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.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status