Design Project Manager

OCU; Borehamwood; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

OCU is seeking an experienced Design Project Manager to lead design delivery on large multidisciplinary power and renewable energy projects across the UK. You will work with Design, Engineering, Construction and Pre-Construction teams to ensure safe, efficient delivery to high standards.

The role requires a degree in engineering, a strong track record in design engineering and design management, and the ability to chair meetings, manage stakeholders, and drive innovation.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering (BEng or MEng).
• Significant experience in both Design Engineering and Design Management in Power Transmission & Distribution.
• Proven Project Engineer or Design Manager on multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of CDM 2015 roles and responsibilities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and leadership abilities.
• Willingness to travel and hold a Full UK Driving Licence.

Responsibilities

• Managing design deliverables and activities across large multidisciplinary power and renewable energy projects.
• Developing and maintaining design programmes and work breakdown structures across project lifecycles.
• Ensuring compliance with client design management, employer requirements, and industry standards.
• Primary point of contact for design-related matters between clients, subcontractors, and project teams.
• Forecasting and coordinating design, surveying, and digital engineering resources.
• Championing Safety by Design, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
• Managing design-related project controls: TQs, EWNs, CEs, and RFIs.
• Supporting tender submissions, design scopes, execution plans, and management plans in pre-construction.
• Coordinating temporary works and construction design with PMs, engineers, and site teams.
• Leading design review meetings, workshops, and coordination sessions.
• Supporting development of internal design capabilities and governance.
• Mentoring Graduate, Assistant, and Senior Engineers.

Skills

Design Engineering & Design Management

Project Engineer experience

Design Manager experience

HV/MV cable systems knowledge

Substation design knowledge

CDM 2015 understanding

Stakeholder management

Leadership & communication

Construction methodologies & temporary

Chair meetings & coordination

Full UK Driving Licence & travel

Education

BEng or MEng in Electrical, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Due to continued growth across our Design function, OCU is seeking an experienced Design Project Manager to join our expanding team.

Department: OCU Design

Location: Borehamwood

Description

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the delivery of complex, multidisciplinary power and renewable energy projects across the UK. Working closely with our Design, Engineering, Construction and Pre-Construction teams, you will be responsible for managing design delivery throughout the full project lifecycle, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards.

If you have a strong background in both engineering and design management and are passionate about driving innovation, collaboration, and excellence within infrastructure projects, we'd love to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

• Managing design deliverables and design-related activities across large multidisciplinary power and renewable energy projects.
• Developing and maintaining design programmes and work breakdown structures throughout project lifecycles.
• Ensuring compliance with client design management and delivery processes, employer requirements, and industry standards.
• Acting as the primary point of contact for all design-related matters between clients, subcontractors, and project teams.
• Forecasting and coordinating design, surveying, and digital engineering resources across projects.
• Championing Safety by Design, sustainability initiatives, and continuous improvement within project delivery.
• Managing design-related project controls, including Technical Queries (TQs), Early Warning Notices (EWNs), Compensation Events (CEs), and Requests for Information (RFIs).
• Supporting the development of tender submissions, design scopes, execution plans, and management plans during pre-construction phases.
• Working closely with Project Managers, Engineers, and Site Teams to coordinate temporary works and construction design requirements.
• Leading design review meetings, workshops, and coordination sessions to ensure all stakeholders are working from the latest approved information.
• Supporting the development of internal design capabilities, governance processes, and engineering excellence across OCU.
• Mentoring and supporting the development of Graduate, Assistant, and Senior Engineers within the business.

Essential

What You’ll Bring

• Degree-qualified (BEng or MEng) in Electrical, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering.
• Significant experience across both Design Engineering and Design Management functions within the Power Transmission & Distribution sector.
• Proven experience acting as a Project Engineer or Design Manager on multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Strong understanding of HV/MV cable systems, installation design, and substation design at DNO or Transmission Operator level.
• Knowledge and practical experience of CDM 2015, including Principal Contractor and Principal Designer responsibilities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience liaising with clients, contractors, subcontractors, and project teams.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to challenge existing practices and drive innovation.
• Demonstrable understanding of construction methodologies, temporary works, and civil engineering best practices.
• Ability to chair meetings, coordinate multiple stakeholders, and manage competing priorities.
• Full UK Driving Licence and willingness to travel to project sites and company offices as required.

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer status or actively working towards professional accreditation (ICE, IET, IMechE or equivalent).
• Previous experience within renewable energy, grid infrastructure, or major utility projects.
• Experience developing Design Execution Plans, Design Management Plans, and Design Scoping Reports.
• Experience managing and mentoring multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Knowledge of digital engineering, surveying, and BIM-related processes.
• Experience working within a Principal Contractor environment.

What We Offer

At OCU, we believe that meaningful work should come with meaningful support. That's the principle behind Careers with Purpose, our commitment to ensuring every person at OCU feels supported, developed, and valued, not just in their role today, but throughout their career with us. Alongside the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects, we offer a benefits package that we are continuing to develop as we grow, and the kind of career acceleration that only comes from being inside a business moving at this pace. As a rapidly growing organisation, there are genuine opportunities to progress, broaden your experience, and build a long-term career within OCU Group. To ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to join our team, please inform us if you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment and interview process is, by emailing [e-mail].