Kaitlyn Long

Leading up to the end of high school, I struggled to pick a career I wanted to study for, torn between my ‘competing’ interests in graphics, legal studies, and physics. My first part-time job as a jewellery sales assistant also sparked my passion for problem-solving, customer communication, and people management. When it came time for university, unable to find a pathway that combined all of these things, I chose architecture hoping this would give me a good blend of creativity and logic. I landed an internship at an architecture firm whilst still at university, but this just left me wanting more involvement in the bigger picture. When work there slowed, I discovered a Design Cadet role at McNab – an avenue I had never considered and never even heard of before. Despite initial uncertainty around entering the construction industry, I found design management perfectly balanced creativity, logic, and communication – all of the things I loved! Through strong perseverance, I quickly advanced from Cadet to Design Manager in under three years and still find every day interesting!

A Design Manager oversees the entire design process from concept to completion; coordinating and managing teams of designers and engineers to ensure the design meets relevant legislation as well as the projects vision, budget and timeline. Acting as a bridge between creative ideas and practical construction, design managers facilitate communication among a range of stakeholders (designers, engineers, developers, site teams), and resolve design challenges both during the initial design phase, as well as once the project is on site.

A day in the life of a Design Manager can range from reviewing and coordinating drawings, seeking project approvals, to chairing coordination meetings, and assisting the site team in resolving on site challenges. Another critical aspect of the Design Management role is identifying project opportunities, and managing project risks to make sure the project remains safe, on time and on budget. A Design Manager ensures that every aspect of the design is well considered, coordinated, buildable and ready for successful project delivery!