Design Manager (Water Projects) in Birmingham

What if you could shape a career as unique as you? At WSP, you can always find opportunities to grow and do what matters to you. We have a number of opportunities for Design Managers to join our Water team supporting key projects in our Asset Design discipline.

As a Design Manager at WSP, you will lead and manage design projects within the Water sector. Working alongside the Project Director and Project Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing engineering design work and ensuring compliance with best practices and UK regulations. Our Design Managers are adaptable in various situations and possess an innovative mindset, willing to take on new challenges and comfortable working within significant and complex projects or programmes of work. We collaborate closely with external clients and internal multi-disciplinary project teams to deliver programmes of strategic regional and national importance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead design management for mid-scale and complex projects, managing resources, timelines, and budgets from concept through to completion.
• Ensure projects comply with health, safety, environmental, and quality standards.
• Manage client relationships and collaborate with engineering teams to deliver effective, integrated solutions.
• Lead client and project meetings, reporting on progress, financials, and addressing technical challenges.
• Drive "Safety by Design" practices and ensure compliance with UK CDM (Construction Design & Management) Regulations.
• Ensure clear communication through collaborating effectively with both internal WSP teams and external stakeholders to support the delivery of projects.
• Facilitate and lead discussions in Design Team Meetings (DTMs), taking clear and concise minutes and ensuring timely completion of actions by the design team.
• Ensure project delivery processes are consistently improved and implemented, e.g. change control.
• Coordinate relevant disciplines through target-led workshops, enabling critical design issues to be resolved in a timely manner.
• Deal with RFIs, early warnings, and general communications to reduce project risk and ensure successful project delivery.
• Analyse, process, and respond to design transmittals consisting of drawings, specifications, reports, and other project-related documents.
• Review and evaluate quotations to ensure they align with the project’s scope, budget, and client requirements.
• Manage changes and delays that have affected the project and ensure these are resolved or mitigated accordingly.
• Update the design delivery programme, resource, and instructions.
• Have a thorough understanding of project scope and design responsibility.
• Itemise scope of services, client briefing schedules, documentation, and regular assessment against industry standards to help ensure a better set of deliverables.
• Instigate efficiency, appropriate use of innovation, buildability whilst factoring the different design stages with the wider design team.
• Understand the design process, roles and responsibilities and be able to coordinate across all disciplines internal and external, ensuring quality and adding overall value to the project.
• Multiple package delivery responsibility and team management, reporting to Senior Project Leads.

What We Will Be Looking For You To Demonstrate:

• MEng/BEng/BSc or HND/HNC in an Engineering, Environmental or numerate science related subject.
• A member of an appropriate professional institute (Chartered or working towards).
• Experience in an infrastructure programme and project delivery environment, with experience of delivering complex projects.
• Significant experience in Project and contract management including knowledge of H&S standards and regulations.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all. Work on landmark projects around the world and embrace opportunities to make an even bigger impact in the communities you care about.

About Us: We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our 72,800 passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion.

What’s in It For You?

• Work-life balance: Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.
• Inclusivity & Belonging: We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences, encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work.
• Health & Wellbeing: We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.
• Flex your time: WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.
• Your development: We foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.