Senior CAD Designer & Business Operations Lead

Office-based during probation; thereafter hybrid with flexibility depending on experience and tenure.

Some roles are defined by what you deliver. This one is defined by where it takes you: a succession-planning appointment at director level, working alongside the current leadership team before stepping into a permanent seat at the senior table.

• A structured pathway to Technical or Design Director and a place on the senior management team

• Direct mentorship from experienced Technical and Design Directors, rare at this level

• Exposure to high-profile live events, major staging projects and international technical design work

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, workplace pension, and genuine flexibility post-probation

The Company

This business has been designing, manufacturing and delivering staging and temporary structures for four decades, working across festivals, large-scale sporting events and international brand activations. The technical work is genuinely innovative, and with design, operations, sales and finance all in-house, collaboration is built into how things get done.

The Role

As Senior CAD Designer and Business Operations Lead you will embed yourself at the heart of a busy technical design function, working across the full project lifecycle from concept through to delivery.

• Support design and delivery of staging and temporary structures across live events, utilising your expert knowledge of CAD/AutoCAD software

• Work closely with Technical and Design Directors on project strategy

• Contribute to procurement and supply chain management for UK and international projects

• Collaborate with operations, manufacturing and project management teams

• Build commercial and regulatory knowledge ahead of a leadership transition

The Candidate

The right candidate for this Senior CAD Designer and Business Operations Lead position will bring a solid foundation in technical design, structural or engineering disciplines with expert knowledge of CAD/AutoCAD software, ideally gained within live events, staging, temporary structures, construction or a related manufacturing environment.

• Technical design, structural design background at a strong mid-to-senior level

• Experience delivering complex projects across multiple teams and functions

• Commercially aware and comfortable taking ownership of large-scale work

Experience with temporary structures standards is beneficial but not essential, as is a background in festivals, sports or entertainment. What matters most is genuine ambition for technical leadership and a readiness to learn from some of the most experienced people in the industry.

In return, the Senior CAD Designer and Business Operations Lead will receive a senior-level package commensurate with experience, a strong benefit set and a development pathway with real substance behind it. This is a well-timed opportunity for a technical design professional ready to step into operational leadership. Get your application in as a Design and Operations Director appointment at this level will not stay open long.

Live specialises in all disciplines (and at all levels) across events, experiential and exhibitions, live communications, production and creative services. If this position is not quite right but you are looking for a new opportunity, please get in touch to discuss other options.

Live values diversity and promotes equality across our business. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of background, and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments you may need throughout the process.

Vacancy Ref: RD18304A