Design Integration, Senior Manager - Healthcare

Compensation Range
$175,000.00 - $205,000.00 Annual Salary

Job Description Summary

Leads and manages the end-to-end design process with design partners from pursuit through construction documentation and key phases of construction, ensuring alignment with contract requirements for scope, budget, and schedule to deliver best-value solutions. Integrates support services (including VDC, MEP, and scheduling) and leverages self-perform capabilities to enhance design development and execution.
Partners closely with clients, architects, engineers, and contractors to drive coordinated, high-quality design outcomes. As a subject matter expert, provides strategic leadership on design approach, validation, technical decision-making, and cost management, applying Swinerton’s design-build best practices to achieve design excellence, mitigate risk, and support successful project delivery.

Healthcare Specific: Leads end-to-end design integration for healthcare projects from pursuit through construction, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, and schedule to deliver best-value solutions. Integrates VDC, MEP, and scheduling while leveraging self-perform capabilities to enhance execution.
Partners with clients, designers, and trade partners to drive coordinated outcomes and informed decision-making. Provides strategic leadership on design, cost, and risk management using Swinerton’s design-build best practices.

Ensures compliance with healthcare regulations and alignment with clinical operations, leading infection control planning, patient safety, and operational continuity to deliver high-performing healthcare facilities.

Job Description

Position Responsibilities and Duties

Leadership & Core Responsibilities

• Perform all essential Design Integration Manager responsibilities at an advanced, strategic level.

• Oversee daily design‑services activities, including resource planning, workload management, and budget oversight.

• Supervise team assignments and support coaching, mentoring, and hiring design integration and preconstruction talent.

• Ensure the use of and advancement of VDC’s contribution to risk management and project success.

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal teams, external designers, trade partners, and stakeholders.

• Serve as the design-builder’s primary liaison to the Owner, design team, and trade-partners fostering trust and strong professional relationships.

Healthcare Specific

• Lead integration of healthcare-specific design criteria, including clinical workflow, patient safety, and operational efficiency.

• Ensure compliance with healthcare regulatory requirements, including applicable codes and standards (e.g., HCAI/OSHPD, FGI, NFPA, and governing authorities).

• Coordinate specialized healthcare systems with Designer and internal MEP coordinator, including medical gas, imaging equipment, nurse call, and critical MEP redundancy systems.

• Lead planning and coordination of phased design and construction in active healthcare environments, minimizing disruption to ongoing operations.

Design Integration & Technical Oversight

• Manage the design process from initial concept through final design across multiple projects or large, complex programs.

• Identify early contractual, technical, and project risks; ensure appropriate design development for pursuits and milestone pricing.

• Lead A/E partnerships, including contract negotiations, scope alignment, fee validation, and milestone expectations.

• Apply technical expertise to support early system selections and guide Owner decision‑making.

• Review design documents for quality, compliance, accuracy, and alignment with program requirements and project goals.

• Conduct and coordinate peer reviews and technical reviews of building systems to reduce issues related to cost, procurement, or constructability.

• Coordinate design‑assist, design‑build, and trade partner involvement to ensure timely and accurate input into design development.

Scheduling, Permitting & Procurement Integration

• Develop and maintain design schedules; track milestone deliverables and communicate progress and changes.

• Coordinate design milestones with bid package preparation to support overall project schedule, permitting, and construction sequencing.

• Partner with project teams to integrate procurement strategies, long‑lead materials, and vendor input with design milestone schedules.

• Collaborate with project teams to coordinate Owner and authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) submittals for timely reviews, approvals, and permits.

Healthcare Specific

• Develop and manage complex permitting strategies for healthcare projects, including coordination with healthcare authorities, construction sequencing (with Superintendent), and plan review agencies.

Cost Management, Value, and Budget Alignment

• Provide budget oversight and collaborate with estimators to ensure trade costs and estimates accurately reflect project requirements, including clear documentation of assumptions throughout design development.

• Help design teams and Owners understand design impacts on cost and schedule; provide options and guidance to maintain budget alignment.

• Lead value‑management efforts, cost‑effective material and system evaluations, and best value communication with design teams and internal partners.

Healthcare Specific

• Lead value management strategies specific to healthcare projects, balancing clinical performance requirements, regulatory compliance, and lifecycle cost considerations.

Client Interaction & External Representation

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the client on design-related matters, proactively facilitating collaboration, aligning project goals, and guiding informed decision-making consistent with Swinerton’s Design-Build best practices.

• Translate client objectives, values, and performance criteria into clear design direction, ensuring expectations are understood, documented, and consistently integrated into the evolving design in support of reliable outcomes.

• Conduct client design reviews to solicit direction, obtain approvals, and ensure internal teams remain aligned with design updates.

• Participate in business development initiatives, including proposals, interviews, and industry events.

Healthcare Specific

• Lead engagement with clinical user groups, facility leadership, and healthcare stakeholders to validate program requirements and design outcomes.

Minimum Experience and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.

• 10+ years of Architecture, Engineering, or construction management experience, including extensive working experience with the design build delivery process.

• Minimum four years of experience with Design-Build delivery experience in all phases of design.

• Demonstrated ability in design-build project management and delivery, including management of external design and design-build trade partners, staff coordination, cost management, scheduling, and quality control/quality assurance.

• Thorough understanding of project management control systems (design phase scheduling, cost control, procurement and estimating)

• Strong organization and leadership skills, with experience with team building, training, and managing daily activities.

• Excellent organizational and (listening, written and verbal) communication skills when interacting with clients, designers, and internal team members.

• Excellent understanding of a designer’s business model.

• Ability to negotiate design service scope and associated fees.

• Ability to assist with the A/E contract execution.

• Excellent understanding of the technical aspects of all building systems.

• Command of building code and standards.

• Command of sustainability practices and principles.

• Proven excellence with management of a design team (inclusive of a designer’s subconsultants).

• Effect