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Director Designate (Landscape and Environmental)

LIVERPOOL

Cass Design Consultants is an award-winning multi-disciplinary design practice of landscape architects, masterplanners, ecologists and architects with an established reputation for the delivery of high-quality design solutions.

Cass Design Consultants is part of the DLP Consulting Group Ltd, a leading multi-disciplinary consultancy with offices in London, Bedford, Liverpool, Sheffield, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nottingham and Leeds.

Due to a rapidly increasing workload, we are seeking talented individuals to join our team. This presents a real opportunity for career advancement within a collaborative and friendly practice offering the full spectrum of landscape, environmental and design services.  Based ideally in our busy studio in central Liverpool, you will be involved in a diverse range of projects across the whole of the UK.

Job Description

Management of landscape and ecology/environmental planning team, including, business planning and leadership, staff management, client, consultants and contractor liaison, managing (with accounts team and other Directors) cost control and close liaison with other elements of the Group. Leading/coordinating relevant aspects of practice, promotion and business development, Managing projects as required.

Main Responsibilities

  • Client Liaison/Business Development
    • Lead on relevant business development for the landscape/ecology/environmental planning outputs of the Practice.
    • Establishing and developing good working relationships with clients, and ensuring company is appraised of this.
    • Preparing appointment documents and other certification as may be required
    • Presenting design ideas and fee proposals
    • Responding to and dealing with queries and concerns
  • Management
    • Lead and develop landscape and environmental (ecology) team
    • Mentoring junior staff and their skill development
    • Assigning work according to skill and ability.
  • Proposals and Submissions
    • Leading on presentations to clients, planners etc, both written and verbal
    • Manage feasibility studies
    • Preparing tender submissions and PQQ’s
    • Lead on general marketing of the practice, including market research.
  • Fee Management
    • Prepare and maintain fee forecast on a regular basis to feed into the financial management process.
  • Internal Liaison and Co-ordination
    • Liaising effectively with planning and architecture teams in a primary or secondary role as required by the project.
  • Conceptual design
    • Developing clients’ ideas and requirements into drawn and written proposals
    • Presentation of designs to client body
  • Technical Design
    • Overseeing development of conceptual design work into tender and construction production information based on a sound understanding of construction techniques, methods and regulations.
  • Project Management
    • Managing internal and external design and sub-consultant teams
    • Programming design and technical information production to meet deadlines.
    • Managing costs against fees and across work stages
    • Assigning workload within team
    • Co-ordinating statutory submission in partnership with others in the DLP Group
    • Reporting to board on a regular basis to keep it fully informed
    • General time/cost management
  • Contract Management
    • Ensuring all aspects of relevant contract administration and certification are maintained as appropriate to the project, including:
  • Carrying out inspections
  • Chairing and attending site meetings
  • Agreeing and monitoring costs
  • Maintaining flow of information to suit progress on site
  • Checking and recording both information leaving the office and contractors information received
  • Carrying out Designers Risk Assessments as required
  • Assisting in preparation of Health and Safety Files and fulfilling CDM responsibilities.
  • Maintaining professionalism
    • Ensuring all work is in accordance with RIBA, LI, Statutory Legal and PI requirements
    • Meet professional practice CPD responsibilities.

Plus any other reasonable task that is required to further the strategic and operational aims of Cass Design Consultants and the wider DLP Group.

A full driving licence is essential.

The DLP Consulting Group is an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) and offers a competitive reward package including: a performance-related bonus scheme (the first £3,600 of which is tax free), professional membership fees, employee mentoring scheme, employer contribution pension scheme, death in service, private health insurance, cycle to work scheme and employee assistance programme.

This position is a full time position.

To apply, please send a full CV and brief portfolio describing your relevant experience to: fay.wagstaff@dlpconsultants.co.uk.

For an informal initial discussion, please contact Richard Roberts, Director of Architecture and Masterplanning on richard.roberts@cass-design.co.uk or 07904 948680.