Civil Manager in Nottingham

We are seeking an exceptional Civil Manager to play a pivotal role in delivering the STEP Prototype Fusion Powerplant, one of the most ambitious and transformative engineering programmes in the world. This is a rare opportunity to contribute to pioneering fusion technology with the potential to transform the UK economy and redefine the future of global energy.

As Civil Manager, you will work alongside the STEP Chief Architect Engineer and senior leadership team to lead the civil engineering design of the programme. You will define and govern the strategy, technical requirements, and architectural integration of all civil engineering, infrastructure, facilities, and enabling works supporting a £10bn capital asset portfolio. Operating within the client’s Design Authority, you will hold delegated technical authority for civil engineering decisions, ensuring design integrity, managing risk, and guiding delivery across a complex, first‑of‑a‑kind environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Set & Drive Civil Design Vision – Define and own the civil engineering strategy, design basis, and integration vision across all facilities and infrastructure; establish programme‑level objectives and architectural principles for a safe, sustainable, and constructable prototype; provide clear direction to ensure alignment with long‑term programme goals.
• Ensure Integration & Design Integrity – Resolve cross‑disciplinary conflicts and manage trade‑offs across engineering interfaces; develop strategies to address design gaps and varying levels of technical maturity; establish governance, standards, and assurance frameworks for civil design; manage impacts of design decisions on cost, schedule, constructability, and long‑term performance.
• Own Technical Risk & Safety – Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks in a high‑consequence environment; ensure designs balance safety, regulatory compliance, reliability, and performance; uphold the highest safety standards across all design and delivery stages.
• Define Early Design Concepts – Lead early‑stage concept development in areas of low maturity; translate emerging ideas into structured requirements and viable design direction; shape the foundation of the plant’s long‑term evolution.
• Lead Cross‑Disciplinary Collaboration – Drive integrated decision‑making across engineering disciplines and partners; align diverse teams around a unified plant design strategy; ensure coherence across systems, infrastructure, materials, and operations.
• Ensure Compliance & Scalability – Ensure designs meet all regulatory, statutory, and industry requirements; enable future scalability, operability, and lifecycle performance; support future commercial deployment pathways.
• Strengthen Organisational Effectiveness – Provide technical leadership for prioritisation, value engineering, and key decisions; support the development of Design Authority capability, governance, and processes; drive continuous improvement and innovation across the programme.
• Lead with Impact – Role model strong, values‑driven leadership aligned to UKFE principles; foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing environment; promote curiosity, evidence‑based decision making, and continuous learning.

About You

You are a visionary civil engineering leader with experience in complex, high‑value infrastructure or major programme delivery.

Qualifications

Essential

• Chartered Engineer (CEng), preferably Fellow (FICE) of the Institution of Civil Engineers or equivalent professional institution.
• Proven ability to translate complex technical challenges into clear strategies, actions and delivery scope.
• Experience converting uncertain or evolving system requirements into robust design basis, technical requirements and delivery‑ready solutions.
• Demonstrated leadership of complex systems engineering, including requirements derivation, verification and validation (V&V).
• Accountable for major capital infrastructure technical scope within complex, high‑hazard or highly regulated environments.
• Experience delivering engineering, technical assurance and/or construction in regulated or high‑hazard sectors, including heavy structures (preferably civil nuclear and/or defence).
• Experience operating within organisations holding design authority and managing programme‑critical facility integration in first‑of‑a‑kind or technically novel environments.
• Proven experience managing technical change and configuration/change control processes.
• Strong knowledge of modern civil engineering principles, standards, calculations and design processes.
• Experience in site selection, and presenting technical schemes, plans and budgets to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to coordinate delivery across multiple partners, suppliers or organisations.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to uncertainty and evolving programme requirements.
• Experience originating and critically reviewing engineering substantiation, providing technical assurance and supporting Design Authority decision‑making.
• Knowledge of relevant legal, regulatory and government compliance obligations.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and inspire technical teams.
• Experience of seismic design and application of American codes and standards.

Beneficial

• Public Sector Knowledge UK: familiarity with the specific regulations, policies, and governance frameworks applicable to public sector organisations.
• Experience working in an emergent tech environment.
• Experience delivering technical assurance in high hazard and/or technically complex major programmes.
• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management systems.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We welcome applications from under‑represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success. UKFE is committed to being accessible.