Job Description
Job Role: Design Manager
Location: Preston
Salary: £65,000 – £80,000 + Excellent Benefits Package
About the Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Design Manager to join a leading design & build contractor supporting key frameworks within the water sector. Based in the North West, you'll work in collaboration with multi-disciplinary site teams, overseeing both in-house and external designers to ensure timely, compliant, and cost-effective technical delivery across multiple projects.
As a central figure in the design process, you’ll manage risk, drive buildability and quality, and align deliverables with client expectations—particularly United Utilities.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and maintain the Design Deliverables Plan in collaboration with the project delivery team.
* Oversee the commercial design forecast and monitor it against tender allowances.
* Lead coordination between internal design teams and external resources to meet programme needs.
* Manage supply chain design inputs, ensuring compliance and engineering integrity.
* Drive tender design development and support estimating with accurate pricing for design elements.
* Monitor and manage Technical Query (TQ) registers via Lead Design Engineers.
* Engage with clients to integrate their requirements into design decisions.
* Allocate Design Engineers to projects based on resource requirements.
* Maintain the Design Risk Register, identifying and mitigating technical risks.
* Support planners in developing and updating detailed design management programmes.
About You
* Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence and motivate design teams.
* Proven experience in M&E or Civil design and build contracting, preferably within the water sector.
* Proficient in Common Data Environments (CDE) such as SharePoint or ProjectWise.
* Knowledge of BIM processes, with a proactive attitude toward digital innovation.
* Strong IT proficiency (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Reach out to Charlie Knight @ Advance TRS to find out more about this exciting opportunity and take the next step in your career.