Job Description

What's the Opportunity

Locations: Reading, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds


The Construction Health and Safety team is an expanding group of technically skilled specialists at Ridge. We specialise in the provision of CDM Principal Designer and Construction Health and Safety Advisor services, working across a range of businesses and sectors.

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior CDM Principal Designer to lead and manage the delivery of CDM duties across a wide range of construction projects ranging from domestic to complex and high-profile. The right candidate should be able to ensure that health and safety is embedded into the design process and that legal duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 are discharged effectively.


The successful candidate will have a strong background in design or construction-related health and safety, experience delivering CDM Principal Designer duties, and the ability to influence clients, designers, and contractors. Experience in delivering The CDM Principal Designer role is essential.

What you need to do to be successful in this role

Act as the Principal Designer as defined under CDM 2015 on a range of projects across sectors such as healthcare, education, commercial, residential, and infrastructure. Lead the coordination of design risk management across multidisciplinary teams to eliminate, reduce, or control foreseeable risks. Engage early with clients and design teams to influence project planning and promote best practice health and safety from concept through to completion. Provide competent advice to clients on their duties under CDM Regulations and other relevant health and safety legislation. Review and collate pre-construction information and identify gaps or areas requiring action. Prepare and manage the Health and Safety File, ensuring completeness and usability. Chair and participate in design risk review meetings and workshops. Mentor and support CDM and H&S professionals across the team. Contribute to business development, bid writing, and client relationship management. Undertake site inspections and monitoring visits to determine CDM compliance.

Skills and experience required

Essential:

NEBOSH Construction Certificate (or higher) or equivalent health and safety qualification. Experience acting as CDM Principal Designer on medium to large projects. Strong working knowledge of CDM Regulations 2015 and wider construction health and safety legislation. Excellent communication and coordination skills, with the ability to lead meetings and engage confidently with clients, designers, and contractors. Proficient in preparing pre-construction information, design risk registers, and Health and Safety Files (CDM Documentation). Strong written and verbal communication skills. Effective time management and organisation. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Teams and Associated software Confidence to challenge unsafe design choices and promote safer alternatives Commitment to upholding safety standards and continuing professional development.

Desirable:

Experience in healthcare, industrial, manufacturing, science, or other complex building environments. Experience using Common Data Environments (CDEs). Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. IOSH, APS, RIBA, ICE, CIOB, CABE).

Ridge is a Built Environment Consultancy. We provide our clients with access to a wide range of integrated expertise and professional disciplines to help them transform the quality and sustainability of the built environment.


Our people make what we do possible, helping us lead the way with quality, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. That's why we challenge them to be the best they can be and offer exceptional training and career development opportunities at all levels.


Ridge and Partners LLP

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