencing across disciplines
• Communication skills that create alignment in complex, multi-stakeholder environments

Nice-to-haves:

• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or a related discipline
• LEED, PMP, or P.Eng. designation

Work style: On-siteCompensation: $140,000 - $170,000Know someone great? We offer a $500 referral bonus for successful hires. If you refer someone who's hired through Axis Recruitment, we'll send you a thank-you bonus after their first 3 months.Compensation DisclosureCompensation for all roles Axis recruits for is multi-faceted and based on a range of factors including experience, skills, location, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, the total compensation package may include performance-based bonuses, incentives, and a comprehensive benefits offering, in accordance with applicable Employment Standards Act (ESA) requirements. Final compensation will be discussed during the interview process. We do not request or consider compensation history. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment process.

DEI Disclosure

At Axis, we consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, colour, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any characteristic protected by law. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. We don't post all of the open positions so you might be a fit for a different role!