At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor design teams on innovative building services projects at Heathrow.
- Company: Join WSP, a global leader in engineering and design.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working locations, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with over 69,000 passionate professionals worldwide.
- Why this job: Shape landmark projects and make a real impact in your community.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in design management within building services, especially in complex environments.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Description
What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?
At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life.
You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives.
You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.
To find out more about our Property and Buildings business click on the following link and discover what awaits you at WSP:
- Property and Buildings | WSP
- A little more about your role…
You will be central to the highly collaborative Services South team; based across the Heathrow office primarily.
Your role will be at the heart of our high performing team, using your skills and expertise to help us continue driving forward in terms of both technical quality and service efficiency; whilst leading the teams senior engineers in their day to day project management activities.
What you’ll be doing
- Leadership: Leading and mentoring design team members, ensuring effective communication and coordination across multidisciplinary design teams.
Driving collaboration between MEP, structural and architectural disciplines to deliver coordinated, compliant and technically robust design solutions aligned with programme, budget and quality expectations.
- Design
Management: Developing and managing design delivery plans, including design programmes, deliverables, and review stages.
Leading the setup and coordination of design scopes, managing design inputs within Task 99 structures, and ensuring appropriate allocation of time and resources across design activities and deliverables.
- Technical & Design
Performance: Supporting the monitoring of design effort against programme and budget, working closely with project and commercial teams to track design progress, resource utilisation, and alignment with cost constraints.
Contributing to monthly project reviews with a focus on design performance and risks.
- Business
Development: Supporting tender bids from a technical and design management perspective, including development of design methodologies, programmes, and resourcing strategies.
Collaborating with wider WSP teams to bring in specialist capability and support integrated design solutions across opportunities.
- Client
Relations: Building and maintaining relationships with client technical teams, contractors, and stakeholders.
Communicating design intent clearly, responding to technical queries, and aligning design outputs with client requirements to support effective and coordinated delivery.
- Compliance & Assurance: Supporting design governance processes, including design reviews, coordination checks, and stage gate requirements.
Contributing to compliance with relevant standards, Heathrow requirements, and internal quality processes, while maintaining clear documentation of design decisions and changes.
- Your Team
- Our team is comprised of approximately 60 engineers working across the Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health specialisms
- Our team is split across our Brighton, Southampton, Heathrow, Basingstoke and Guildford offices giving the flexibility or work in either location on any given day.
Many of our team choose to alternate the office they work in to suit personal and client needs.
- As part of our team, you would be working on some of our major projects predominantly at Heathrow Airport.
This will be as part of a multi-disciplinary offering and so experience in building services, structural and civil engineering disciplines will be an advantage.
- You will be reporting to our Director that manages the various Frameworks at London Heathrow.
- You will be able to utilise graduate, assistant, senior and principal engineers in supporting roles around you, as well as dedicated BIM and Sustainability specialists to contribute to the successful delivery of your projects.
- What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…
- Extensive experience in design management within the Building Services sector, within aviation or similarly complex, regulated environments.
- Experience in leading and coordinating multidisciplinary design teams, including management of design programmes, deliverables, and interfaces across MEP, structural, and architectural disciplines.
- Demonstrable capability in managing design processes, tools, and systems (including BIM, digital design platforms, and coordination tools), ensuring alignment with project and programme requirements.
- Understanding of design risk, technical assurance, and compliance, including the ability to manage design reviews, approvals, and governance processes in line with client and regulatory standards.
- Proven ability to lead design teams both independently and collaboratively, providing clear direction while fostering a coordinated, high-performing environment.
- Experience in managing technically complex Building Services designs within property and buildings, ensuring integration with wider project constraints such as operational environments and phased delivery.
- Able to represent WSP in technical discussions with clients, contractors, and stakeholders, while translating client requirements into practical, coordinated engineering design solutions.
- Recent, demonstrable experience in delivering coordinated Building Services design across multiple stages of project delivery, including managing change, resolving technical challenges, and supporting successful project outcomes.
Key responsibilities
- Lead the planning, management, and coordination of Building Services design with other disciplines, across all project stages within Heathrow programmes
- Ensure that design deliverables are technically sound, fully coordinated, and aligned with project requirements and constraints
- Act as the central point of integration between MEP disciplines, architectural, structural, and specialist systems
- Drive a “right-first-time” approach, reducing rework and improving overall design efficiency
- Design Programme & Deliverables
- Develop and manage detailed design programmes aligned with overall project milestones and delivery strategy
- Ensure design outputs are delivered in a timely manner, supporting procurement, construction, and commissioning activities
- Monitor progress against design deliverables and take early action where slippage or risk is identified
- Maintain clarity on design scope and deliverables, particularly where changes or additional requirements emerge
- Technical Assurance & Compliance
- Lead design reviews and assurance processes, ensuring alignment with Heathrow standards, regulatory requirements, and industry best practice
- Provide oversight of technical compliance, including safety, performance, and sustainability requirements
- Ensure that design decisions are justified, recorded, and traceable through appropriate documentation
- Support the resolution of technical challenges through structured problem-solving and expert input
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Interface with client technical authorities, contractors, and supply chain partners to communicate design intent and resolve issues
- Lead technical workshops and coordination meetings, ensuring productive outcomes and clear actions
- Translate complex technical information into clear, concise updates for non-technical stakeholders where required
- Change & Risk Management
- Manage design change processes, ensuring impacts on cost, programme, and risk are understood and communicated
- Identify design-related risks early and coordinate mitigation strategies across disciplines
- Maintain visibility of key technical risks and ensure alignment with project risk management processes
- Team Leadership & Capability
- Provide leadership and mentoring to design engineers and coordinators
- Promote collaboration across disciplines, encouraging integrated design solutions
- Support development of technical capability and knowledge sharing within the team
Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Apply, and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities within the team.
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. What if you could do the best work of your life and create a legacy for yourself?
With us, you can. Apply tod
Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.
Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact.
Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.
With us, you can. Apply today.
#LI-CH1
Senior Design Manager (Building Services) in Guildford employer: WSP
WSP is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Leeds that fosters professional growth and development through initiatives like the Land Academy. With a strong emphasis on hybrid working arrangements, employees enjoy a healthy work-life balance while engaging in meaningful projects that shape urban and rural landscapes across the UK and Ireland.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Design Manager (Building Services) in Guildford
✨Networking in the Right Circles
Dive into communities focused on building systems and supply engineering. Join LinkedIn groups, attend industry-specific trade shows, and don’t shy away from local meetups. These are golden opportunities to connect with industry professionals who could help you land that full-time role at places like WSP.
✨Showcase Your Projects
If you've worked on any projects—big or small—related to building systems, make sure to showcase them! Creating a portfolio or a detailed case study on your approach can do wonders. It’s all about showing prospective employers, like WSP, that you’ve got hands-on experience and a solid understanding of the field.
✨Leverage University Resources
Are you still connected with your university? Tap into their career services! Many universities have relationships with firms in the building systems sector and can provide leads on exclusive job openings. This could be your ticket to landing the full-time job you want.
✨Get Involved in Professional Bodies
Consider joining professional organisations related to building systems and supply engineering. These often have job boards, career development events, and networking opportunities. Engaging with these can significantly increase your visibility to firms like WSP and may help you secure that full-time position sooner!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Design Manager (Building Services) in Guildford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Engineering Skills:In the building systems supply engineering field, make sure to highlight your technical skills in your CV. Include any relevant software certifications or engineering tools you’re proficient with. Demonstrating your ability to use industry-specific technologies can really set you apart!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love to see how you've made an impact in your previous roles. When detailing your work experience, try to include quantifiable achievements—like how you improved a system’s efficiency by a percentage or managed a project that saved your last company X amount. This shows you're results-driven and could help us at WSP.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Don’t just reuse the same old cover letter! Personalise it for the Senior Design Manager (Building Services) role at WSP. Talk about your passion for building systems and why this position excites you. We want to see your personality shine through and how you envision contributing to our team.
Include Relevant Projects:If you’ve worked on specific projects related to building systems supply engineering, don’t forget to mention them! Include any reports or case studies that showcase your problem-solving abilities and project management skills. This portfolio of work can really illustrate your expertise to us.
How to prepare for a job interview at WSP
✨Know Your Technical Stuff
For a role in building systems supply engineering, make sure you're clued up about the latest technologies and tools in the field. Brush up on your knowledge of HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical layouts, and any relevant software used in modelling or design.
✨Showcase Real Projects
Since this is a full-time position, the interviewers will be keen to see your relevant experience. Bring along a portfolio that highlights the projects you've worked on, focusing on your role and the impact you had. Be ready to discuss the challenges faced and how you overcame them.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions during your interview. They may ask how you would approach a specific design challenge or troubleshoot an existing system. Think about examples from your past work where you successfully tackled problems, and be ready to articulate your thought process.
✨Understand the Industry Landscape
It's crucial to have a good grasp of the current trends affecting building systems, like sustainable engineering practices or smart technology integration. Familiarise yourself with recent advancements and be prepared to discuss how they might influence your work at WSP.
