Discipline Head - Civil Design Engineering
Barhale Ltd
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Job summary
Barhale is seeking a Discipline Head/Principal Engineer to own civil design input across water sector projects, acting as the technical authority for the Civil discipline. The role combines hands-on principal design with governance responsibilities and mentoring engineers within the team.
You will align with Design Leads to ensure high professional and technical standards across our water frameworks, driving innovation and quality across projects.
Qualifications
- Extensive design experience within the regulated water industry.
- Degree or HND in Civil Engineering or a related discipline.
- Chartered Engineer status.
- Experience producing hydraulic calculations and hydraulic profiles.
- Strong IT and digital design capability.
Responsibilities
- Ensure design deliverables meet safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
- Review and approve design deliverables, DRAs, reports and technical specifications.
- Develop efficient and practical engineering solutions based on scopes, site visits and client requirements.
- Lead civil engineering design across projects and mentor engineers at different career stages.
- Provide technical leadership for the Civil discipline across water industry frameworks.
- Champion safety-in-design principles within civil engineering and CDM 2015 duties.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Barhale Design Services is Barhale’s in‑house design specialists, delivering innovative engineering solutions across major infrastructure projects. Combining deep industry expertise with practical construction knowledge, we provide design support from concept through to detailed delivery.
Our collaborative approach combines value engineering, digital innovation, and sustainable design principles to create buildable solutions that deliver best value, reduce carbon impact, and meet our clients' objectives.
As part of the Barhale Group, we work at the forefront of industry developments, helping shape the future of critical infrastructure while delivering lasting benefits for clients, communities and the environment.
Who are Barhale?
Barhale is a business founded on family values, having been established by our Chairman, Dennis Curran, in 1980. We are one of the largest privately owned civil engineering and infrastructure specialists in the UK, with over 40 years of experience in providing design, civil engineering and maintenance services working across multiple sectors, including:
- Water
- Transport
- Energy
We operate as a tier one partner for blue chip, regulated and private clients, working as part of large frameworks, joint ventures and alliances, as well as on individual standalone projects, developing long‑term relationships based on delivering to the Barhale values which have been integral to our business since their inception in 1985.
Our direct delivery model is at the core of everything we do, as we believe that people are our greatest asset. Therefore, we robustly source, train and retain all our own frontline delivery teams as well as management and support services. We employ over 1,200 employees nationwide.
We possess a range of specialist skills to support our civil engineering and infrastructure activities, including:
- MEICA
- Temporary and permanent design
- Steel‑fabrication
- Signs (design and fabrication)
- Health & safety equipment and products, including PPE
Company Website:
Company Showcase Video:
Discipline Head/Principal Engineer – Civil Design Engineering
As Discipline Head/Principal Engineer, you will take ownership of the civil engineering design input across a range of water sector projects, acting as the technical authority for the Civil discipline across the business.
This position is suited to a Chartered Engineer with strong design experience who enjoys solving complex engineering problems, guiding design teams, and ensuring high standards of technical delivery.
You will lead civil engineering design across projects, mentor engineers at different stages of their careers, and provide technical leadership for the Civil discipline across our water industry frameworks. The role combines hands‑on principal‑level design and checking work with discipline‑wide technical standards, competency and governance responsibilities.
Working closely with our Design Leads and Engineering Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring our projects are delivered to high professional and technical standards, while shaping how civil engineering is delivered consistently across all our water industry frameworks.
Key Responsibilities
Design Delivery & Technical Assurance
- Ensuring design deliverables meet safety, quality and regulatory requirements
- Reviewing and approving design deliverables, design risk assessments (DRAs), reports and technical specifications
- Developing efficient and practical engineering solutions based on scopes, site visits and client requirements
- Communicating design solutions clearly to clients and project teams
- Directing and supporting engineers, CAD technicians and graduates
- Guiding design work to ensure compliance with technical standards, professional guidance and water company specifications
- Ensuring design changes are properly implemented and recorded within project documentation
- Working within established design processes and procedures to maintain quality and consistency
- Attending and presenting engineering solutions at design reviews, ALM and key meetings
- Reviewing, or appointing competent checkers for civil designs produced in‑house or by subcontracted designers, to ensure compliance with required technical standards
Discipline Leadership & Technical Governance
- Setting, communicating and maintaining civil engineering technical standards across all live projects
- Verifying the technical competency of civil engineering staff before they are allocated to projects
- Monitoring the discipline engineers' performance and utilisation
- Identifying training needs and supporting CPD planning for the civil engineering team
- Coordinating with other discipline leads on cross‑discipline interface items to ensure clear ownership where scope overlaps
- Estimating civil design hours at tender stage, and supporting resource forecasting and capacity planning across active projects
- Reviewing and interpreting technical standards, procedures and updates relevant to the civil discipline
- Championing safety‑in‑design principles within civil engineering, ensuring CDM 2015 designer duties are embedded across all design and checking activity
- Providing key technical guidance for both projects and tenders
- Supporting the continuous improvement of engineering standards and design practices
Essential:
- Extensive design experience within the regulated water industry
- Degree or HND in Civil Engineering or a related discipline
- Chartered Engineer status
- Experience producing hydraulic calculations and hydraulic profiles
- Strong understanding of water and wastewater engineering systems and technologies
- Expertise in delivering both infrastructure and non‑infrastructure designs
- Experience working on outline and detailed design stages
- Knowledge of construction methods, materials and engineering drawing practices
- Strong IT and digital design capability
- Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
Desireable:
- Previous experience in a Discipline Lead, Technical Authority or Principal Engineer role
- Ability to support the technical development of junior engineers
- Familiarity with client‑specific technical standards across multiple water company frameworks
- Experience as an independent checker across multiple disciplines or projects
- Familiarity with BIM / common data environment workflows
- Able to contribute to recruitment, onboarding or competency framework development
- Background working in a design‑centre or framework consultancy model
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Company: Barhale Salary: Competitive Hours: Full-time Location: Manchester, M32 0RS Job type: Permanent Posting date: 27 Oct 2026 Closing date: 25 Nov 2026
About Barhale Design Services
Barhale Design Services is Barhale’s in‑house design specialists, delivering innovative engineering solutions across major infrastructure projects. Combining deep industry expertise with practical construction knowledge, we provide design support from concept through to detailed delivery.
Our collaborative approach combines value engineering, digital innovation, and sustainable design principles to create buildable solutions that deliver best value, reduce carbon impact, and meet our clients' objectives.
As part of the Barhale Group, we work at the forefront of industry developments, helping shape the future of critical infrastructure while delivering lasting benefits for clients, communities and the environment.
Who are Barhale?
Barhale is a business founded on family values, having been established by our Chairman, Dennis Curran, in 1980. We are one of the largest privately owned civil engineering and infrastructure specialists in the UK, with over 40 years of experience in providing design, civil engineering and maintenance services working across multiple sectors, including:
- Water
- Transport
- Built environment
- Energy
We operate as a tier one partner for blue chip, regulated and private clients, working as part of large frameworks, joint ventures and alliances, as well as on individual standalone projects, developing long‑term relationships based on delivering to the Barhale values which have been integral to our business since their inception in 1985.
Our direct delivery model is at the core of everything we do, as we believe that people are our greatest asset. Therefore, we robustly source, train and retain all our own frontline delivery teams as well as management and support services. We employ over 1,200 employees nationwide.
We possess a range of specialist skills to support our civil engineering and infrastructure activities, including:
- Tunnelling
- MEICA
- Temporary and permanent design
- Steel‑fabrication
- Signs (design and fabrication)
- Health & safety equipment and products, including PPE
Company Website:
https://www.barhale.co.uk/
Company Showcase Video:
https://youtu.be/uf_RG5xgM8M
Discipline Head/Principal Engineer – Civil Design Engineering
As Discipline Head/Principal Engineer, you will take ownership of the civil engineering design input across a range of water sector projects, acting as the technical authority for the Civil discipline across the business.
This position is suited to a Chartered Engineer with strong design experience who enjoys solving complex engineering problems, guiding design teams, and ensuring high standards of technical delivery.
You will lead civil engineering design across projects, mentor engineers at different stages of their careers, and provide technical leadership for the Civil discipline across our water industry frameworks. The role combines hands‑on principal‑level design and checking work with discipline‑wide technical standards, competency and governance responsibilities.
Working closely with our Design Leads and Engineering Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring our projects are delivered to high professional and technical standards, while shaping how civil engineering is delivered consistently across all our water industry frameworks.
Key Responsibilities
Design Delivery & Technical Assurance
- Ensuring design deliverables meet safety, quality and regulatory requirements
- Reviewing and approving design deliverables, design risk assessments (DRAs), reports and technical specifications
- Developing efficient and practical engineering solutions based on scopes, site visits and client requirements
- Communicating design solutions clearly to clients and project teams
- Directing and supporting engineers, CAD technicians and graduates
- Guiding design work to ensure compliance with technical standards, professional guidance and water company specifications
- Ensuring design changes are properly implemented and recorded within project documentation
- Working within established design processes and procedures to maintain quality and consistency
- Attending and presenting engineering solutions at design reviews, ALM and key meetings
- Reviewing, or appointing competent checkers for civil designs produced in‑house or by subcontracted designers, to ensure compliance with required technical standards
Discipline Leadership & Technical Governance
- Setting, communicating and maintaining civil engineering technical standards across all live projects
- Verifying the technical competency of civil engineering staff before they are allocated to projects
- Monitoring the discipline engineers' performance and utilisation
- Identifying training needs and supporting CPD planning for the civil engineering team
- Coordinating with other discipline leads on cross‑discipline interface items to ensure clear ownership where scope overlaps
- Estimating civil design hours at tender stage, and supporting resource forecasting and capacity planning across active projects
- Reviewing and interpreting technical standards, procedures and updates relevant to the civil discipline
- Championing safety‑in‑design principles within civil engineering, ensuring CDM 2015 designer duties are embedded across all design and checking activity
- Providing key technical guidance for both projects and tenders
- Supporting the continuous improvement of engineering standards and design practices
Essential:
- Extensive design experience within the regulated water industry
- Degree or HND in Civil Engineering or a related discipline
- Chartered Engineer status
- Experience producing hydraulic calculations and hydraulic profiles
- Strong understanding of water and wastewater engineering systems and technologies
- Expertise in delivering both infrastructure and non‑infrastructure designs
- Experience working on outline and detailed design stages
- Knowledge of construction methods, materials and engineering drawing practices
- Strong IT and digital design capability
- Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
Desireable:
- Previous experience in a Discipline Lead, Technical Authority or Principal Engineer role
- Ability to support the technical development of junior engineers
- Familiarity with client‑specific technical standards across multiple water company frameworks
- Experience as an independent checker across multiple disciplines or projects
- Familiarity with BIM / common data environment workflows
- Able to contribute to recruitment, onboarding or competency framework development
- Background working in a design‑centre or framework consultancy model
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.
Competitive
Barhale
Manchester
Permanent Full time
Competitive
Barhale
Manchester
Permanent Full time
£45,000 to £80,000 per year
Rullion
Manchester, Greater Manchester
Hybrid Permanent Full time Browse more jobs
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