Engineering & Design Manager in Leeds

Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire (Hybrid – 2–3 days per week in the Swillington office)

Salary: £80,000 – £90,000 per annum + Car Allowance + Pension + Benefits

Industry: Water, Environmental Engineering & Major Infrastructure

Employment Type: Full-Time

The Opportunity:

We are recruiting an experienced Engineering & Design Manager to oversee multidisciplinary engineering and design activities within a major UK water and environmental infrastructure programme. The programme focuses on delivering sustainable engineering solutions that improve wastewater infrastructure, reduce environmental impacts and contribute to cleaner, healthier waterways. This senior position will involve coordinating engineering design functions, managing technical resources and ensuring consistent delivery standards across multiple projects and design partners. You will work closely with senior programme leadership, engineering consultants, technical specialists and construction partners to ensure design activities are coordinated, technically robust and aligned with wider delivery objectives.

Previous experience within the water or wastewater sector is highly desirable. However, candidates with relevant experience leading complex engineering design operations within major infrastructure, utilities, civil engineering or environmental projects will also be considered.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering and design activities across a major infrastructure programme.
• Oversee the performance, delivery and technical assurance of engineering design teams and external design partners.
• Develop, implement and maintain an overall Design Management Plan and associated technical delivery strategies.
• Coordinate design resource planning, capacity management and workload allocation across multiple projects.
• Manage specialist technical functions, including engineering modelling, geotechnical engineering and associated disciplines.
• Establish and maintain consistent engineering standards, design processes, documentation and technical governance.
• Lead design coordination meetings and facilitate knowledge sharing between engineering teams and delivery partners.
• Oversee design risk registers, technical issue resolution and design change management processes.
• Ensure engineering deliverables satisfy applicable quality, environmental and regulatory requirements.
• Support design standardisation, innovation and continuous improvement to improve delivery efficiency.
• Coordinate engineering activities with construction, operations, planning and environmental stakeholders.
• Support planning requirements, site investigations and technical assessments throughout project development.
• Provide progress reporting, resource forecasts and technical updates to senior management.
• Identify opportunities for sustainable, efficient and environmentally responsible engineering solutions.

Experience & Qualifications:

Essential:

• Proven experience managing multidisciplinary engineering or design teams within complex infrastructure programmes.
• Strong background in engineering design management, technical governance, design assurance and risk management.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects, engineering disciplines and external design partners.
• Ability to oversee technical delivery, resource allocation, programme priorities and engineering performance.
• Excellent understanding of engineering design processes, quality standards and technical documentation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience working with consultants, contractors and senior project leadership.
• Experience implementing consistent engineering standards, design processes and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving capabilities.

Highly Desirable:

• Experience within the water, wastewater, stormwater management or environmental engineering sectors.
• Knowledge of storm overflow management, wastewater infrastructure or river improvement programmes.
• Experience working within infrastructure alliances, collaborative frameworks or integrated delivery environments.
• Exposure to hydraulic modelling, geotechnical engineering or nature-based engineering solutions.
• Understanding of planning, land, environmental and regulatory considerations associated with major infrastructure schemes.
• Experience supporting sustainability, carbon reduction or operational efficiency initiatives.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or an equivalent professional qualification.

What We're Looking For:

We are looking for an engineering leader who can bring structure, consistency and technical direction to a complex multidisciplinary design environment. You should have experience managing engineering teams, coordinating different technical disciplines and ensuring designs are delivered to high standards while balancing programme deadlines, resources and stakeholder expectations. The ideal candidate will combine sound technical knowledge with strong organisational and leadership skills. Although water sector experience would be a significant advantage, we recognise that many of the engineering design and programme management challenges are shared across other major infrastructure environments. Candidates with transferable experience are therefore encouraged to apply.

Salary & Benefits:

• £80,000 – £90,000 annual salary
• Car allowance
• Pension
• Additional employee benefits
• Hybrid working, with 2–3 days per week in the Leeds-area office
• Involvement in a major programme delivering long-term environmental and infrastructure improvements

Interested? If you are an experienced Engineering or Design Manager looking for your next challenge within major infrastructure delivery, we would welcome a conversation. Please submit your CV, including your current location, salary expectations and availability.

Contact: Elvis Eckardt