Design Manager (Substations - Distribution)
Location: Suffolk (hybrid working)
Salary: up to £95,000 (+ benefits)
Position: Permanent
Turner Lovell are partnering with a leading UK utility infrastructure contractor seeking a Design Manager to lead multi-project electrical substation design delivery across DNO/ICP frameworks (primarily up to 132kV, with occasional interface to transmission).
This position is ideal for an electrical design leader who thrives on managing and interfacing with multidisciplinary teams, balancing technical quality with commercial performance, and ensuring designs are safe, compliant, and buildable.
Key Responsibilities:
* Lead end-to-end design delivery across a portfolio of distribution substation projects, using both in-house and external design resources.
* Set, monitor, and report on design targets around safety, quality, cost, and programme, ensuring obligations to both the business and the client are met.
* Take commercial ownership of design workstreams by tracking budgets, forecasts, and change, and feeding into wider project and framework performance.
* Coordinate multidisciplinary teams to produce fully integrated design solutions that support safe construction and operation
* Oversee and technically steer external design partners, including reviewing, challenging, and approving their deliverables.
* Build and maintain strong working relationships with the client and alliance partners, representing the design function in progress, risk, and governance meetings.
* Plan and allocate design workloads to meet project and framework priorities, adjusting resources in line with customer requirements.
* Support and mentor design engineers, helping to develop capability and maintain a high standard of delivery across the team.
Required Qualifications & Experience:
* Degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent).
* Extensive UK experience delivering HV substation or similar infrastructure (typically up to 132kV) within a DNO/ICP or utility EPC environment.
* Strong people leadership skills; able to motivate, coach, and get the best from internal and external design teams.
* Good understanding of quality, environmental, and health & safety management systems (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 or equivalent).
* Solid knowledge of CDM Regulations, with a clear focus on designing for safety and buildability.
* Confident in design management from a commercial perspective, including programme, cost forecasting, and change management.
* Exposure to 3D design tools and digital design delivery processes is beneficial.
If this matches your experience and career goals, please apply or contact Anusha Gopalan (anusha.gopalan@turnerlovell.com / 020 4602 7660) for a confidential discussion.