Design Manager - Water Infrastructure - Civil Engineering

Fawkes & Reece London; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car and fuel card

Salary sacrifice EV scheme

Private healthcare

25 days annual leave

Discretionary bonus

Pension scheme and Life assurance

GP service and employee assistance

Retail discounts

Enhanced parental leave

Cycle-to-work and salary finance

Charitable giving schemes

Training and progression opportunities

Job summary

Fawkes & Reece London is seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead the design and technical delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure across the UK. You will oversee the full design lifecycle from concept through to construction and handover, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and ensuring compliance with standards and client requirements.

You will drive innovation, sustainability, and value for money while mentoring engineers and designers to enhance capability.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading design teams for water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage design programmes, budgets, and risks across multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams across multiple projects.
• Oversee the design delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure including pumping stations and networks.
• Ensure designs meet industry standards, regulatory requirements, health and safety, and client specifications.
• Manage design programmes, resources, budgets, technical risks and change control.
• Act as the technical lead coordinating between clients, engineering teams, contractors and operational stakeholders.
• Drive innovation, sustainability and low-carbon engineering solutions.
• Review and approve technical deliverables and maintain design quality and governance.
• Mentor and develop engineers and designers to grow technical capability.
• Oversee design approvals and ensure smooth handover from design to construction.

Skills

Leadership

Project governance

Stakeholder management

Technical design knowledge

Job description

Design Manager - Water & Wastewater Infrastructure

Location: South of England | National Opportunities

Are you an experienced Design Manager looking to lead innovative engineering projects that make a lasting difference to communities and the environment?

We're looking for talented Design Managers to support the delivery of major clean and wastewater infrastructure projects across the UK. With a growing portfolio of projects planned for AMP8 and beyond, this is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of complex designs, lead multidisciplinary teams, and help shape the future of the UK's water infrastructure.

The Role

As Design Manager, you'll lead the design and technical delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure projects, ensuring solutions are safe, compliant, commercially viable, and aligned with client and operational requirements.

Working closely with project delivery teams, clients, contractors, and external stakeholders, you'll oversee the full design lifecycle, from initial concept through to construction and final handover.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating multidisciplinary design teams across multiple projects.
• Managing the design delivery of clean and wastewater infrastructure, including pumping stations, water and sewer networks, and associated assets.
• Ensuring designs meet relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, health and safety legislation, and client specifications.
• Managing design programmes, resources, budgets, technical risks, and change control.
• Acting as the key technical point of contact between clients, engineering teams, contractors, and operational stakeholders.
• Driving innovation, sustainability, and low-carbon engineering solutions.
• Reviewing and approving technical deliverables, maintaining design quality and governance throughout.
• Mentoring and developing engineers and designers, supporting the growth of technical capability across the team.
• Overseeing design approvals and ensuring a smooth transition from design into construction and handover.
• Working with framework leadership to ensure the right design capability and resources are available to meet contract requirements.

About You

We're keen to hear from Design Managers with experience in the water, wastewater, utilities, or wider infrastructure sectors.

You’ll bring strong technical knowledge, excellent leadership and communication skills, and the ability to coordinate complex design activities while balancing programme, cost, quality, and safety.

You’ll be comfortable working with a range of stakeholders, managing competing priorities, and identifying opportunities to improve design efficiency and delivery. A passion for developing people, embracing innovation, and delivering sustainable infrastructure will be key to your success.

What’s on Offer?

You’ll be joining a collaborative and forward-thinking organisation where technical excellence, professional development, and employee wellbeing are priorities.

Benefits include:

• Company car and fuel card, with a choice of electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Salary sacrifice electric and hybrid vehicle scheme.
• Private healthcare and a healthcare cash plan.
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Discretionary bonus scheme.
• Contributory pension scheme and life assurance.
• 24/7 online GP service and employee assistance programme.
• Access to thousands of retail discounts through a rewards portal.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Cycle-to-work, salary finance, and charitable giving schemes.
• Reward and recognition initiatives.
• Ongoing training, professional development, and career progression opportunities.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in delivering essential infrastructure that supports communities, protects the environment, and improves the resilience of vital water services.

You’ll be part of a supportive, inclusive team that values collaboration, accountability, ambition, and fresh thinking. With a strong pipeline of infrastructure investment and opportunities to work on technically challenging projects, you’ll have the platform to make an impact and progress your career.

If you’re ready to lead engineering excellence, develop talented teams, and help deliver the next generation of sustainable water infrastructure, we’d love to hear from you.