Senior Design Manager

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority welcomes exceptional talent with a passion to realise the vision and mission of making the West Kowloon Cultural District a prime local and international destination for arts, culture and entertainment.

Reporting to the Director, Special Projects Design within the Projects Department, the Senior Design Manager is a key leadership role responsible for the strategic and technical management of architectural and design initiatives across the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK). This role oversees the planning, coordination, and review of multi-disciplinary designs to ensure they are fit for purpose, high-quality, and compliant with all statutory requirements.

The incumbent will lead design management for in-house studies and other assigned projects. This involves managing external Design Consultants, collaborating with internal functional teams, and ensuring that all design deliverables are achieved on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and sustainability. The Senior Design Manager plays a critical role in safeguarding the Authority’s design vision and ensuring project success.

Key Responsibilities:

Design Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage the architectural, interior, and landscape design processes for assigned projects and studies across WestK, from strategy formulation and conceptual design through to detailed design and construction support.

• Oversee the vetting and review of all design submissions, including architectural plans, interior designs, materials and specifications, as well as submissions to ensure they align with the project's intent and the Authority's quality standards.

• Proactively identify and resolve design, construction, and interface issues, liaising with Design Consultants, Project Consultants, and Works Contractors to deliver time and cost-effective solutions.

• Provide expert design direction, support, and coordination for assigned projects, managing the performance of Design Consultants in achieving cost, quality, and time targets.

Project Planning and Development

• Prepare and develop conceptual and preliminary designs for in-house studies and projects as required.

• Ensure that project requirements, user needs, and statutory obligations are accurately incorporated into all design deliverables, tender documents, contract documents, and works on site.

• Oversee the preparation of design reports, feasibility studies, status reports, and presentation materials for regular progress reviews and reporting to senior management and the Authority’s oversight committees.

Stakeholder and Consultant Management

• Manage and coordinate Design Consultants and Works Contractors, ensuring their performance and deliverables are managed effectively and efficiently in accordance with their contracts.

• Collaborate closely with the Engineering, Project Management, and Project Cost Control teams within the Projects Department to jointly ensure that design development, project programmes, and costs are managed and maintained.

• Assist the Project Cost Control team in assessing design variations and claims submitted by Consultants and Contractors, providing expert recommendations to management.

• Foster cooperative and collaborative synergies with all internal and external stakeholders, including government departments, utilities organizations, and PPP project developers.

Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Ensure all design activities and statutory submissions (e.g., Buildings Department, Planning Department) comply with the Hong Kong Building Ordinance, planning regulations, and other relevant statutory requirements.

• Conduct site inspections on design matters to ensure that on-site works correspond with the approved design and specifications.

• Champion the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and drive its effective application in design coordination, documentation, and project delivery.

Strategic Support

• Support the Director, Special Projects Design in developing methodologies that promote efficient and effective design management.

• Perform any other duties as the Authority may reasonably direct from time to time.

Requirements:

Qualifications and Experience

• A recognized university degree or master's degree in Architecture, Urban Design, or a related design discipline.

• A member of the Hong Kong Institution of Architects (HKIA) or equivalent recognized professional institution.

• A Registered Architect with the Architects Registration Board of Hong Kong.

• Authorized Person (Architect) or equivalent is preferred.

• A minimum of 12 years of post-qualification experience in design and management of large-scale, mixed-use, or major infrastructure projects, of which 8 years should be at a senior managerial level.

Technical Competencies

• In-depth knowledge and practice of architectural design in Hong Kong.

• Comprehensive knowledge of Hong Kong’s statutory and planning/building-related legislation, regulations, codes, and standards.

• Proven experience in managing the time, cost, and quality issues throughout the entire design process.

• A thorough understanding of and skill in design and design management, with specific technical competence in mixed-use and multi-disciplinary design integration.

• Advanced working knowledge of Building Information Modelling (BIM) software, tools, and techniques, and their application to design, statutory submissions, coordination, and construction stages.

• Familiarity with design software (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, 3D modeling, and presentation tools) and the ability to be "hands-on" in producing in-house designs, presentations, and reports.

Core Skills and Competencies

• Proven leadership skills in managing multi-disciplinary design professionals, project stakeholders, and statutory authorities.

• Excellent strategic thinking, planning, organizing, and reporting skills, with a strong attention to detail and the ability to take ownership of outcomes.

• Skilled in creative problem-solving, decision-making, and developing solutions that are both technically sound and commercially viable.

• Effectiveness in dealing with claims from Design Consultants, Contractors, and Government Departments.

• Exceptional interpersonal, cooperative, and collaborative communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.

• Proficient in both written and spoken English and Chinese.

Critical Success Factors

• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a design team to achieve project objectives.

• Capacity to balance and integrate multiple design, commercial, and stakeholder requirements to achieve a cohesive and successful outcome.

• Track record of proactively identifying and resolving complex design and construction interface issues.

• Strong business acumen and client perspective, ensuring design decisions support the broader goals of the Authority.

For interested parties, please submit your application with detailed CV on or before following date. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. The review of applications will continue until post is filled.

08-10-2026

Data collected will only be used for job application processing. Your data may be accessed by our appointed recruitment consultants who have agreed to keep confidence of all personal data in not less than the standards applicable to us. Applicants not being invited for interview within 4 weeks from the submission date may assume their applications unsuccessful.

All related information will be kept up to 24 months and all personal data will be destroyed afterwards.

For more information, please visit https://www.westk.hk or contact:

Grace Ao /+852 22003756