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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design function, ensuring high standards in quality, safety, and compliance.
- Company: Specialist engineering firm supporting the UK energy and utilities sectors.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to shape industry standards.
- Why this job: Drive innovation and sustainability in a critical role for the energy sector.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in design management and a degree in engineering.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team focused on continuous improvement and safety culture.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
We Build Recruitment are now looking to hire a Head of Design for a specialist engineering and operations company supporting the UK energy and utilities sectors. Our client continues to expand its technical capability and project portfolio and are looking for someone to lead and govern the design function across the business. This is a senior leadership role aligned with the most senior members of staff, responsible for strategic direction, technical governance, and portfolio-level design assurance.
Role Purpose
The Head of Design leads the design function across the company, ensuring that all design activities are delivered to the highest standards of quality, safety, and compliance. The role focuses on strategic leadership, governance, and portfolio delivery, rather than direct oversight of detailed design, which remains the responsibility of Technical Leads. The position plays a critical role in shaping design strategy, driving performance, and ensuring robust technical assurance across all transmission and distribution design activities, with particular emphasis on overhead line OHL and or Cable works.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Strategy
- Provide strategic direction for the design function, aligned with corporate objectives, client requirements, and long-term business growth.
- Champion innovation, sustainability, and digital delivery, embedding best practice across design processes, tools, and systems.
- Own, maintain, and continuously improve design policies, standards, and procedures, ensuring clear, auditable governance.
- Design Portfolio Delivery
- Ensure the overall design portfolio is delivered on time, within budget, and to required quality and safety standards.
- Establish and maintain effective reporting and assurance rhythms, including dashboards, gateways, and KPIs.
- Intervene early where delivery, quality, or resource risks emerge, providing leadership direction and resolution.
- Coordinate interfaces across disciplines and projects, unblocking issues and driving timely decisions at portfolio level.
- Technical Assurance & Governance
- Ensure Technical Leads are fully accountable for detailed design quality, verification, and compliance with applicable standards.
- Maintain proportionate governance mechanisms such as design reviews, hazard reviews, and approval processes without duplicating detailed technical oversight.
- Ensure alignment with client-specific technical assurance frameworks and regulatory requirements.
- Risk, Safety & Continuous Improvement
- Identify, assess, and escalate risks that could impact delivery, safety, cost, or quality, implementing and tracking effective mitigations.
- Champion lessons learned and continuous improvement across projects, frameworks, and the wider design function.
- Promote a strong safety culture through the design process, ensuring risk is eliminated or reduced so far as reasonably practicable.
- People & Resource Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop the design leadership and technical teams, building capability, succession, and a high-performance culture.
- Plan resources and competencies to meet current and future portfolio demand.
- Manage internal capacity and the use of external design partners as required.
- Support the development of apprentices and early-career engineers within the design function.
Key Interfaces
- Technical Leads
- Project Managers
- Engineering Heads
- Commercial and Contract Management
- Clients and External Stakeholders
Key Skills & Competencies
- Proven senior leadership experience in design management within transmission & distribution, utilities, or related infrastructure sectors.
- Deep understanding of design governance, technical assurance, and compliance frameworks, including CDM 2015 and client-specific standards.
- Demonstrable track record of delivering complex, multi-disciplinary design portfolios and driving measurable performance improvement.
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at executive and client level.
- High level of commercial and financial awareness, including budget ownership and value engineering principles.
- Decisive, structured, and resilient leadership style suited to complex, regulated environments.
Experience & Qualifications
- Degree-qualified in an engineering discipline or equivalent relevant experience.
- Chartered or Incorporated Engineer (CEng / IEng) status, or working towards, is highly desirable.
- Strong background in overhead line (OHL) and transmission & distribution design environments.
- Familiarity with National Grid and/or DNO technical assurance frameworks (e.g. SR188, BP141) is advantageous.
- Formal training in leadership, project, or portfolio management (e.g. APM, MSP, MBA) is beneficial.
Compliance, Health & Safety
- Promote and ensure compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and all client safety rules.
- Ensure hazards are identified, mitigated, and clearly communicated through the design process.
- Ensure residual risks are appropriately managed and handed over to construction and delivery teams.
Head of Design (Overhead Line / Transmission & Distribution) employer: We Build Recruitment
Contact Detail:
We Build Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Design (Overhead Line / Transmission & Distribution)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at local events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Show them you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate your passion for their work in overhead line and transmission design.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with their needs, especially around strategic leadership and design governance. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Design (Overhead Line / Transmission & Distribution)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in design management, especially within transmission and distribution. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Leadership Experience: As a senior role, we’re looking for proven leadership skills. Share examples of how you've led teams, driven performance improvements, and managed complex design portfolios. This is your chance to shine, so let us know how you’ve made an impact!
Highlight Technical Knowledge: We need someone who understands design governance and compliance frameworks. Be sure to mention your familiarity with standards like CDM 2015 and any specific technical assurance frameworks you’ve worked with. This will show us you’re the right fit for the role!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy – just follow the prompts and submit your details!
How to prepare for a job interview at We Build Recruitment
✨Know Your Design Governance
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of design governance and technical assurance frameworks, especially CDM 2015. Being able to discuss how these frameworks apply to the role will show that you're not just familiar with the basics but can also lead and govern effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to talk about your leadership experiences and how you've successfully managed design teams in the past. Highlight specific examples where you've driven performance improvements or navigated complex projects, as this will demonstrate your capability to lead at a senior level.
✨Understand the Business Strategy
Familiarise yourself with the company's strategic objectives and how the design function aligns with them. Be ready to discuss how you would champion innovation and sustainability within the design processes, showing that you can think beyond just the technical aspects.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Management Questions
Expect questions about how you manage relationships with various stakeholders, including clients and project managers. Have examples ready that illustrate your strong communication skills and ability to influence decisions at an executive level.
