Design Manager (Wastewater Infrastructure)

Overview

You will lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams to deliver wastewater infrastructure within AMP8. You’ll oversee design from optioning to construction support, while promoting integrated, Whole-Life perspectives and safe-by-design practices. This role sits at the heart of collaborative delivery models, driving value for networks, resilience, and environmental performance. You’ll work with clients and contractors to shape sustainable, low-carbon solutions and digitalized design delivery.

Pay / Benefits

• 28 days’ holiday plus public holidays
• private health care for you and dependents
• hybrid working
• professional membership fee support
• pension scheme with salary exchange
• life assurance

Responsibilities

• Manage design delivery of wastewater infrastructure across AMP8 stages from concept to construction support
• Act as Design Manager in alliances/frameworks, coordinating civil, mechanical, electrical and ICA disciplines
• Promote TotEx-driven design decisions aligning capital spend with operation performance
• Direct design of gravity sewers, rising mains, pumping stations, CSOs and stormwater systems
• Support storm overflow reduction and resilience programmes, including storage, SuDS, and nature-based interventions
• Embed digital engineering and BIM (ISO 19650) in design delivery with common data environments and digital twins
• Manage design programmes, resources, risks, and budgets to meet AMP8 targets
• Conduct design risk assessments (HAZID/HAZOP) and apply safe-by-design per CDM Regulations
• Collaborate with contractors, suppliers, and client teams to ensure buildable, efficient designs aligned with delivery strategies
• Support carbon reduction and sustainability objectives, including low-carbon materials and whole-life optimisation
• Contribute to bids, tenders, and framework opportunities within AMP8 and future cycles
• Build and maintain trusted client relationships as a reliable delivery partner
• Mentor engineers and designers to build capability for AMP8 demands

Key requirements

• Degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline
• Chartered Engineer status (e.g. MICE or equivalent)
• Extensive wastewater infrastructure design experience within UK water sector frameworks (AMP7/AMP8)
• Experience in Design Manager or senior design leadership in collaborative environments
• Experience designing sewer networks, rising mains, CSOs, pumping stations, stormwater systems
• Experience delivering TotEx-driven solutions with understanding of Ofwat drivers
• Strong knowledge of hydraulic modelling and tools (InfoWorks ICM, MicroDrainage)
• Experience under NEC3/NEC4 contracts in a Design Manager or Designer PM role
• Knowledge of digital engineering, BIM (ISO 19650) and common data environments
• Thorough understanding of health and safety in design (CDM) and safe-by-design principles
• Strong stakeholder engagement and client-facing skills
• Commercial awareness including programme and cost control in design delivery

• Collaborative mindset
• Stakeholder engagement
• Mentoring and leadership
• Hydraulic modelling (InfoWorks ICM, MicroDrainage)
• BIM ISO 19650 and digital twin concepts
• Common data environments

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