Extra High Voltage (EHV) Senior Design Manager

Laing O'Rourke; Waltham; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Laing O'Rourke is seeking an experienced Senior Design Manager to lead the design development of the Grimsby West 400kV AIS Substation as part of National Grid's Great Grid Upgrade Programme. Based in Birmingham with occasional travel to Grimsby, you will guide EHV design from pricing through to construction and collaborate with National Grid, WSP and supply chain partners.

You'll manage interfaces, drive buildability and safety outcomes, and provide leadership across pricing, ECI and

Qualifications

• Experience delivering large-scale electrical transmission or substation projects.
• Strong design management capability within complex multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to challenge, influence and guide design outcomes from a contractor's viewpoint.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and influence the design development of a major EHV substation project from a contractor's perspective.
• Collaborate with National Grid, WSP, specialist designers, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Manage technical interfaces and design risks across a complex multidisciplinary environment.
• Provide leadership and technical guidance during pricing, ECI and construction phases.
• Act as the key link between the project team and Laing O'Rourke's central EHV technical specialists.
• Drive design decisions to enhance buildability, safety, quality and programme performance.
• Support procurement activities and engage with major equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

Skills

EHV Primary Engineering

EHV Secondary Engineering

EHV Cable Systems

Job description

Senior Design Manager / Design Manager (Extra High Voltage EHV) Grimsby West 400kV Substation | Great Grid Upgrade Programme

Location: Birmingham (with travel to Grimsby, designers and suppliers as required)

Help deliver one of the UK's most significant power infrastructure programmes

Laing O'Rourke is seeking an experienced Senior Design Manager or Design Manager to play a key role in the delivery of the Grimsby West 400kV AIS Substation, a critical element of National Grid's Great Grid Upgrade Programme and the wider Grimsby to Walpole Network Connection (GWNC) project.

This is an opportunity to influence the design and delivery of nationally significant electrical infrastructure from the earliest stages of development through to construction. You'll join the project during pricing before moving into an extensive Early Contractor Involvement phase, collaborating closely with National Grid, WSP and key supply chain partners to shape efficient, buildable and innovative solutions.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading and influencing the design development of a major EHV substation project from a contractor's perspective
• Working collaboratively with National Grid, WSP, specialist designers, suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Managing technical interfaces and design risks across a complex multidisciplinary environment
• Providing leadership and technical guidance throughout pricing, ECI and construction phases
• Acting as the key link between the project team and Laing O'Rourke's central EHV technical specialists
• Driving design decisions that enhance buildability, safety, quality and programme performance
• Supporting procurement activities and technical engagement with major equipment manufacturers and suppliers

What we're looking for

We're interested in experienced electrical engineers with expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• EHV Primary Engineering
• EHV Secondary Engineering
• EHV Cable Systems

You’ll Also Bring

• Experience delivering large-scale electrical transmission or substation projects
• Strong design management capability within complex multidisciplinary teams
• The ability to challenge, influence and guide design outcomes from a contractor's viewpoint
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Experience working collaboratively with clients, designers and supply chain partners
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, comfortable working across multiple technical interfaces

The opportunity ahead

The project is currently in the pricing stage and is expected to move into an approximately 18-month Early Contractor Involvement phase with National Grid and WSP before progressing into construction.

Initially, the role will be based primarily from our Birmingham Great Grid Upgrade office, with occasional travel to design offices, suppliers and the Grimsby site. As construction progresses, you'll typically spend 1-2 days per week on site, with Birmingham remaining your home office location.

Why join Laing O'Rourke?

At Laing O'Rourke, you'll be part of a team delivering the infrastructure that underpins the UK's transition to a more resilient, low-carbon energy network. You'll have the opportunity to shape critical engineering solutions, work alongside some of the industry's leading specialists and make a tangible impact on projects of national importance.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Laing O'Rourke, we're committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. We actively welcome applications from people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives because we believe diverse teams deliver better outcomes. If you're excited by this opportunity but don't meet every requirement, we'd still encourage you to apply. Your potential could be exactly what we're looking for.

Don't match all the criteria? We are open and always happy to hear from people with transferable skill sets and a commitment to learning.

About Us

We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

Disability Confident scheme

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you need the application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please email [e-mail]