London, UK
Design advisor
at Design South East
Design South East is recruiting for a design advisor to join its team in London.
Reports to: head of programmes
Salary: £35-50k depending on experience, pro-rata if part-time
Contract: permanent, full-time (part-time or secondment position may be negotiable)
Start date: September 2024
Location: hybrid – working from our London office (two to three days), from home and on-location (the role requires travel throughout London and the wider south-east)
Leave: 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days after one year) and statutory holidays (both pro-rata for part-time)
Who we are
Design South East is a not-for-profit design consultancy that works with planning authorities, design professionals, landowners, developers and local communities across London and the South East. Our purpose is to support quality of life through good, sustainable placemaking, and our work spans design review, workshops, design training, design code strategy and visioning, stakeholder engagement, and a range of other advisory services. We help to improve the quality of the built environment through the application of best practice guidance and tailored advice on good design through the planning system. We believe that the best solutions come from collaboration and from inter-disciplinary, cross-sector knowledge-sharing. Our work engages with all types of project and all scales of development. Our people are highly motivated and committed to delivering social value. And our approach requires inquisitive minds to identify creative solutions to help our clients achieve the best design outcomes. More information can be found on our website and at Kent Design.
About the role
We are looking for an organised, confident and proactive individual from a built environment background to join our talented team of Design Advisors. You will be responsible for devising, curating and leading our annual CPD programme for our public and private sector audiences, and you will be developing and facilitating stakeholder and community engagement programmes and events, and managing design workshops and design review sessions, liaising closely with our local authority clients. You will be working closely with our coordinators and our team of Design Advisors as well as our network of expert professionals to develop and deliver your work, using your knowledge and understanding of the key challenges facing the delivery of high-quality design and sustainable placemaking. Your work will be focused on bringing people from the public and private sector together to share learnings and best practice, and you will share your own passion for good placemaking with diverse audiences to build design skills and competencies.
Duties and responsibilities
Depending on your experience, you will be:
- curating and overseeing our Kent Design and other learning programmes, working collaboratively with a range of public and private sector clients and members to build skills and knowledge through masterclasses, workshops, briefings and study tours
- managing long-term contracts and budgets, including KPI reporting
- designing and delivering workshops and events for stakeholders, including communities, to help shape design principles, visions, design policies, guides and codes
- managing design review panel meetings
- synthesising complex design panel discussions into clear, concise written reports
- capturing our impact and writing key takeaways and case studies
- identifying opportunities to develop solutions that support the delivery of design quality
- supporting senior colleagues to approach new clients and supporting the development of cost proposals for bespoke services
Personal attributes:
- a desire to have a real impact on the future of the places where we live and work
- an ability to work independently on a project, or as part of a team
- an entrepreneurial, proactive attitude and a willingness to take ownership
- a desire to solve problems and identify appropriate solutions
- a sensitivity to complex stakeholder interests
- an eagerness to form partnerships
Knowledge and experience
Built environment:
- you will have at least three years’ post-qualification experience as a built environment professional in design or planning
- you will have at least an undergraduate qualification in a discipline such as urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, conservation or planning
- you will understand the tools, techniques and principles of urban design, including masterplanning and design policies, frameworks, design guides and codes and will have knowledge of best practice
- you will understand the key issues relating to national and local planning legislation/policy and the operation of local government
- you will have experience of planning, delivering and facilitating design workshops and/or design training events, with an understanding of how to define and deliver learning objectives and outcomes
- you will have experience of designing, planning, managing and facilitating creative stakeholder and community engagement programmes, workshops and events for diverse groups
Communication:
- you will be a good communicator, skilled at translating complex built environment discussions into clear presentations and concise written reports for diverse audiences
- you will be confident leading and facilitating events and delivering presentations
- you will have excellent writing skills, with the ability to synthesise complex built environment discussions and information into easy-to-read written reports, with excellent spelling and grammar, editing and proofreading skills
Project management:
- you will have experience of managing projects and programmes, including budgets
- you will have proven strong organisational and time management skills, attention to detail and an ability to think strategically, from detail to big picture
Teamwork:
- you will have experience of working autonomously but also as part of a team, with a willingness to contribute to team discussions
- you will have experience of working on projects that bring together different disciplines and stakeholders
Client management
You will have experience of working with clients and will understand the principles of good client relationship management.
We offer opportunities to continuously develop your skills and knowledge. The role offers the possibility for career progression, to take on greater responsibility including contract and client management, and leading on the development of new clients, new services and cost proposals.
How to apply
To apply please send:
- an up-to-date CV (max two sides of A4)
- a covering letter (max two sides of A4) explaining why you are motivated to work for Design South East to Sarah via the apply for job button below
The application deadline is midday on Monday 19 August 2024.
Interviews will be held on Tuesday 20 or Wednesday 21 August 2024. A written communication exercise and presentation will form part of the interview. If, having read this pack, you require an informal conversation about the role with our head of programmes, Helen Goodwin, please email [email protected]
Equal opportunities
DSE is committed to equal opportunities, and we value the diversity of perspectives that people from different backgrounds bring to our work. We positively encourage applications from eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, gender identification, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation.
Feedback
Design South East is a very busy organisation, and we cannot guarantee to give individual feedback on all unsuccessful applications.