Principal Designer – Construction & Building Services

We’re looking for an experienced Principal Designer to plan, manage and coordinate health and safety during the pre-construction phase of construction and building-services projects.

You’ll coordinate design risk reviews, assess pre-construction information and work with clients, designers and contractors to identify and address foreseeable risks. Alongside this, you’ll maintain accurate CDM documentation and ensure significant risk information is communicated clearly throughout the project.

Working closely with multidisciplinary project teams, you’ll help ensure health and safety considerations are embedded in design development, project planning and handover.

Key responsibilities

• Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during the pre-construction phase.

• Support clients in understanding and fulfilling their responsibilities under CDM 2015.

• Identify, collate and review pre-construction information, highlighting gaps and coordinating additional information where required.

• Coordinate design risk reviews, working with designers to eliminate foreseeable risks and reduce or control those that remain.

• Maintain design risk registers and communicate significant residual risks to relevant stakeholders.

• Prepare, review and manage CDM documentation, ensuring information is accurate, current and accessible.

• Coordinate the preparation, review and updating of health and safety files.

• Liaise with Principal Contractors to share relevant design and risk information throughout project delivery.

• Review Construction Phase Plans and associated documentation, providing comments within the agreed scope of the role.

• Facilitate design coordination meetings, recording decisions, responsibilities and outstanding actions.

• Monitor design changes and ensure associated risks are reviewed and communicated.

• Attend project meetings and undertake site visits as required.

• Maintain clear document control, audit trails and project records.

• Escalate significant risks, missing information and unresolved design issues promptly.

• Support improvements to CDM processes, templates and reporting.

About you

Essential

• Experience undertaking Principal Designer duties or coordinating CDM activities within construction or building-services projects.

• A sound understanding of CDM 2015 and the responsibilities of clients, designers and contractors.

• Relevant construction, engineering, architectural or building-services knowledge, with the ability to assess and challenge design risks.

• Experience preparing and reviewing pre-construction information, design risk registers and health and safety files.

• Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications and project documentation.

• Confidence coordinating multidisciplinary teams and communicating technical risks clearly.

• Strong document management skills and attention to detail.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

• Competence in Microsoft Office applications and electronic document management systems.

• A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to project sites.

Desirable

• Recognised Principal Designer or CDM training.

• A relevant qualification in construction, engineering, architecture, surveying or occupational health and safety.

• NEBOSH Construction qualification or equivalent.

• Membership of a relevant professional body, such as APS or IOSH.

• Experience within refurbishment, maintenance, M&E or building-services projects.

Personal attributes

• Methodical, organised and proactive.

• Confident challenging incomplete information and raising concerns.

• Collaborative and comfortable working with clients and technical teams.

• Able to explain complex requirements clearly and practically.

• Committed to improving design coordination and project safety.

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

✅Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.

🚀Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.

🙂 Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.

📝Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!

💰Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

If you are interested in joining a business that encourages professional development, career progression and the chance to work with inspirational people then please click apply and register your interest! You can also sign up to our job alerts when registering which will notify you when other suitable vacancies are available.

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.