Contractors Engineering Manager (CEM) - Civils & Rail

Coyle Personnel; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Coyle Personnel Ltd. seeks an experienced Contractors Engineering Manager to lead engineering delivery for a high-profile rail and civils program. You will act as the formally approved CEM, coordinating with CDMs and construction managers to avoid design-to-construction friction.

Responsibilities include signing off design submittals, AFC drawings, and handover docs, while enforcing HSEQ standards and reporting progress to the Technical Director and client leadership.

Qualifications

• BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering or closely related field.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) with ICE or equivalent body.
• Valid PTS competence card and CSCS card required.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering delivery for a 3-year rail and civils project.
• Sign off Design Task Briefs, AFC drawings, and handover documentation.
• Coordinate with CDMs and Construction Managers to reduce design-to-construction friction.
• Prepare progress reports and KPIs for Technical Director and client leadership.
• Ensure HSEQ standards across all project phases.

Skills

Rail engineering knowledge

CEM role experience

Leadership

Regulatory awareness

Education

BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering

Chartered Engineer (CEng) status

Tools

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

MicroStation

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and authoritative Contractors Engineering Manager (CEM) to lead the engineering delivery for an high-profile, 3-year rail and civils multi-disciplinary project.

Core Responsibilities

Technical Management & Assurance

• Act as the primary, named Contractors Engineering Manager (CEM) formally approved by the Network Rail Project Manager.
• Deliver technical solutions within the project's budgetary, programme, and quality parameters.
• Authorise, sign off, and oversee all relevant Design Task Briefs, Form 001/002/003 submittals, Approval for Construction (AFC) drawings, and Handover documentation.
• Direct the engineering lifecycle, coordinating closely with Contractors Design Managers (CDMs) and Construction Managers to eliminate design-to-construction friction.

Safety, Compliance, & Risk Mitigation

• Enforce rigorous health, safety, environmental, and quality (HSEQ) engineering standards across all project phases.
• Manage engineering risks proactively by conducting technical feasibility studies, visualisations, and risk workshops.
• Ensure all temporary works are fully coordinated, checked, and approved by the Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC) in line with BS 5975 and rail standards.

Stakeholder Engagement & Interface Management

• Chair interdisciplinary design reviews (IDRs) and interface meetings to de-conflict structural civils, track, signalling, OLE, and telecoms systems.
• Act as the chief technical liaison between the main contractor, Network Rail asset owners, consultants, and independent third-party surveyors.
• Compile and deliver transparent engineering progress reports, technical files, and KPIs directly to the Technical Director and client leadership.

Required Knowledge

• Network Rail Standards: Full operational literacy in Network Rail suite of standards, specifically NR/L2/INI/02009 (Engineering Management for Projects) and NR/L3/CIV/006 (Technical Approvals).
• Civil Infrastructure Systems: Deep technical knowledge of heavy civils infrastructure, including bridges, earthworks, lineside structures, retaining walls, drainage systems, and station platforms.
• Rail Operational Interface: Comprehensive awareness of track geometry, ALO (Any Line Open) working restrictions, possessions, and safety-critical rules.
• Regulatory Compliance: Expert knowledge of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM 2015), Common Safety Method for Risk Evaluation and Assessment (CSM-RA), and ROGS regulations.

Experience Required

• Rail Sector Tenure: A minimum of 3-5+ years of proven experience operating specifically as an approved CEM on complex Network Rail multi-disciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Major Project Lifecycle: Proven track record of steering multi-million-pound civil and rail projects from initial design freeze through to site construction, commissioning, and final asset handover.
• Leadership & Influence: Direct experience managing multi-disciplinary engineering and design teams, resolving technical impasses creatively under rigid project timelines.
• Software Literacy: Competence overlooking outputs generated from advanced design platforms such as AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and MicroStation.

Qualifications & Professional Certifications

Essential

• Academic: Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or Master of Engineering (MEng) in Civil Engineering or a closely related structural discipline from an accredited institution.
• Professional Status: Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) or an equivalent professional engineering body.
• Safety & Site Access: Valid Personal Track Safety (PTS) competence card and a valid Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) professionally qualified person card.

Desirable

• Project Management: Formal accreditation in project management methodologies (e.g., APM Project Management Qualification or PRINCE2).
• Temporary Works: Completed Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC) certification