Design Development Manager

Hybrid in Clapham Junction·Full-time·Added yesterday (last checked 7 Nov)

The Gym Group

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Our summary

Work mode: Hybrid, Clapham Junction
Contract: Full-time

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

Substantial experience in interior design, architecture, or spatial design within a multi-site, fast-paced environment such as retail fit-out, leisure, hospitality, or food and beverage.
Proven experience creating and maintaining design standards, guides, specifications, or format documentation used by delivery teams.
Strong practical CAD capability with the ability to develop and amend layouts independently.
Experience using data, customer insight, or operational performance to inform design decisions.
Demonstrated ability to manage external architects, designers, and consultants with strong commercial awareness.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge and influence at all levels.
A proactive, self-sufficient approach with the ability to manage multiple priorities and make pragmatic decisions in a delivery-focused environment.

The role

Job: Design Development Manager (Property)
Duration: 9-12 month FTC

About the role...

This is a rare opportunity to own the design language of one of the UK's largest gym businesses - shaping how hundreds of thousands of members experience our spaces every day. As Design Development Manager on a fixed-term contract, you will lead the development and communication of our design and format principles, provide hands-on design leadership across new openings, refits, and enhancements, and use real data and member insight to keep our gym proposition evolving.

What you'll do

If you are a commercially sharp, hands-on design professional who thrives in a fast-paced, multi-site environment and wants genuine ownership of a programme that matters, this is the role for you.

What you'll be doing...

Own and develop The Gym Group's design and format principles, creating clear standards, guidance, and specifications that enable consistent delivery across the estate.
Lead design across new gym openings, refits, and enhancement projects - reviewing layouts, challenging drawings, and ensuring quality and buildability at every stage.
Get hands-on in CAD when needed, developing and amending early-stage layouts to test options and keep design development moving at pace.
Use member insight, utilisation data, operational feedback, and commercial performance to continuously improve our gym format and member experience.
Coordinate internal design resource and manage external architects, designers, and consultants to deliver quality, programme, and value for money.
Build strong relationships across Property, Operations, and the wider business, presenting design thinking clearly and challenging constructively to protect agreed principles.
Support trials and pilots, translating successful concepts into repeatable, scalable design standards.
Ensure all designs meet statutory, Health and Safety, and CDM requirements, maintaining robust governance and approval processes.

How you'll work

Location: Hybrid, 3 days per week Clapham Junction/2 days remote

About The Gym Group

The Gym Group operates a chain of low-cost, no-contract 24-hour gyms in the fitness and leisure industry, with 264 locations across the UK. Its mission is to break down barriers to fitness by providing top-quality gyms and expert advice at affordable prices, with memberships starting from £14.99 and 24/7 access.

Members can choose from flexible membership packages that include access to the gym floor, unlimited free classes from lifting and cardio to yoga, multi-gym access, and on-site personal trainers. The company positions its members as part of a friendly and supportive community and also partners with the NHS on health initiatives.

Industry: Fitness and Leisure

In their own words

About the company & team

Hi, we're The Gym Group...

We're one of the UK's leading fitness businesses. With more than one million members, 265+ gyms and ambitious plans to keep growing, we're the UK's second-largest gym operator by membership and the fourth largest in Europe.

Our mission is simple: to break down barriers to fitness for all. We're large enough to make a meaningful difference, but agile enough for individuals to influence how we grow. Technology, data and new ideas play a central role - and you'll have the opportunity to take ownership, challenge how things are done and see the impact of your work.

Just as importantly, we're a people-first business where everyone is encouraged to be themselves. We've been named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work and awarded Investors in People Gold, alongside a host of other awards recognising our culture and our people.

Additional information

If you have a disability or condition that makes it difficult for you to complete your application online please email your cv to recruitment@thegymgroup.com or alternatively call the TGG Recruitment team on 0203 319 4838 and someone will be more than happy to support you. We also want to put it out there that we actively encourage applications from a diverse demographic and we are passionate about your culture and value alignment. We want this to be a match that works for you as much as for us!

*Please note that we may close the application window early if we receive high levels of interest. If you're interested in applying please do so asap!

Your application may be reviewed by an AI tool to help assess your suitability based on the information you provide. Automated decision-making is never used - every application is reviewed and all decisions, including whether to progress your application, are made exclusively by a member of our recruitment team. Your data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR. If you have any questions about how your information is used, please contact recruitment@thegymgroup.com.

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