Senior Design Manager - Stormwater Infrastructure

AECOM Corporation; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision coverage

Paid time off and leaves

Job summary

AECOM is seeking an experienced Senior Design Manager to lead design management and technical reviews for a major stormwater infrastructure programme in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The role oversees design consultants, coordinates multidisciplinary submissions and ensures compliance with regulatory, quality and constructability requirements across the full design lifecycle.

Key focus areas include stormwater drainage networks, pumping stations, flood attenuation and BIM collaboration.

Qualifications

• More than 15 years of experience in stormwater, drainage or water infrastructure design or design management.
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in the UAE or GCC.
• Ability to lead design management and technical reviews for large infrastructure programmes.
• Strong technical leadership and client advisory capabilities.
• Familiarity with Abu Dhabi design approval procedures and standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management activities across the stormwater infrastructure programme.
• Oversee design development from concept through detailed design, tendering and construction support.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering submissions and ensure regulatory and constructability requirements are met.
• Review hydrology, hydraulics and flood risk assessments and coordinate with authorities.
• Lead design team leadership and ensure design quality and programme readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Design management

Civil engineering knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Client advisory

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

InfoWorks ICM

MIKE

HEC-RAS

SWMM

Job description

Senior Design Manager – Stormwater Infrastructure Job Snapshot – Role: Senior Design Manager – Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Industry: Civil Engineering – Function: Civil & Structural Engineering – Experience: 15 years in stormwater, drainage or water infrastructure design or design management, including 5 years in the UAE or GCC – Job Type: Full Time – Work Arrangement: On-site

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Abu Dhabi
• Industry: Civil Engineering
• Function: Civil & Structural Engineering
• Salary: Not disclosed
• Gender: No Preference
• Candidate Nationality: Not specified
• Job Type: Full Time
• Work Arrangement: On-site

Position Overview

AECOM is seeking an experienced Senior Design Manager to lead design management and technical reviews for a major stormwater infrastructure programme in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Working within the Project Management Consultancy (PMC) team on behalf of the client, the successful candidate will oversee design consultants, coordinate multidisciplinary engineering submissions, and ensure that stormwater infrastructure designs meet technical, regulatory, quality and constructability requirements. The position covers the complete design lifecycle, from concept development and detailed engineering through tender documentation and construction support. Key areas include stormwater drainage networks, culverts, outfalls, pumping stations, flood attenuation and retention structures, and stormwater tunnels where applicable. The Senior Design Manager will also oversee hydrological and hydraulic modelling reviews, flood risk assessments, design approvals, authority coordination, technical interfaces, value engineering and design change control. Applicants should have more than 15 years of relevant experience in stormwater, drainage or water infrastructure design or design management, including at least five years in the UAE or GCC. Strong technical leadership, client advisory capabilities and knowledge of Abu Dhabi design approval requirements are essential.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Design Management

• - Lead design management activities across the stormwater infrastructure programme.
• - Oversee design development from concept through detailed design, tendering and construction support.
• - Establish effective coordination between design consultants and the PMC team.
• - Monitor consultant performance against approved design programmes, contractual scope and quality requirements.
• - Review design progress and identify technical issues that could affect programme delivery.
• - Ensure design activities remain aligned with programme schedules and budget requirements.
• - Provide senior technical recommendations to the client on design-related matters.
• - Maintain oversight of design quality, coordination and construction readiness.

Stormwater Infrastructure Design Review

• - Review engineering submissions for stormwater drainage networks and associated infrastructure.
• - Assess designs for culverts, outfalls and stormwater conveyance systems.
• - Review stormwater pumping station design packages.
• - Evaluate flood attenuation and retention structures.
• - Review stormwater tunnel designs where applicable to the programme.
• - Assess the technical completeness and coordination of design submissions.
• - Identify design deficiencies, inconsistencies and outstanding engineering issues.
• - Provide consolidated technical comments and recommendations to design consultants and the client.
• - Ensure proposed designs are appropriate for their intended construction and operational requirements.

Hydrology, Hydraulics and Flood Risk Assessment

• - Review hydrological studies supporting stormwater infrastructure development.
• - Evaluate hydraulic modelling submissions and associated engineering assumptions.
• - Assess flood risk studies and proposed flood management solutions.
• - Review design approaches addressing climate resilience.
• - Challenge modelling assumptions and technical conclusions where necessary.
• - Evaluate the suitability of proposed stormwater infrastructure solutions against programme requirements.
• - Coordinate technical clarification of hydrological and hydraulic design issues.
• - Support informed client decisions through independent technical assessment.

Multidisciplinary Engineering Coordination

• - Coordinate design activities across civil and structural engineering disciplines.
• - Manage technical interfaces involving geotechnical engineering.
• - Coordinate mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) design requirements.
• - Review interfaces involving electrical infrastructure and control systems.
• - Identify inconsistencies between multidisciplinary design packages.
• - Coordinate resolution of technical clashes and outstanding design issues.
• - Consolidate engineering comments for submission to design consultants and the client.
• - Promote consistent design coordination across programme packages.

Utility and Infrastructure Interface Management

• - Lead the design interface management process across the programme.
• - Coordinate stormwater infrastructure designs with existing and proposed utility networks.
• - Manage design interfaces involving roads and transportation infrastructure.
• - Coordinate technical requirements between separate construction and design packages.
• - Engage relevant third parties to resolve infrastructure design conflicts.
• - Monitor outstanding interface issues and coordinate their resolution.
• - Ensure infrastructure interfaces are appropriately addressed before design approval and construction.

Authority Approvals and Regulatory Compliance

• - Ensure design submissions comply with client requirements and applicable engineering standards.
• - Review designs against relevant Abu Dhabi authority requirements.
• - Coordinate with utility providers regarding applicable technical standards and approvals.
• - Manage the design approval process across relevant programme packages.
• - Oversee preparation and tracking of No Objection Certificate (NOC) submissions.
• - Monitor authority comments and outstanding approval requirements.
• - Coordinate responses to technical observations raised during authority reviews.
• - Track design submissions through to the required approvals.
• - Maintain visibility of approval-related risks affecting programme delivery.

Constructability and Value Engineering

• - Lead constructability reviews of stormwater infrastructure designs.
• - Evaluate proposed engineering solutions for construction practicality.
• - Identify opportunities for value engineering without compromising project requirements.
• - Coordinate technical reviews involving construction and programme delivery teams.
• - Assess the potential cost implications of proposed design alternatives.
• - Evaluate programme impacts arising from design decisions.
• - Provide recommendations to the client regarding design optimisation and constructability.
• - Support the resolution of design issues before construction implementation.

Design Risk and Change Management

• - Lead technical risk reviews associated with infrastructure design.
• - Identify potential design risks affecting construction, cost and programme performance.
• - Recommend appropriate risk mitigation measures.
• - Manage the design change control process.
• - Review proposed design modifications and their technical implications.
• - Assess the potential cost and schedule effects of design changes.
• - Coordinate approval and documentation of design modifications.
• - Support the commercial team in evaluating design-related variations and contractor claims.
• - Maintain appropriate oversight of changes affecting approved design requirements.

Tender and Construction Support

• - Review tender design packages for technical completeness and consistency.
• - Identify outstanding design matters requiring clarification before tendering.
• - Support responses to technical queries during the tender stage.
• - Coordinate design-related clarifications with engineering consultants.
• - Provide technical design management support during construction.
• - Assist in resolving design issues arising from construction activities.
• - Coordinate with relevant project teams to maintain consistency between approved designs and construction requirements.

BIM and Digital Design Coordination

• - Support effective application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes.
• - Review multidisciplinary design coordination arrangements.
• - Promote the use of appropriate Common Data Environment (CDE) procedures.
• - Monitor the coordination and management of digital design information.
• - Support resolution of design clashes identified through multidisciplinary reviews.
• - Encourage consistent design information management across consultants and project packages.

Client Reporting and Stakeholder Management

• - Prepare design progress reports for the client.
• - Present technical progress, design risks and outstanding issues to senior stakeholders.
• - Provide design management updates to programme steering committees.
• - Communicate the status of design submissions and authority approvals.
• - Highlight matters affecting design quality, programme schedules or budgets.
• - Present clear recommendations supported by technical assessments.
• - Maintain effective working relationships with design consultants, client representatives and project stakeholders.
• - Support timely decision-making on significant design matters.

Design Team Leadership

• - Lead and mentor design managers and engineers.
• - Provide technical direction on multidisciplinary design management activities.
• - Establish clear expectations for design quality and consultant performance.
• - Support effective collaboration across engineering disciplines.
• - Encourage consistent application of design management procedures.
• - Promote good engineering practice and safety in design.
• - Develop team capabilities through professional guidance and knowledge sharing.
• - Maintain a collaborative and accountable design management environment.

Qualifications and Education Required

• - Bachelor 's degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources or a related discipline.
• Preferred:
• - Master 's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• - Chartered status such as CEng, MICE or CIWEM, or equivalent professional registration.

Required Professional Experience

• - More than 15 years of experience in stormwater, drainage or water infrastructure design or design management.
• - At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in the UAE or other GCC countries.
• - Proven experience managing or reviewing engineering designs on large infrastructure programmes.
• - Strong technical knowledge of stormwater drainage design and flood management.
• - Experience coordinating multidisciplinary infrastructure design packages.
• - Familiarity with hydrological and hydraulic modelling reviews.
• - Working knowledge of Abu Dhabi design approval procedures and engineering standards.
• - Experience managing design consultant performance, technical submissions and design coordination.
• - Understanding of infrastructure design risks, constructability and value engineering.
• - Experience managing design changes and assessing their implications for programme delivery.

Preferred Professional Experience

• - Experience in a Project Management Consultancy (PMC) or client-side design management role on major infrastructure programmes.

Technical Knowledge and Software

• - Strong understanding of stormwater drainage networks and flood management infrastructure.
• - Knowledge of culverts, outfalls, pumping stations, attenuation and retention structures.
• - Familiarity with stormwater tunnel design considerations.
• - Understanding of hydrological and hydraulic modelling methodologies.
• - Familiarity with modelling applications such as InfoWorks ICM, MIKE, HEC-RAS or SWMM.
• - Ability to review flood risk assessments and climate resilience approaches.
• - Knowledge of multidisciplinary engineering design coordination.
• - Good understanding of BIM processes and Common Data Environment systems.
• - Working knowledge of Abu Dhabi authority requirements and design approval procedures.
• - Understanding of NOC submissions and infrastructure utility coordination.
• - Familiarity with FIDIC contracts and the relationship between design changes, construction costs and programme schedules.
• - Knowledge of design change control, constructability reviews and value engineering.
• - Ability to evaluate technical submissions and prepare consolidated engineering recommendations.

Leadership and Professional Competencies

• - Strong leadership and engineering design management capabilities.
• - Excellent technical review and analytical skills.
• - Ability to challenge engineering assumptions constructively.
• - Effective management of multidisciplinary design consultants.
• - Strong client advisory and stakeholder management abilities.
• - Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• - Ability to present technical matters to senior management and steering committees.
• - Sound judgment when evaluating design risks and programme impacts.
• - Strong organisational and design coordination skills.
• - Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple infrastructure packages.
• - Commitment to engineering quality, regulatory compliance and safety in design.

Recruitment and Onboarding

AECOM is committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and takes fraudulent hiring activities seriously. All newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding session at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

Working at AECOM

Employees have access to professional development programmes, engineering expertise and opportunities to work on projects that support sustainable and resilient communities. Depending on employment status and eligibility, AECOM benefits may include:

• - Medical, dental and vision coverage.
• - Life, accidental death and dismemberment, and disability benefits.
• - Paid time off and leaves of absence.
• - Voluntary benefits and employee perks.
• - Flexible work options.
• - Well-being resources and employee assistance programmes.
• - Business travel insurance.
• - Service recognition awards.
• - Retirement savings plans.
• - Employee stock purchase plans.

AECOM promotes an inclusive and collaborative workplace built on respect, professional development and teamwork.

Equal Opportunity Employer

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, AECOM supports fair employment practices and handles candidate information confidentially in accordance with applicable equal employment opportunity guidelines.

About AECOM

AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm delivering professional services across water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. The company partners with public- and private-sector clients to develop innovative, sustainable and resilient infrastructure solutions. Its services span advisory, planning, design, engineering, programme management and construction management. AECOM employs more than 50,000 professionals worldwide, including engineers, planners, designers, scientists, digital innovators and construction management specialists. A Fortune 500 company, AECOM reported revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Official Website: aecom.com