BIM Manager
The company
From day one, Thakeham has been driven by a clear vision: to transform the way people think about new-built developments.
Over 20 years later, that ethos is still very much alive, reflected in our numerous awards and reputation in the sector. Today, Thakeham employs close to 250 people and has a forecasted revenue of £199 million in 2024/25.
An infrastructure-led community creator and strategic land promoter, Thakeham is committed to partnerships, innovation and creating amazing places to live and work. We are industry-leading in sustainability and biodiversity. We were one of the first to introduce Zero Bills homes in partnership with Octopus Energy.
We pride ourselves on our ‘Infrastructure first’ approach, ensuring communities release the benefits of new development at the outset, rather than later in the process. We deliver social, affordable and retirement housing for a wide range of housing associations and local authorities.
People are Thakeham’s most important asset, and this is reflected in the way we operate. We are proud to be listed in the Top 100 Best Large Companies to Work For 2024.
Our people enjoy excellent rewards and working conditions in an exciting and growing business. We offer exciting career opportunities, and are keen to develop, guide and support our employees, regardless of what stage they are in their careers.
We value diversity and encourage people to bring their full authentic selves to work. A Gold Armed Forces Covenant signatory and supporter of armed force’s charity Building Heroes, Thakeham operates a Talent for Development outreach campaign for military veterans and college leavers.
Work and fun should not be mutually exclusive and Thakeham offers a range of social events such as quiz nights, BBQs and all staff parties. We run informal lunch and learns and take on charity challenges such as the Housebuilder Challenge. We encourage people to volunteer in their communities, offering two paid days per year to do so. Where roles allow, our summer hours policy in June, July and August allows people to enjoy longer weekends with their loved ones. A flexible approach to working is available all year round.
At Thakeham we build communities, together.
The department
The BIM team is a small, dedicated team that reports directly to the digital lead. This team is very closely connected to the design teams but is independent as it supports BIM across the entire company. Although the team is small, it expands its reach by making use of cross-functional Document Controllers and BIM Champions that sit in other departments.
The Design teams are responsible for design at both the planning and detailed design stages, whilst also providing support to all other areas of the business. Our team work on projects from conception all the way through to construction and completion, ensuring that the high standards of the business are met throughout the design and build process.
Thakeham, as a residential house builder, is an early adopter of BIM, which is now well established in the detailed project delivery and construction teams. Its roll-out continues at pace across the business and we are looking for someone to manage its expansion.
The role
We are a looking for an experienced BIM professional to guide the wider business through the modernising of our project data management using Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) and expand our use of Revit and its extended functionality. Working closely with the Technical Director and project delivery teams, the role will be directly responsible for the management of the CDE and maximising the use of its functionality within the office based and construction teams.
Continue to develop our use of Revit and help the Design, Engineering and Commercial teams maximise the value from our 3D models.
This would include R&D projects, such as:
- Embodied carbon calculations from Revit models
- Automated material scheduling from Revit
- 3D-site plans using Infraworks
- In-house CGI generation
- Federated 3D building models bringing together specialist supplier designs for checking and clash detection
- Commercial tendering directly from the CDE and many more
The position would suit a highly motivated BIM expert with strong communication skills. Experience in the residential housebuilding sector is preferred but not essential.
The successful candidate will;
- Directly manage BIM Coordinators
- Indirectly manage a cross-function BIM support team made up of document controllers and departmental BIM champions
- Be responsible for implementing BIM standards, protocols and processes in line with ISO19650
- Configuration of ACC; the project template, folder & permissions structure and workflows etc.
- Manage the configuration of the Revit template, libraries and plugins with the BIM Coordinator
- Research and define appropriate strategies to expand the development of BIM within the company
- Research new tools and techniques to improve project delivery efficiency using BIM
- Identify, define and manage BIM R&D projects that can be delivered by the wider teams
- Collaborate with a wide range of departments within the business to ensure the extended roll-out of ACC runs smoothly
- Create guidance and training material and train existing staff members in BIM software and new processes
- Oversee the day-to-day tasks of the in-house technical resource to ensure new standards and protocols are maintained
- Liaise frequently with individual project leads (Project Management, Architects, Directors) and gather lessons learnt feedback to help develop the BIM systems
- Host Project Team BIM meetings and address any issues with respective team members
This list is not exhaustive. Tasks will be allocated to reflect increasing levels of development and experience.
The required skills
- Minimum 3 years’ experience working in a BIM capacity
- Advanced working knowledge of Autodesk Construction Cloud (or similar CDE product)
- Good knowledge of Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD
- Working knowledge of ISO19650 documentation
- A strong passion for BIM
- Innovative and logical thinking, and strong problem solving and research skills
- Excellent design & presentation ability
- Knowledge of general residential construction methods
- Ability to question, challenge and analyse
- Ability to work independently within a pressured environment
- An ability to achieve against demanding time and quality targets
- Ability to prioritise and organise key information relating to numerous concurrent projects
- Ability to guide other teams through the BIM transition, create and communicate new guidelines to different teams
- To have excellent communication skills and confidence to liaise with people internally and externally
- To be methodical, pay attention to detail and be accurate
- To be good at working with people at all levels and willing to work in a team
- To be self-motivated with ability to work on own initiative
- To be willing to accept responsibility for completing designated tasks
- To hold a full driving licence
- A background of working for a residential developer or architectural practice would be advantageous for this role but is not essential
- Knowledge of Autodesk Infraworks, 3ds Max and Building Connected would be advantageous for this role but is not essential
The benefits
- Competitive salary
- Car allowance
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Annual holiday allowance 26 days increasing to 27 after 3yrs service and 28 after 5yrs service (plus bank holidays)
- Life assurance
- Private medical insurance
- Health screening
- Pension scheme
- Bonus scheme
- Flexible working hours in a modern office environment / Working from Home Policy
- Excellent development and progression opportunities for the right candidate
- Company Social events
Plus a whole range of other employee benefits that we can tell you all about, our employees are rewarded for their performance, attitude and results.
#happytotalkflexibleworking
We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and treating people fairly. We will treat all job applicants and employees equally regardless of age, race, religious belief, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. We welcome applicants from all sectors of society and we are committed to promoting an inclusive environment for all.
