Graduate Design Management (Cognate Degree)

The Vacancy

As a Design Management Trainee at Wates, you’ll gain hands-on experience collaborating with a wide range of professionals, including architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, and subcontractors. You’ll be involved in reviewing and analysing information to streamline projects, ensuring cost-effectiveness and best practices throughout. This programme will give you exposure to the full project life cycle, helping you understand how everything fits together.

What you will do  

Over the course of the programme, you will:

• Manage the design processes to reduce risk and maximise project outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, designers, subcontractors, and suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with contracts related to project progress, design responsibilities and subcontractor obligations.
• Provide design updates and reports to managers while supporting the preparation of consultant performance reports.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to review design data, check for technical completeness and identify potential risks or issues.
• Gather vital information and engage with networks to build your expertise in design management.

 About you

 To be successful on the programme you’ll:

• Be passionate about a career in the built environment.
• Be excited to learn and develop new skills.
• Have a curious nature.
• Be reliable and professional.
• Be a problem solver with the ability to think logically.
• Possess good time management skills.
• Prioritise your work to meet agreed deadlines.

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for this opportunity, you must:

• Be on track to graduate in 2026 or earlier with a cognate* degree.
• Be working towards or have achieved a minimum 2:2 classification.

* Cognate degree is one that relates directly to the role you’re applying for.

Location

You’ll be will be assigned to a London project which are typically within London zones 1-6.

Programme duration 

This is a 2-year graduate programme offering hands-on experience, structured development, and placements across different teams. 

What’s in it for you?

Our Trainee Management Programme offers placement opportunities across various departments, technical and behavioural development, including support through relevant qualifications and a host of additional benefits. We provide the foundation skills, knowledge and experience you’ll need to build a long-term, successful career.

In addition, we offer:

• Mentoring, support, and training by industry experts.
• Structured learning plan (a combination of technical and behavioural development).
• Competitive salary.
• Private medical insurance.
• Car allowance / company car scheme.
• Health & wellness programme.
• 26 days holiday + bank holidays.
• For cognate degree trainees: Opportunity to work towards chartered status with a recognised professional body. 

We have nearly 200 talented Trainees currently completing our Trainee Management Programme, providing amazing opportunities to build a network, collaborate and share learning with your peers. Kickstart your journey and apply now!

We value authenticity and encourage you to complete your application without the use of AI tools. This helps us gain a genuine understanding of your individual strengths, experiences, and potential.

Applications for this role close at midday on Tuesday 25 November 2025.

This date may be brought forward or extended in line with the number of applications we receive. We’re only able to accept the first application we receive. Any additional applications will be automatically withdrawn.

Work for Wates

Wates is one of the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance companies.  Founded over 125 years ago, we have a proud legacy in the built environment.

We are driven by our purpose, ‘reimagining places for people to thrive’ and our three promises:

• Thriving places – working with customers, partners and communities to create places that are more sustainable, inclusive, and full of opportunity.
• Thriving planet – protecting nature and taking action on climate change by collaborating and innovating with our partners.
• Thriving people – creating opportunities and relationships so that everyone who works for and with us feels included, invested in and treated with care.

We are proud to be recognised as Gold Investors in People and as a Disability Confident employer.  We also ensure that our recruitment processes do not treat anyone less favourably due to an offending background.