Overview
Senior Design Manager to lead complex multidisciplinary design programmes in water and wastewater non-infrastructure frameworks. You will set design strategies, manage performance and serve as the key interface between operations, clients, and partners. You will mentor Design Managers and help build a high-performing regional design function. The role focuses on governance, risk and continuous improvement across large portfolios, with a clear impact on project delivery and client outcomes. This is an opportunity to shape multidisciplinary delivery for major water-sector programmes.
Responsibilities
- Lead multidisciplinary design delivery across complex programmes, portfolios and major projects
- Establish design strategies, delivery plans, governance and project accountabilities
- Own design performance across safety, quality, programme, cost, resources and contractual commitments
- Coordinate civil, mechanical, electrical, ICA, process and related design disciplines
- Lead Design Managers, technical leads and geographically dispersed teams
- Act as senior interface with clients, framework leaders, operational teams and delivery partners
- Provide clear design information and early visibility of programme, technical and commercial risks
- Lead design reviews, gateway approvals, technical assurance and programme-level risk management
- Forecast engineering resource requirements and optimise team utilisation
- Manage specialist consultants, external design partners and supply-chain relationships
- Mentor and develop team members while supporting recruitment and professional registration
- Drive continuous improvement, innovation and stronger integration between engineering and project delivery
Key requirements
- A degree or equivalent experience in engineering or a related discipline
- Typically ten to twenty years of experience delivering complex water or wastewater projects
- Significant experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and non-infrastructure programmes
- Proven record of managing multiple projects, programmes or portfolios
- Strong commercial, programme, resource and risk-management capability
- Experience managing matrix teams, external design consultants and delivery partners
- Credible client-facing leadership experience
- Demonstrable experience of design governance and technical assurance
- CDM 2015 awareness and a full UK driving licence
- leadership
- stakeholder management
- mentoring and people development
- multidisciplinary design delivery
- design governance and technical assurance
- risk management and governance
Senior Design Manager - water/wastewater in Cheshire employer: Morson Group
Morson Group is an exceptional employer, recognised as one of the UK's Best Big Companies to work for, offering a supportive family-run culture that prioritises employee well-being and development. With 26 days of holiday, bespoke training programmes, and comprehensive mental health support, employees are empowered to grow and thrive in their roles, particularly within the dynamic Payroll team at our Salford office.
