Engineering Design Manager

United Utilities; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Annual bonus

Pension

Healthcare scheme

Gym and wellbeing discounts

ShareBuy scheme

Job summary

United Utilities in Warrington (Lingley Mere) is seeking an Engineering Design Manager to lead our in-house multidisciplinary design teams and shape the future of our assets and services.

You will drive feasibility through to detailed design, assure quality, manage budgets, and coach design professionals while promoting innovation and safe design practices across the portfolio.

Qualifications

• Significant post-graduate engineering experience.
• Professional qualification or equivalent industry-recognised accreditation.
• Proven experience leading design delivery within complex engineering environments.
• Strong experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing technical interfaces.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Experience managing project schedules, resources, design risks and budgets.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of cost management within design delivery.
• A track record of problem solving and managing challenges within project environments.
• Experience driving innovation, digital transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• A thorough understanding of health, safety and regulatory obligations, including CDM requirements.
• The ability to work strategically across functions to deliver the best outcomes for customers and the business.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering design teams across a diverse portfolio of projects.
• Develop and deliver design strategies that support major capital investment programmes.
• Plan, prioritise and manage design workloads, ensuring resources are utilised effectively.
• Provide leadership, coaching and line management to design professionals.
• Champion engineering excellence, standardisation and digital design practices.
• Lead design reviews and ensure risks are identified, managed and escalated.
• Act as the key technical interface between design teams, project stakeholders and programme leadership.
• Manage design budgets and contribute to business cases and investment proposals.
• Drive innovation through modern engineering approaches and improved design processes.
• Ensure compliance with technical, regulatory, safety and quality requirements.
• Act as Principal Designer under CDM, promoting safe design principles.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Stakeholder management

Project delivery

Digital transformation

Education

Professional qualification or accreditation

Job description

Role details

Engineering Design Manager

Location: Warrington (Lingley Mere)
Salary: Competitive + Annual Bonus + Car Allowance
Employment Type: Full Time (Hybrid), Permanent

At United Utilities, we're delivering more than water. We're helping to create a stronger, greener and healthier North West.

As we continue to invest in some of the region's most important infrastructure programmes, we're looking for an exceptional Engineering Design Manager to lead our multidisciplinary in-house design teams and play a key role in shaping the future of our assets and services.

This is an exciting leadership opportunity for an experienced engineering professional who is passionate about technical excellence, people development, innovation and delivering complex engineering projects that make a real difference to millions of customers every day.

The Role

As Engineering Design Manager, you will be responsible for the successful delivery of a portfolio of engineering projects, leading internal multidisciplinary design teams through every stage of the design lifecycle.

From feasibility and optioneering through to detailed design, assurance and project handover, you'll ensure designs are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest standards of quality.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, programme teams and technical specialists, you'll maximise the value of our in-house design capability while driving innovation, standardisation and continuous improvement across our engineering function.

What You'll Be Doing

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering design teams across a diverse portfolio of projects.
• Develop and deliver design strategies that support major capital investment programmes.
• Plan, prioritise and manage design workloads, ensuring resources are utilised effectively and aligned to business priorities.
• Provide leadership, coaching and line management to design professionals, supporting their development and technical growth.
• Champion engineering excellence, standardisation and digital design practices.
• Lead design reviews and ensure risks are identified, managed and appropriately escalated.
• Act as the key technical interface between design teams, project stakeholders and programme leadership.
• Manage design budgets and contribute to the development of business cases and investment proposals.
• Drive innovation through modern engineering approaches, digital tools and improved design processes.
• Ensure compliance with technical, regulatory, safety and quality requirements throughout the design lifecycle.
• Act as Principal Designer under CDM, promoting safe design principles and embedding health, safety and wellbeing into everything you do.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking engineering leader who combines strong technical expertise with exceptional people management and stakeholder engagement skills.

You’ll bring:

• Significant post-graduate engineering experience.
• Professional qualification or equivalent industry-recognised accreditation.
• Proven experience leading design delivery within complex engineering environments.
• Strong experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing technical interfaces.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Experience managing project schedules, resources, design risks and budgets.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of cost management within design delivery.
• A track record of problem solving and managing challenges within project environments.
• Experience driving innovation, digital transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• A thorough understanding of health, safety and regulatory obligations, including CDM requirements.
• The ability to work strategically across functions to deliver the best outcomes for customers and the business.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

We're particularly interested in candidates who have:

• Membership of the Association for Project Management (APM).
• Progression towards Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status or equivalent.
• Experience working within large-scale infrastructure, utilities, engineering or construction programmes.
• Experience operating as a CDM Principal Designer.

Why United Utilities?

When you join United Utilities, you'll become part of a business that is committed to sustainability, innovation and developing its people.

You’ll have the opportunity to work on projects that directly impact communities across the North West while enjoying a supportive culture where your ideas, expertise and leadership can truly make a difference.

Alongside a competitive salary, you'll benefit from:

• Competitive salary
• £5,000 car allowance
• Up to 20% annual bonus
• 26 days holiday, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays
• Industry-leading pension with up to 14% employer contribution
• Comprehensive healthcare scheme
• Enhanced parental leave
• ShareBuy scheme
• EV car scheme
• Employee assistance programme
• Gym and wellbeing discounts
• Financial wellbeing support and lifestyle benefits

Make Your Mark

This is a fantastic opportunity to lead talented engineering teams, influence major infrastructure programmes and help shape the future of engineering design at United Utilities.

If you're passionate about delivering engineering excellence, developing people and driving innovation, we'd love to hear from you.