Senior Architect / Designer
NO AGENCIES!
Location: Taunton, Somerset - Hestercombe House
Terms: Full Time
Role Type: Senior Architect / Designer
Salary: Band 4: £38,000 - £48,000 (Band 5 available pending experience)
Pension: Auto-Enrolment '8%' Workplace Pension - incs. 3% employer's contribution
Start: ASAP
About the role
We are looking to appoint a Senior Architect / Designer to join our West Country design team at Hestercombe House, near Taunton.
This is a practical, client-facing design role for someone who can take rural design projects forward with confidence, judgement and commercial awareness.
We are more interested in ability, judgement and output than job title alone. The right candidate may be a qualified Architect, Architectural Designer, Architectural Technologist, Chartered Surveyor with strong design experience, experienced rural design professional, or a capable graduate whose role can be shaped around their present ability and future potential.
The role will involve taking projects from early brief and feasibility through concept design, planning-stage design work and, where appropriate, later technical and construction-stage input. A good understanding of the design process from RIBA stages 0 to 7 would be valuable, although Bondstones operates its own internal project methodologies (Stepping Stones™ and Solid Ground™).
This is not a narrow drafting role. It is a role for someone who can think creatively, communicate well, understand client objectives, respond to planning and site constraints, and produce high quality design work in good time.
The opportunity
This role may suit someone who feels ready for the next stage in their career but has not yet had the opportunity to grow within their current practice.
You may be working under a glass ceiling, waiting for opportunity in a structure where progression is limited, or looking for more direct responsibility than your current role allows.
Bondstones offers varied rural projects, direct client contact, planning-led design challenges and clear scope to grow with the team.
Client value comes first. Good design work must be well-considered, properly managed, proportionate to the client’s needs and delivered efficiently within agreed scope.
Key responsibilities
The role will include:
The person we are looking for
We are looking for someone with strong design ability, good professional judgement and a practical understanding of rural development.
You do not need to fit one narrow professional label. You may come from architecture, architectural technology, rural surveying, building design, estate work, planning-led design, construction or another relevant professional background.
You should be confident communicating with clients and able to explain design decisions in plain, professional language. You should also understand that good rural design must respond to planning risk, site context, client objectives, cost and deliverability.
The successful candidate will be organised, self-motivated and capable of progressing work without constant supervision. We are also interested in someone with an outgoing and entrepreneurial outlook, who is willing to meet people, build relationships and help develop opportunities for the business.
Most importantly the right person will align with our values.
Required experience and qualities
Candidates should be able to demonstrate:
Desirable experience
The following experience would be advantageous:
Digital skills and portfolio
Experience using Revit / AutoCAD and SketchUp are essential. Candidates will be asked to complete a short practical design or software-based exercise to help us understand their present level of ability.
We would also like to see a portfolio of relevant work where available. Any work submitted must be your own original work, or work where your personal contribution is clearly identified and you are permitted to share it. (Links to live planning applications or information in the public domain will suffice for this purpose).
Graduate applicants are welcome to apply, but the role, responsibilities and package would be adjusted to reflect current ability, experience and support requirements.
Package
This is a salaried professional role, with salary set according to experience, capability, independence and expected fee-earning contribution.
Appointment will depend on the candidate’s ability to manage design work, advise clients, produce high quality design information, work efficiently within agreed scope and contribute to recoverable fee income.
Salary progression will be linked to professional development, quality of work, recoverable delivery, project performance and the ability to manage work efficiently within agreed project scope.
Depending on performance, capability and business need, progression may include greater project responsibility, a move into a lead designer role, responsibility for a small design team, or wider regional design management as the West Country team grows.
Location
The role will be based at Hestercombe House, near Taunton in Somerset.
Hestercombe provides an attractive professional working environment, with onsite parking, café facilities and access to 45 acres of landscaped grounds. Bondstones operates from a suite of offices within the Hestercombe estate, including team workspace, meeting space and breakout facilities.
The role will focus on the West Country and wider South West, with site visits, client meetings and project work across the region.
Some flexibility may be considered, but this is a team-centered design role and will require regular office attendance, close working with the design and planning teams, and active involvement in project delivery.
This position is not suitable for remote / overseas workers. This is non-negotiable.
Why Bondstones
Bondstones offers a focused alternative to larger architectural or multidisciplinary practices.
We work on rural projects where site context, client objectives, commercial reality and design quality need to be considered together.
The role offers direct client engagement, technical variety, support from an established regional design structure, and the opportunity to develop within a growing rural design team.
For the right person, this is an opportunity to move beyond production work and take on a more responsible design role within a specialist rural consultancy.
How to apply
Initial confidential conversations are welcome. You do not need to submit a formal application before speaking with us.
If you would like to discuss the role, please contact Stuart Woodward (Design Director) or Ian Firth (MD) for an initial conversation in confidence through the Bondstones main office - 01823 210 610.
Formal applications should be sent to Bondstones and should include a CV and, if available, a short covering note outlining your relevant experience, your design background and the type of role you are now looking for.
You may also include a portfolio of relevant work. Any portfolio material should be your own original work, or work for which your personal contribution is clearly identified and which you are permitted to share.
All enquiries and applications will be treated in confidence.
Terms: Full Time
Role Type: Senior Architect / Designer
Salary: Band 4: £38,000 - £48,000 (Band 5 available pending experience)
Pension: Auto-Enrolment '8%' Workplace Pension - incs. 3% employer's contribution
Start: ASAP
About the role
We are looking to appoint a Senior Architect / Designer to join our West Country design team at Hestercombe House, near Taunton.
This is a practical, client-facing design role for someone who can take rural design projects forward with confidence, judgement and commercial awareness.
We are more interested in ability, judgement and output than job title alone. The right candidate may be a qualified Architect, Architectural Designer, Architectural Technologist, Chartered Surveyor with strong design experience, experienced rural design professional, or a capable graduate whose role can be shaped around their present ability and future potential.
The role will involve taking projects from early brief and feasibility through concept design, planning-stage design work and, where appropriate, later technical and construction-stage input. A good understanding of the design process from RIBA stages 0 to 7 would be valuable, although Bondstones operates its own internal project methodologies (Stepping Stones™ and Solid Ground™).
This is not a narrow drafting role. It is a role for someone who can think creatively, communicate well, understand client objectives, respond to planning and site constraints, and produce high quality design work in good time.
The opportunity
This role may suit someone who feels ready for the next stage in their career but has not yet had the opportunity to grow within their current practice.
You may be working under a glass ceiling, waiting for opportunity in a structure where progression is limited, or looking for more direct responsibility than your current role allows.
Bondstones offers varied rural projects, direct client contact, planning-led design challenges and clear scope to grow with the team.
Client value comes first. Good design work must be well-considered, properly managed, proportionate to the client’s needs and delivered efficiently within agreed scope.
Key responsibilities
The role will include:
- Taking rural design projects forward from agreed brief through feasibility, concept design, design development and planning-stage information.
- Working within Bondstones’ internal design process and Stepping Stones™ methodology (RIBA stages 0-4).
- preparing concept drawings, feasibility layouts, design options, planning drawings and supporting visual material.
- Reading and responding to client briefs, planning advice, site constraints, project risk information and commercial objectives.
- Attending site visits, client meetings, internal design reviews and consultant meetings.
- Helping clients understand design options, constraints, opportunities, cost implications and practical next steps.
- Coordinating design information with planning consultants, architectural technicians, external consultants and clients.
- Beyond planning processes working with Solid Ground ™ to deliver projects through technical design to completion on site (RIBA stages 4-7).
- Supporting projects involving replacement dwellings, barn conversions, rural housing, change of use, farm diversification, tourism accommodation and rural business premises.
- Managing time, scope and client expectations properly.
- Representing Bondstones professionally at networking events, shows, client meetings and other business development opportunities where appropriate.
- Over time, supporting, mentoring or managing junior design staff as the regional team grows.
The person we are looking for
We are looking for someone with strong design ability, good professional judgement and a practical understanding of rural development.
You do not need to fit one narrow professional label. You may come from architecture, architectural technology, rural surveying, building design, estate work, planning-led design, construction or another relevant professional background.
You should be confident communicating with clients and able to explain design decisions in plain, professional language. You should also understand that good rural design must respond to planning risk, site context, client objectives, cost and deliverability.
The successful candidate will be organised, self-motivated and capable of progressing work without constant supervision. We are also interested in someone with an outgoing and entrepreneurial outlook, who is willing to meet people, build relationships and help develop opportunities for the business.
Most importantly the right person will align with our values.
Required experience and qualities
Candidates should be able to demonstrate:
- Strong design ability and architectural competence.
- Experience preparing design information for clients, consultants or planning submissions.
- A good understanding of the design process from early appraisal through to later project stages.
- An ability to work from client brief, site constraints, planning advice and project objectives.
- Good written, verbal and visual communication skills.
- Confidence dealing with clients, consultants and internal project teams.
- A practical understanding of rural buildings, sites, landscapes and development constraints.
- Commercial awareness, including project scope, client value, time management and fee recovery.
- The ability to manage design work efficiently within agreed scope and timescales.
- Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Professionalism, integrity and a positive approach to problem-solving.
Desirable experience
The following experience would be advantageous:
- ARB registration and / or RIBA / RICS / CIAT qualification, or equilivant eligibility.
- Rural residential, barn conversion, replacement dwelling or countryside design projects.
- Preparing pre-application, planning or technical submission material.
- Listed buildings, conservation areas, National Landscapes or other sensitive sites.
- Coordinating work with planning consultants, ecologists, landscape consultants, engineers, contractors or other specialists.
- Later-stage design, technical detailing, tender information or construction-stage support.
- Mentoring or supporting junior design staff.
- Paragraph 84 dwellings.
Digital skills and portfolio
Experience using Revit / AutoCAD and SketchUp are essential. Candidates will be asked to complete a short practical design or software-based exercise to help us understand their present level of ability.
We would also like to see a portfolio of relevant work where available. Any work submitted must be your own original work, or work where your personal contribution is clearly identified and you are permitted to share it. (Links to live planning applications or information in the public domain will suffice for this purpose).
Graduate applicants are welcome to apply, but the role, responsibilities and package would be adjusted to reflect current ability, experience and support requirements.
Package
This is a salaried professional role, with salary set according to experience, capability, independence and expected fee-earning contribution.
Appointment will depend on the candidate’s ability to manage design work, advise clients, produce high quality design information, work efficiently within agreed scope and contribute to recoverable fee income.
Salary progression will be linked to professional development, quality of work, recoverable delivery, project performance and the ability to manage work efficiently within agreed project scope.
Depending on performance, capability and business need, progression may include greater project responsibility, a move into a lead designer role, responsibility for a small design team, or wider regional design management as the West Country team grows.
Location
The role will be based at Hestercombe House, near Taunton in Somerset.
Hestercombe provides an attractive professional working environment, with onsite parking, café facilities and access to 45 acres of landscaped grounds. Bondstones operates from a suite of offices within the Hestercombe estate, including team workspace, meeting space and breakout facilities.
The role will focus on the West Country and wider South West, with site visits, client meetings and project work across the region.
Some flexibility may be considered, but this is a team-centered design role and will require regular office attendance, close working with the design and planning teams, and active involvement in project delivery.
This position is not suitable for remote / overseas workers. This is non-negotiable.
Why Bondstones
Bondstones offers a focused alternative to larger architectural or multidisciplinary practices.
We work on rural projects where site context, client objectives, commercial reality and design quality need to be considered together.
The role offers direct client engagement, technical variety, support from an established regional design structure, and the opportunity to develop within a growing rural design team.
For the right person, this is an opportunity to move beyond production work and take on a more responsible design role within a specialist rural consultancy.
How to apply
Initial confidential conversations are welcome. You do not need to submit a formal application before speaking with us.
If you would like to discuss the role, please contact Stuart Woodward (Design Director) or Ian Firth (MD) for an initial conversation in confidence through the Bondstones main office - 01823 210 610.
Formal applications should be sent to Bondstones and should include a CV and, if available, a short covering note outlining your relevant experience, your design background and the type of role you are now looking for.
You may also include a portfolio of relevant work. Any portfolio material should be your own original work, or work for which your personal contribution is clearly identified and which you are permitted to share.
All enquiries and applications will be treated in confidence.
