Design Manager

Job Purpose

The Design Manager will be responsible for overseeing the complete design process for water and wastewater treatment projects, ensuring that all designs are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards. The role involves leading multidisciplinary design teams, ensuring adherence to regulations such as the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM), and implementing best practices in design performance management. The Design Manager will also manage design changes throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring robust change management processes, including Earned Value Analysis (EVA) to track design performance.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the design process across all stages of water and wastewater treatment projects, from conceptual design to detailed design and delivery.
• Manage and guide multidisciplinary design teams and supply chain designers, ensuring effective collaboration.
• Implement and monitor design performance management systems, setting key performance indicators (KPIs) and tracking progress to ensure timely and quality deliverables.
• Utilise Earned Value Analysis (EVA) to assess design performance in relation to cost, schedule, and design progress, identifying variances and initiating corrective actions where needed.
• Ensure designs meet all regulatory and technical standards, including compliance with CDM regulations, with a focus on health and safety during design and construction.
• Oversee design change management processes, ensuring changes are controlled, documented, and communicated effectively to stakeholders while assessing the impact on project scope, cost, and timeline.
• Ensure that the design documentation produced has undergone appropriate QA processes and is suitable to be issued.
• Collaborate closely with project managers, engineers, and construction teams to ensure that design solutions are fully integrated with project execution and construction requirements.
• Liaise with clients, regulatory bodies, and contractors to ensure designs meet project goals, regulatory approvals, and client specifications.
• Manage design budgets and resources efficiently, tracking costs against project financial targets and making adjustments as necessary.
• Stay up-to-date with new technologies, design innovations, and best practices in water and wastewater treatment to improve design quality and project outcomes.

Candidate Specification

• Personal Attributes

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage and motivate multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities, capable of building strong relationships with clients, stakeholders, and team members.
• Highly organised with a keen eye for detail, ensuring design accuracy and high-quality outcomes.
• Analytical and problem-solving mindset, with a proactive approach to addressing design challenges and ensuring continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Collaborative, with the ability to work well in team environments while taking ownership of design management responsibilities.

• Technical Specification

• Experience Required

• 8-10 years of experience in design management or design production, with a focus on water and wastewater projects.
• Proven track record of managing multidisciplinary design teams and delivering complex water treatment projects.
• Strong understanding of water treatment processes, technologies, and associated engineering disciplines.
• Experience in managing design performance, including the application of Earned Value Analysis (EVA) to monitor project progress and performance against cost and schedule.
• Experience in design change management, including documenting and controlling changes to ensure project integrity and minimise disruption.
• Knowledge of CDM regulations and experience in integrating health and safety considerations into the design process.

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Design, Architecture, Design Management, Construction Management or a related field.
• Chartered status or working towards it.
• In-depth knowledge of water and wastewater treatment processes, with strong design management capabilities.
• Comprehensive understanding of CDM regulations and their application to the design phase of projects.
• Proven experience in managing design budgets, schedules, and performance.

• Masters degree in Engineering or a related field.
• Project management certification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2).
• Familiarity with BIM (Building Information Modelling) and other advanced design tools.
• Experience with sustainable design principles, energy-efficient technologies, and circular economy practices in water treatment.