Design Manager (Civils)
Circa £86,000 + 5% Welcome Bonus + up to 20% Bonus + £4,750 Flex Allowance + Benefits
Great journeys happen at London Gatwick. Where will your career take you?
The buzz, the energy, the sheer magic of travel… You can feel it in the air all around you. Here, you'll be part of an energetic team and a vibrant community. We can help you thrive in a career that's a world away from the everyday.
This role takes an office first hybrid approach here at London Gatwick, with three days a week in the office, two days remote, managed around the needs of the business.
What is the role?
Join the team delivering iconic infrastructure at one of the world's busiest single-runway airports. From runway refurbishments and air traffic control upgrades to a £350 million transformation of airfield operations, every day at Gatwick brings new challenges, innovation, and impact.
London Gatwick is looking for a Design Manager to lead the delivery of design elements across major construction and infrastructure projects. If you have a proven track record of managing teams and delivering design for projects above £150m, this is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic team and make a significant impact.
As part of the Airfield & Civils Construction Programme Delivery Team, you'll help shape the infrastructure that underpins Gatwick's future growth—enhancing resilience, safety, and sustainability across our airfield.
We're looking for a Design Manager (Civils) to play a key role in our capital investment programme. Reporting to the Lead Design Manager, you'll be responsible for leading the development and coordination of design activities across a major civil engineering project—ensuring technical excellence, compliance, and alignment with strategic objectives.
You'll work in a collaborative, alongside innovators, technical specialists, and delivery teams—gaining full lifecycle exposure from concept through to completion. At London Gatwick, your work will have a visible impact, contributing to the long-term success of a key piece of the UK's critical national infrastructure.
What will you do?
* Reporting to the Lead Design Manager, you will play a key role in the team, responsible for owning the end-to-end design process from the start of the project to its completion. This includes overseeing smaller projects as required.
* Other duties include:
* Developing project scopes that support the business to meet its needs
* Finding innovative design solutions that meet project scopes, are realistically deliverable, meet GAL engineering standards, and are cost effective
* Developing clear and transparent design briefs for external design consultants
* Managing and reviewing the outputs of external design consultants, to ensure effective implementation of designs that meet quality requirements and are aligned with delivery milestones and governance tollgates.
* Work with the Asset Information Team and other stakeholders to determine the asset information requirements for design and construction contracts
Do you have what we're looking for?
The live environment at Gatwick requires all our teams to have a flexible and adaptable approach, problem solving skills and an innovative outlook. Involved in projects from inception to completion, you will work alongside multiple internal and external stakeholders. In addition, this role requires:
Previous multi-disciplinary experience in an engineering design or design management role, ideally in a live operational environment with responsibility for delivering safety critical outcomes, with a strong focus on significant multi-year infrastructure programmes of work with a value of more than £150 million (ideally in a relevant infrastructure field).
Demonstrable knowledge of design, construction techniques, technical requirements and construction regulations. Also, expertise in addressing constructability challenges, especially for major building projects in live operational settings.
Experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams.
Educated to Degree level or equivalent in an architecture, engineering or construction related field.
What do I get?
Our employees tell us that working here is something special, and no day is like another, where our teams do something every day that other airports only dream of. Along with a competitive salary, our employees enjoy a range of personal, health and financial benefits, including:
* Welcome Bonus
* Performance-based bonus scheme
* High street shops and restaurant discounts
* Healthcare scheme
* Life and disability insurance
* Professional training to develop
* Professional subscriptions
* Discounted travel
* Volunteer days
What's in it for you?
We value our people and reward every employee fairly with a highly competitive package, enhanced by a discretionary annual bonus, free staff parking, discounted rail travel to work, share matching scheme and more. We offer a rewarding world of flexible benefits you can tailor to the things that matter to you most.
There's also plenty of opportunities for career progression, as well as training to support your personal and professional development.
At London Gatwick, we're also very well connected, just 30 minutes from central London and directly linked to over 100 towns and cities. Whether you prefer to travel by cycle, electric car, or train, we aim to make your journey to work as convenient and cost-effective as possible.
What's it like to work at London Gatwick?
At London Gatwick, our people are our biggest asset. We want our people to thrive and have the best experience while working with us. We know we are all at our best when we feel comfortable and included.
We are an organisation that places diversity, equity and inclusion at its heart. Our aim; to create a place where everyone belongs and has a voice, and we recognise that we all play an important role in our success.
London Gatwick supports an inclusive recruitment process, enabling you to perform at your best. Please make us aware, as part of your application, should you require any reasonable adjustments.
Click apply now to start your career journey with London Gatwick.
You can find out more about what it's like to work at London Gatwick by visiting our careers site Careers at London Gatwick