Principal Design Manager – Water Sector

Overview

As Principal Design Manager you lead technical design across water non-infrastructure projects, coordinating civil, mechanical, electrical and process engineering. You influence project delivery on a major UK water utility framework, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality outcomes. You’ll oversee design programs, review deliverables, and act as the primary interface with the client, shaping project scope and standards. This role offers client exposure, leadership across multidisciplinary teams, and a meaningful impact on critical water sector programs.

Pay / Benefits

• competitive salary
• flexible attendance 1-2 days per week
• leadership of high-profile water sector projects

Responsibilities

• Lead design delivery across a portfolio of water non-infrastructure projects
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams across civil, mechanical, electrical and process disciplines
• Develop and manage design programmes across multiple projects
• Review and approve design deliverables to ensure compliance with industry standards and client specifications
• Act as the primary design interface with the water utility client
• Support project managers with budgets, resources and design risk management
• Mentor engineers and design leads within the team

Key requirements

• Degree qualified in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline
• Chartered Engineer or working towards chartership
• Strong experience within the UK water sector
• Proven experience delivering design programmes across multiple projects
• Strong understanding of UK design standards, CDM regulations and water industry specifications
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• excellent communication
• stakeholder management
• mentoring/people development
• multidisciplinary design coordination
• design programme development
• UK design standards

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