Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering design delivery for innovative water projects and ensure seamless collaboration.
- Company: Join a people-focused company dedicated to environmental resilience in the water sector.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Be part of a long-term programme with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of water management while driving innovation and sustainability.
- Qualifications: Chartered Engineer status with significant experience in water and wastewater environments.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Your new company
My client has a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Senior Design Manager to join a long-term AMP8 water programme, supporting the delivery of a portfolio of clean water and wastewater capital schemes for a major regulated water utility in the South of England. You'll be part of a business that puts people at the heart of delivery, with a strong wellbeing focus and a culture built on being collaborative, trusted and focused.
Your new role
This is a senior leadership position where you will lead and manage engineering design delivery across assigned projects, acting as the focal point for design-related matters and ensuring seamless collaboration between teams, design consultants, delivery partners and key stakeholders. You will shape the full engineering lifecycle - from project definition and outline design through detailed design, construction, commissioning and handover - driving technical excellence, assurance, innovation and 'right-first-time' design quality.
Key responsibilities
- Design leadership & assurance
- Lead and manage engineering design delivery for assigned projects.
- Spearhead and optimise engineering assurance for designs prepared by partners (outline design) and delivery partners (tender and construction design).
- Develop and oversee engineering project plans covering scope, schedule, cost, risk and resources.
- Implement design quality procedures to embed a right-first-time approach and robust document control.
- Drive innovation and engineering excellence through partner forums and supply chain engagement.
- Pre-construction & stage submissions (framework delivery model)
- Provide strong leadership input through stage 1 (ECI / feasibility / outline design) and into early stage 2 (detailed design / construction), ensuring deliverables are on time and to the right quality.
- Support collaborative development workshops and design sessions, embedding structured pre-construction routines and integrated working across disciplines.
- Contribute to stage 2 submission readiness, including programme, risk allocation and design development required for agreement.
- Project delivery & outcomes
- Provide expert engineering support from definition through to construction, commissioning and handover of capital schemes.
- Work collaboratively with project management, construction, commercial and operational teams to deliver outcomes efficiently and to key milestones.
- Identify opportunities for value engineering and improved affordability, while maintaining quality and compliance.
- Promote sustainable design - supporting carbon reduction and natural capital enhancement where applicable.
- Health, safety & design risk
- Ensure compliance with CDM Regulations, managing design-related health and safety risks throughout the design process.
What you'll need to succeed
To be considered, you will ideally have:
- Chartered Engineer status (or equivalent) with a degree-level qualification in an engineering discipline.
- Significant, proven engineering design, construction and management experience, ideally within water and wastewater treatment environments.
- A strong track record leading multi-disciplinary technical/engineering teams and driving performance against demanding targets.
- Experience driving innovation and optimisation of plant/process solutions, with strong quality management and document control discipline.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to communicate complex technical information clearly to a broad audience.
- Strong understanding of regulated delivery environments and collaborative ways of working across design and delivery interfaces.
What you'll get in return
The chance to play a key leadership role on a secure, long-term water framework delivering meaningful environmental and resilience outcomes. Hybrid working (3 days per week in Brighton).
What you need to do now
If you're an experienced Senior Design Manager looking for a pivotal role on a major AMP8 programme, apply now or contact me for a confidential discussion.
Senior Design Manager - Water Projects in Brighton employer: Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited
Contact Detail:
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Design Manager - Water Projects in Brighton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the water industry and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about roles that might not even be advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their values, especially around collaboration and innovation, so you can show how you fit into their culture during the interview.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain your experience in leading engineering design delivery and how you've driven performance in past roles. Keep it concise but impactful—show them why you're the right fit for the Senior Design Manager position.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Design Manager - Water Projects in Brighton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Design Manager role. Highlight your engineering design experience, especially in water and wastewater projects, and showcase your leadership skills. We want to see how you’ve driven innovation and managed teams effectively.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Mention specific projects you've led and how they align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Let us know what makes you passionate about this opportunity!
Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills: In your application, emphasise your ability to communicate complex technical information clearly. We value strong stakeholder management skills, so share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with various teams and stakeholders in past projects.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited
✨Know Your Engineering Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your engineering principles, especially those related to water and wastewater treatment. Be ready to discuss your past projects in detail, showcasing your design leadership and how you've driven innovation in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
Prepare examples of how you've effectively communicated complex technical information to various stakeholders. This role requires excellent stakeholder management, so think of specific instances where your communication made a difference in project outcomes.
✨Demonstrate Collaborative Spirit
Since the company values collaboration, be prepared to discuss how you've worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the past. Highlight any workshops or sessions you've led that fostered integrated working across different disciplines.
✨Emphasise Health and Safety Awareness
Familiarise yourself with CDM Regulations and be ready to talk about how you've managed design-related health and safety risks in your previous projects. Showing that you prioritise safety will resonate well with the interviewers.