Job Description

Join Our Team as a Design Manager - Lead Innovation in Timber Engineering

Salary: Dependent on Experience
Full-Time | Permanent

Location: Bury St Edmunds or Ashton under Lyne

Are you ready to take the next step in your design and leadership career?
At

Howarth Timber Engineered Solutions

, we're searching for an experienced

Design Manager

to lead our dynamic design team and drive innovation across our timber engineering projects.

As part of the Howarth Timber Group, we operate across the UK with a reputation for quality, sustainability, and excellence in timber design and manufacture. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a forward-thinking business where your leadership and technical skills will have a direct impact on quality, profitability, and growth.

What You'll Be Doing:

Leading and developing a skilled design team to deliver high-quality, compliant designs. Managing workloads, performance reviews, and training needs. Overseeing design accuracy, technical problem solving, and optimisation for manufacture and installation. Preparing and managing departmental budgets, material costings, and protecting profit margins. Driving continuous improvement and implementing best practices in design processes. Collaborating with sales, production, and customers to ensure project success.

What We're Looking For:

Proven experience in design management, ideally within timber or truss environments. Strong commercial acumen and accountability for margin and cost control. Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and project management skills. Experience with design software, engineering standards, and value engineering. Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

Degree or certification in Engineering, Architecture, or a related field. Familiarity with CAD and other industry-relevant software.

Why Join Us?

Be part of a market leader in timber engineering. Work in a collaborative and innovative environment. Influence real change and contribute to commercial success. Enjoy opportunities for development and progression.
Ready to lead a team and shape the future of timber engineering?

Apply now

to be considered for this exciting opportunity.

To apply:

please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and explaining your interest in the role to vwicks@howarth-timber.co.uk

Why choose Howarth Timber for your next role?

Howarth Timber Group is a family-owned company valuing all colleagues, with a desire to provide colleague benefits that are truly valuable. Benefits include but are not limited to:

31 days' holiday, inclusive of Statutory Bank Holidays Opportunity to buy up to an additional 5 days' annual leave or sell up to 3 days' annual leave Length of service awards Cycle to work scheme Contributory pension scheme Death in service benefit Company sick pay Enhanced maternity and paternity pay Online Benefits Hub (inc discounts on gift cards, travel, cinema tickets, to name a few) Employee Assistance Programme, (24/7 helpline, counselling sessions, legal, debt and life management advice line) Generous colleague Merchant Branch discount Opportunity to participate in a volunteering role for one working day per year - fully paid by the Company Excellent training and development opportunities
Howarth Timber Engineered Solutions is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a volume of suitable applications.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

Additional leave Company pension Cycle to work scheme Employee discount Enhanced maternity leave Enhanced paternity leave Free parking Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking Paid volunteer time Sick pay
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 18/05/2025