Engineering Director in England

United Infrastructure is a dynamic and rapidly expanding business, focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects across the utility and social infrastructure sectors. Our team of highly skilled and hardworking specialists deliver innovative solutions to the complex challenges our clients face.

Our company is split into two business areas:

• Utility Infrastructure – Our team of Utility Infrastructure specialists design, build and maintain critical water, energy (gas), power and telecoms infrastructure for the UK’s largest network owners and operators.
• Social Infrastructure - Our team of Social Infrastructure specialists revitalise homes and communities by carrying out a wide range of work, from retrofit to refurbishment, and maintenance.

Inside our Energy business, we’re scaling delivery of complex, multi‑phase energy programmes—hydrogen, CCUS, biomethane, gas pipelines and power assets—and we’re looking for an Engineering Director to lead our Engineering Function, act as Design Authority, and set the bar for safe, sustainable, right‑first‑time delivery.

The UK’s transition demands resilient infrastructure and dependable engineering leadership. You’ll shape our Energy Design Hub and the standards, assurance gates, and culture that underpin it—bringing constructability insight early and maintaining technical excellence through detailed design, construction, commissioning and handover.

Job Description

• Build the function: Establish and mature the Engineering Design Hub—structure, processes, KPIs, tools, and ways of working to support Tier‑1 scale and differentiation.
• Design Authority & governance: Own engineering standards and design assurance gates. Drive constructability, operability, and whole‑life performance across multidisciplinary designs.
• Portfolio assurance: Guide teams through complex interfaces (e.g., trenchless crossings, AGIs/BVSs, third‑party approvals), chair design reviews/readiness checks, and de‑risk delivery on major programmes.
• People & capability: Grow and mentor a high‑performing team of discipline leads and principal engineers; set competency frameworks and progression pathways; champion chartership and continuous learning.
• Digital & innovation: Accelerate adoption of digital engineering (BIM/CDE, analytics, data standards) to improve quality, traceability and productivity.
• Client & stakeholder engagement: Provide trusted technical counsel during FEED, shape scopes with UK network owners/operators, and resolve multi‑agency interfaces (e.g., rail and utility crossings).

What success looks like (first 12 months)

• Design maturity: Higher first‑pass approvals and fewer late design changes through robust assurance gates.
• Safety & quality outcomes: Strong leading indicators, timely closure of findings, and demonstrable alignment with ISO 9001/14001/45001.
• Delivery confidence: Smoother path from FEED to IFC and into construction; predictable programme control; reduced rework and variation exposure.
• Capability growth: A motivated team with clear competencies, mentoring and chartership pathways—ready to scale with our pipeline.
• Client trust: Positive technical acceptance, clean interfaces, and repeat business driven by dependable engineering leadership.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) (Mechanical, Civil/Structural, EC&I or related) with experience in energy/utilities infrastructure.
• Proven leadership of FEED and EPC design on large, multidisciplinary programmes—able to act as Design Authority and set standards across disciplines.
• Command of UK/EU regulations and utility frameworks (e.g., CDM, NERS) and practical know‑how embedding management systems (ISO 9001/14001/45001).
• Familiarity with relevant codes/standards for pipelines and associated assets (e.g., ASME B31.8, BS 4515‑1, API 1104, ISO 21809) and the construction methods that bring designs to life (including trenchless works).
• A leadership style that balances rigour with pragmatism—able to coach, challenge and inspire teams and partners to deliver outstanding results.

This role will be based out of Warrington with exposure to our site based operations.