Job Title
Design Manager – Water
Location
Manchester, United Kingdom
Work Arrangement
Office-based with occasional site visits; hybrid working available
Job Overview
-
Lead and develop a multidisciplinary design team within the water sector
-
Ensure high-quality engineering outputs across clean water, wastewater, and infrastructure projects
-
Shape design processes, implement best practices, and encourage continuous improvement
-
Oversee delivery across a diverse portfolio of water-sector programmes
Key Responsibilities
-
Manage, direct, and develop engineers, CAD technicians, and graduates
-
Build and grow the design team while maintaining a positive team ethos
-
Lead the design process for multidisciplinary water industry projects
-
Shape, improve, and enforce design procedures and formal processes
-
Introduce and implement appropriate software tools, promoting BIM and 3D modelling
-
Ensure design deliverables meet safety, quality, and integration requirements
-
Maintain design programme discipline, ensuring outputs meet agreed timescales
-
Drive compliance with technical standards, best practice, and water company specifications
-
Ensure all design changes for allocated packages are fully recorded
-
Support estimating of design hours and planning of design resources
-
Attend progress meetings, contribute to technical discussions, and represent the design function professionally
Required Qualifications & Experience
-
Minimum 10 years’ experience in engineering design within regulated sectors such as water, oil and gas, nuclear, highways, or bridges
-
Graduate or HND in a relevant engineering discipline
-
Strong IT capability and familiarity with design tools
-
Proven experience managing multidisciplinary design teams and complex design packages
-
Track record of training, developing, and mentoring junior staff
-
Chartered Engineer or actively working towards chartership
-
Full driving licence and access to a vehicle
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
-
Experience delivering designs across clean water and wastewater projects
-
Experience with infrastructure and non-infrastructure assets
-
Strong understanding of construction methods, materials, and engineering drawing practices
Key Skills
-
Technical leadership and team development
-
Strong communication and stakeholder engagement
-
Problem-solving and results-oriented approach
-
Mentoring and coaching junior staff
-
Strategic thinking and process improvement
Why Consider This Role
-
Lead a growing, collaborative design team in the UK water sector
-
Influence technical delivery, design strategy, and team development
-
Work on a variety of clean water, wastewater, and infrastructure projects
-
Opportunity to shape processes and implement best practices across the team