Design Manager – Water Sector
Location: Manchester
Employment Type: Permanent or Contract
Salary/Rate: £60k-80k / £400-480pd outside ir35 (depending on experience)
Client: A leading multidisciplinary design consultancy specialising in delivering innovative engineering solutions to the UK water industry.
About the Company
Our client is a respected design consultancy with a strong reputation for excellence across the water sector. They deliver complex, multidisciplinary projects for major UK water companies and their delivery partners. With continued growth across their water portfolio, they are now seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead and develop their design capability and ensure the successful delivery of high-quality engineering solutions.
The Role
As Design Manager, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing design delivery across multidisciplinary teams. You will ensure that engineering outputs meet quality, safety, and programme requirements, while nurturing a collaborative and positive team culture. This is an opportunity to shape and influence the design function within a growing consultancy, driving best practice and technical excellence across a wide range of water infrastructure projects.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and manage a multidisciplinary design team including engineers, technicians, and graduates.
* Foster a positive team culture, support professional development, and grow the team’s capability.
* Oversee and coordinate the design process for water-sector projects, ensuring solutions are safe, integrated, and compliant with client and regulatory standards.
* Challenge, improve, and enhance design processes, procedures, and internal ways of working.
* Promote and implement appropriate software tools, including BIM and 3D modelling platforms.
* Ensure all design deliverables meet quality, safety, and technical standards while working within agreed timescales and budgets.
* Monitor and record project change relating to design packages.
* Support bid and proposal activity by estimating design hours and contributing to technical submissions.
* Drive continuous improvement within the design function and champion best practice across the business.
Required Qualifications & Experience
* Minimum of 10 years’ experience in engineering design within a regulated sector such as:
* Water
* Rail
* Oil & Gas
* Nuclear
* Highways / Bridges
* Degree or HND in an engineering discipline.
* Proven track record managing multidisciplinary design teams and delivering complex engineering projects.
* Experience working within the regulated UK water industry.
* Strong IT skills and familiarity with common design and modelling tools.
* Demonstrable experience developing junior engineers and building team capability.
* Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
* Chartered Engineer status (or working towards chartership).
* Advanced competency with BIM and 3D design software platforms.
* Experience contributing to design governance, assurance, and quality frameworks.
Key Skills & Attributes
* Strong leadership and people-management skills.
* Excellent communication and stakeholder-engagement abilities.
* Technically confident with the ability to challenge and problem-solve.
* Results-focused with strong planning, coordination, and prioritisation skills.
* Collaborative team player with the ability to develop themselves and others.