Design Lead

Galliford Try Ltd; Bristol; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and pension plan

Generous holiday entitlement

Private medical scheme options

Annual professional membership paid

Cycle to Work scheme

Wide range of corporate discounts

Cycle to Work scheme

Job summary

A leading construction company is seeking a Design Lead based in the UK. You will oversee engineering design processes, ensure compliance with standards, and provide mentorship to junior team members. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience in engineering design, particularly within the Water industry. This role offers a competitive salary and benefits, as well as opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ experience in a contracting or consulting environment.
• Working towards professional registration (Chartered status desirable).
• Strong knowledge of the Water industry.
• Commercial and contractual awareness.
• Commercial and contractual awareness.
• Effective leadership and management skills.
• Strong financial reporting and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• IT proficient, ideally with experience in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and cost/performance management systems (e.g. Oracle).
• Team player with focus on driving results and adding real value.

Responsibilities

• Lead the provision of engineering design solutions.
• Ensure compliance with standards and client specifications.
• Prepare and monitor budgets and project reporting.
• Line manage multi-disciplinary engineers.
• Ensure compliance with GT’s Business Management Systems and relevant governance processes.
• Prepare and monitor financial budgets, programmes, and project reporting.
• Build strong working relationships with Project Delivery and Commercial teams.
• Promote innovation, value engineering, and digital design.
• Line manage multi-disciplinary engineers as required.
• Ensure milestone reviews (buildability, HazOp, DSEAR, CDM) are completed with appropriate stakeholders.
• Provide accurate reports on budgets, utilisation, earned value, and change management.
• Identify resource requirements and manage team utilisation effectively.

Skills

Multi-disciplinary engineering design

Leadership skills

Financial reporting

Stakeholder management

IT proficiency (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Cost/performance management

Education

Degree in Engineering

Tools

Oracle

Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Job description

Job Title: Design Lead
Can Be Based From: UK Wide

About Us

Galliford Try is one of the UK’s most formidable construction businesses with an enviable track record of delivering schemes that strive to provide positive, lasting change for the communities we work in. As a FTSE 250 organisation, we turnover £1.5 billion and employ over 3,500 people across four successful Divisions: Building, Infrastructure, Environment and Specialist Services.

As one of the UK’s top principal contractors, you’ll have the opportunity to work on some of the UK’s most exciting projects, offering you stability as well as the chance to stretch your capabilities and realise long-held career goals. You will be joining diverse teams working at a high professional level with exceptional levels of commitment.

Our Environment Business

Following various acquisitions, we are now the largest Tier 1 Contractor operating in the UK Water/Environment sector with a long-term portfolio trading at £400 million a year. As part of our 2030 vision, we have brought together all aspects of Engineering Design under one Business Unit, which is expanding to provide in-house design support to our various Regional Business Units across the UK.

Purpose of the Role

As a Design Lead, you will be a key member of our Engineering Design Team, working closely with Design Delivery Managers, Design Managers, Discipline Managers, Principal Engineers, and multi-disciplinary designers.

You will be responsible for the efficient delivery of engineering and design activities at project level – whether on smaller projects reporting directly to the Design Delivery Manager, or on larger and more complex projects with the support of a Design Manager.

You will take ownership of design outputs, ensure technical excellence, drive innovation, and provide line management and mentoring for prospective future Design Leads.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the provision of engineering design solutions from inception to completion of multi-disciplinary projects.
• Ensure scheme designs meet client specifications, operational requirements, and compliance with standards.
• Apply the principles of Doing the right thing to maximise value and profit.
• Implement and comply with Galliford Try’s SHE policies, legal requirements, and best practice.
• Ensure compliance with GT’s Business Management Systems and relevant governance processes.
• Prepare and monitor financial budgets, programmes, and project reporting.
• Build strong working relationships with Project Delivery and Commercial teams.
• Promote innovation, value engineering, and digital design.
• Line manage multi-disciplinary engineers as required.
• Ensure milestone reviews (buildability, HazOp, DSEAR, CDM) are completed with appropriate stakeholders.
• Provide accurate reports on budgets, utilisation, earned value, and change management.
• Identify resource requirements and manage team utilisation effectively.

About You

• At least 5 years’ experience in a contracting or consulting environment.
• Degree in Engineering (or equivalent).
• Working towards professional registration (Chartered status desirable).
• Strong knowledge of multi-disciplinary engineering design and the Water industry.
• Commercial and contractual awareness.
• Effective leadership and management skills.
• Strong financial reporting and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• IT proficient, ideally with experience in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and cost/performance management systems (e.g. Oracle).
• Team player with focus on driving results and adding real value.

What We Can Offer in Return

With an impressive order book of over £3.9 billion, Galliford Try is one of the industry’s leading principal contractors, giving you the chance to work on high-profile projects that will challenge and reward you. You will join diverse, committed teams and benefit from our ambitious growth strategy.

We support your wellbeing through our Be Well programme, invest in high-quality training at all levels, and offer clear career development pathways.

Our benefits include:

• Competitive salary & pension plan
• Generous holiday entitlement, with option to purchase more
• Private medical scheme options
• Annual professional membership paid
• Save as You Earn share purchase scheme
• Wide range of corporate discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme

Additional Information

Galliford Try welcomes applications from candidates who wish to work flexibly, reduced hours, or part-time. Please discuss this with us during the process.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for candidates with a long-term health condition or disability who meet the essential criteria.

For more information, please contact [e-mail]

Note for agencies: We prefer to hire directly and will contact PSL agencies if this role is released.

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