Job Description

Overview

The Design Manager – Sports is responsible for leading and managing the design of sports and leisure facilities across projects, ensuring delivery of high-quality, compliant, and technically coordinated solutions. This role combines design management expertise with specialized knowledge of sports venues (stadiums, training facilities, community sports complexes) within a Project Management Consultancy (PMC) environment.
The role focuses on design governance, coordination, and technical assurance, acting as the client’s representative to ensure that sports facility designs meet international standards, operational requirements, and legacy objectives.

Your role

• Lead and manage design activities for sports facilities from concept through detailed design and construction stages

• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams (architecture, structure, MEP, sports specialists, venue planners, and consultants)

• Review and validate design deliverables to ensure compliance with project requirements, international standards, and best practices

• Establish and monitor the design programme aligned with overall project milestones

• Lead design reviews, workshops, and coordination meetings

• Provide expert input on sports facility planning and design

• Ensure compliance with international sports standards (e.g., FIFA, IOC, World Athletics, etc.)

• Review field/court layouts, spectator sightlines, circulation, and operational functionality

• Ensure integration of athlete facilities, media zones, VIP areas, and back-of-house operations

• Validate materials, surfaces, lighting, acoustics, and equipment specifications

• Promote sustainable and legacy-driven sports design solutions

• Act as the key interface between client, operators, sports consultants, and design teams

• Coordinate with governing bodies and authorities to secure approvals and certifications

• Facilitate stakeholder alignment on operational and functional requirements

• Participate in client presentations and technical decision-making forums

• Monitor design progress against budget and schedule

• Assess impact of design changes on project cost, programme, and functionality

• Support value engineering initiatives specific to sports infrastructure

• Identify and mitigate risks related to design coordination, compliance, and constructability

• Provide technical design support during construction, including review of shop drawings and RFIs

• Ensure the design intent for sports facilities is maintained on site

• Coordinate with site supervision teams and contractors for issue resolution

• Support testing, commissioning, and handover of sports facilities

About you

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related field

• Minimum 12–15+ years of experience, including: 

• Sports facility design and/or design management

• Experience in stadiums, major events, or large-scale sports developments

• Previous experience in PMC, consultancy, or complex multidisciplinary projects

• Strong knowledge of international sports design standards and venue requirements

• Strong leadership and multidisciplinary coordination skills

• Deep understanding of sports facility planning and operations

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career.

This includes:

• Tax-free salary.

• Comprehensive life insurance coverage.

• Premium medical insurance for you and your dependents.

• Generous annual leave balance.

• Flexible and hybrid work solutions.

• Remote work opportunities outside of country.

• Company gratuity scheme.

• Discretionary bonus program.

• Annual flight contribution.

• Relocation assistance.

• Transportation & housing allowances (available for remote work locations).

• Employee Wellbeing Program: 24/7 access to specialists in finance, legal matters, family care, personal health, fitness, and nutrition.

Seize every opportunity to sharpen your skills, expand your expertise, and be recognized for the impact you make.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

Worker Type

Job Type

At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world-class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.