Digital Buildings Design Systems Manager
About Laing O'Rourke
Laing O'Rourke is an international engineering and construction company delivering some of the world's most technically complex buildings and infrastructure. Through its Technology & Innovation (T&I) function, the business develops the products, platforms, processes and digital capabilities that enable safer, more predictable and more productive project delivery.
The Technology & Innovation team combines expertise in engineering, manufacturing, digital technology, data and construction operations to create new delivery models that improve project outcomes and accelerate the industrialisation of construction.
A key strategic initiative within T&I is the development of Digital Buildings: a repeatable delivery system for complex building programmes that combines standardised building products, configurable digital assets and data-driven delivery processes.
The Opportunity
Laing O'Rourke is increasingly delivering programmes of fundamentally similar building types across multiple projects, regions and customers. While these buildings often share common requirements, they are frequently redesigned from first principles by different design teams, resulting in duplicated effort, inconsistent outcomes and missed opportunities for learning and improvement.
Digital Buildings seeks to address this challenge through the creation of a reusable ecosystem of engineered building products, configurable space types and digital design assets that can be deployed consistently across projects.
The Digital Buildings Design Systems Manager will play a leading role in defining, developing and governing this ecosystem.
The role sits at the intersection of design management, product development, digital engineering and construction delivery. It requires an individual capable of translating building requirements into repeatable product strategies, establishing digital standards and coordinating multidisciplinary teams to create scalable design solutions.
Role Purpose
To develop, manage and continuously improve a portfolio of configurable building products, room types, space types and associated digital assets that support repeatable delivery across Laing O'Rourke projects.
The role will establish the frameworks, standards and governance required to enable multiple architects, consultants and project teams to deliver buildings using common digital products and configuration systems while maintaining quality, compliance and customer outcomes.
The position will act as the bridge between design, manufacturing, engineering, construction, digital technology and data teams to create a scalable Digital Buildings platform.
Key Responsibilities
Digital Product Development
- Define and manage a portfolio of repeatable building products, room types and space types.
- Lead the development of configurable design solutions that can be reused across multiple projects and sectors.
- Establish product requirements, performance criteria and design rules.
- Capture lessons learned from projects and embed them within future product iterations.
- Develop product roadmaps and prioritise improvement initiatives.
Design Systems and Configuration
- Define configuration strategies for repeatable building systems.
- Develop standards governing parametric and configurable design content.
- Establish relationships between design intent, manufacturing requirements and construction methodologies.
- Ensure digital assets support efficient configuration while maintaining compliance and quality requirements.
- Develop governance processes for version control, approval and product release management.
Digital Asset Leadership
- Lead the creation and maintenance of reusable BIM content, product libraries and design system components.
- Work closely with Digital Engineering teams to establish next-generation standards for digital design assets.
- Ensure digital content contains the data required to support design, manufacture, construction and operational performance.
- Define information structures and data requirements across the product lifecycle.
Design Management
- Coordinate internal and external design teams contributing to Digital Buildings products.
- Manage design development activities from concept through implementation.
- Facilitate collaboration between architects, engineers, manufacturing specialists and project teams.
- Ensure technical, regulatory and commercial requirements are incorporated into product development.
- Manage stakeholder engagement and secure alignment across the business.
Data and Continuous Improvement
- Establish mechanisms for collecting performance data from projects.
- Analyse feedback relating to cost, programme, quality, defects and constructability.
- Translate project learning into product and system improvements.
- Support development of digital tools, automation workflows and AI-enabled design processes.
- Promote evidence-based decision making across product development activities.
Innovation and Strategy
- Contribute to the long-term Digital Buildings strategy.
- Identify opportunities for industrialisation, automation and standardisation.
- Support development of new digital workflows connecting design, manufacture and construction.
- Act as an advocate for product-based delivery approaches across the business.
Key Interfaces
- Technology & Innovation Leadership
- Design Management Teams
- Digital Engineering Teams
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Construction Delivery Teams
- Operational Excellence
- Procurement and Supply Chain
- Architects and Design Consultants
- Software Development Teams
- Customers and End Users
Skills and Experience
Essential
- Experience in design management, digital engineering, architecture, engineering or product development within the construction sector.
- Strong understanding of design coordination and multidisciplinary project delivery.
- Experience developing BIM content, digital design standards or configurable design systems.
- Understanding of DfMA principles and industrialised construction methodologies.
- Knowledge of information management and digital delivery processes.
- Ability to manage complex stakeholder groups and influence across disciplines.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Excellent communication and leadership skills.
Desirable
- Experience with computational design tools such as Grasshopper, Dynamo or similar platforms.
- Experience developing parametric design systems or configuration frameworks.
- Knowledge of software development methodologies and product management practices.
- Experience integrating digital workflows across design, manufacture and construction.
- Understanding of data architecture, automation and AI-enabled workflows.
- Familiarity with Revit API, Rhino, Power Platform or equivalent technologies.
What Success Looks Like
- Repeatable building products deployed consistently across multiple projects.
- Significant reduction in design rework and duplicated effort.
- Improved cost, programme and quality predictability.
- Increased reuse of digital assets and design knowledge.
- Strong governance and version control across Digital Buildings products.
- Measurable improvement in project outcomes through continuous learning.
- Establishment of a scalable digital platform supporting industrialised delivery.
Why This Role Matters
This role sits at the centre of Laing O'Rourke's transition from delivering repeatable buildings to operating a repeatable delivery system.
By combining product thinking, design management, digital engineering and data-driven improvement, the Digital Buildings Design Systems Manager will help create the infrastructure that enables the business to scale knowledge, improve certainty and unlock long-term productivity gains across future programmes.
