Head of Design Management

United Infrastructure Power T&D Limited; Horsham, Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Private Medical Cover

Company pension

25 days annual leave

Career development pathway

Chartership support

Job summary

United Infrastructure Power T&D Limited is seeking a Head of Design Management to lead UK design management for power transmission projects. You will oversee a team, ensure governance, and align with NEC3/NEC4 contracts while driving client satisfaction and commercial performance.

The role requires a Chartered Engineer or equivalent, extensive UK T&D experience, and strong leadership capabilities. Hybrid working across UK offices is supported, with a focus on sustainable, safe design delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline relevant to Electricity Transmission & Distribution.
• 10+ years of engineering design and design management experience within the UK power transmission and distribution industry.
• Proven track record in direct line management, leadership, resource planning, and capability development of engineering or project management personnel.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with a relevant institution (IET, ICE, or equivalent) or APM Registered Project Professional (RPP) status.
• Extensive experience with transmission & distribution projects and deep familiarity with National Grid & SSE procedures & policies.
• Thorough working knowledge of current CDM Regulations 2015, with demonstrated experience fulfilling or overseeing the CDM Principal Designer role.
• Strong contract management expertise, particularly with the NEC family of contracts (NEC3/NEC4).
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Desirable Master’s degree in engineering or project management.
• Desirable Formal leadership / management qualifications (e.g., CMI or ILM Level 5/7).
• Desirable Active engagement with sustainable design standards (e.g., PAS 2080).
• Desirable Relevant Health & Safety qualification (e.g., NEBOSH National General/Construction Certificate, IOSH Managing Safely, or NVQ Level 3/5 in H&S).

Responsibilities

• Lead, line-manage, recruit, and mentor a team of Design Managers, taking full accountability for team performance, pastoral care, and career progression.
• Establish clear capability development pathways, converting technical engineering talent into commercially astute, client-facing Design Managers.
• Conduct performance appraisals, identify training needs, and foster an inclusive, high-performing team culture aligned with United Infrastructure’s strategic goals.
• Drive workload forecasting, capacity planning, and resource allocation across the Design Management team to maintain balanced utilization and project coverage.
• Provide overarching design management and technical governance for projects from concept to closeout, ensuring alignment with best practices across FEED, environmental, permitting, planning, estimating, engineering, constructability reviews, and construction support.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for design delivery on high-risk or strategic projects, ensuring compliance with processes and procedures.
• Coordinate with engineering discipline department heads to secure competent staff and enforce inter-disciplinary coordination.
• Champion a proactive "Safety by Design" culture and ensure compliance with UK H&S, Environmental, and Waste Management legislation.
• Oversee technical, operational, and commercial risk management, including contract management and change control.
• Establish and nurture relationships with key clients and stakeholders; support business development and technical proposals.

Skills

People leadership

Design management

Project governance

Stakeholder management

Contract management

Team development

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in engineering

Chartered Engineer (CEng) or APM Registered Project Professional (RPP)

Tools

NEC3/NEC4 contracts

CDM Regulations 2015

Job description

Head of Design Management

Reporting To: Engineering Director

Power T&D Business Unit

United Infrastructure Power T&D Limited (UIPTD)

Clients: SSE, SPEN, NGED, National Grid

Voltage Range: 66kV - 400kV

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Horsham, Glasgow, Warrington (hybrid working available)

Role Overview

The Head of Design Management will provide strategic leadership and operational management for United Infrastructure’s UK engineering design management team within the power transmission and distribution sector. This role focuses on leading, developing, and empowering a team of dedicated Design Managers while overseeing the successful delivery of complex engineering design projects across the UK business. Working closely with other heads of departments the Head of Design Management ensures project design teams are effectively resourced across UK offices, driving excellence in technical governance, client satisfaction, commercial performance, and team growth.

Key Responsibilities

• People & Team Leadership
  Lead, line-manage, recruit, and mentor a team of Design Managers, taking full accountability for team performance, pastoral care, and career progression. Establish clear capability development pathways, converting technical engineering talent into commercially astute, client-facing Design Managers. Conduct performance appraisals, identify training needs, and foster an inclusive, high-performing team culture aligned with United Infrastructure’s strategic goals. Drive workload forecasting, capacity planning, and resource allocation across the Design Management team to maintain balanced utilization and project coverage.
• Design & Project Governance
  Provide overarching design management and technical governance for projects from concept to closeout, ensuring alignment with APM/PMP and industry best practices across FEED, environmental, permitting, planning, estimating, engineering, constructability reviews, and construction support. Serve as the senior escalation point for design delivery, supporting line reports on high-risk, complex, or strategic projects. Maintain full compliance with United Infrastructure and client design management processes, quality management systems, and procedural controls. Coordinate with engineering discipline department and section heads to secure appropriately competent engineering staff and enforce robust inter-disciplinary coordination.
• Safety, Health, Environmental & Sustainability (SHEQ)
  Champion a proactive "Safety by Design" culture across all project phases and design teams. Ensure strict compliance with UK Health & Safety, Environmental, and Waste Management legislation relevant to the electricity supply industry. Support the fulfilment of CDM 2015 Principal Designer obligations across the team's portfolio. Drive sustainability, whole-life asset optimization, and carbon reduction initiatives (e.g., PAS 2080 guidelines) across design outputs.
• Risk & Commercial Management
  Oversee technical, operational, and commercial risk management, ensuring design change control, risk registers, and hazard identification processes are rigorously maintained within your teams. Lead contract management and administration, with deep oversight of NEC3 / NEC4 contract families (including Early Warning Notifications and Compensation Events). Ensure financial and legal coordination, protecting business margins while fulfilling all statutory and contractual requirements.
• Client, Stakeholder & Business Development
  Establish and nurture strategic, trust-based relationships with key clients (e.g., National Grid, DNOs), subcontractors, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders. Nurture a world-class customer service culture across the design management function to drive recurring business and client success. Actively support business development, leading technical proposals, pitch presentations, and contract negotiations with senior management support. Represent United Infrastructure within relevant professional bodies and industry working groups, maintaining active CPD.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in an engineering discipline relevant to the Electricity Transmission & Distribution sector from an accredited institution.
• 10+ years of engineering design and design management experience within the UK power transmission and distribution industry.
• Proven track record in direct line management, leadership, resource planning, and capability development of engineering or project management personnel.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with a relevant institution (IET, ICE, or equivalent) or APM Registered Project Professional (RPP) status.
• Extensive experience with transmission & distribution projects and deep familiarity with National Grid & SSE procedures & policies.
• Thorough working knowledge of current CDM Regulations 2015, with demonstrated experience fulfilling or overseeing the CDM Principal Designer role.
• Strong contract management expertise, particularly with the NEC family of contracts (NEC3/NEC4).
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Desirable Master’s degree in engineering or project management.
• Desirable Formal leadership / management qualifications (e.g., CMI or ILM Level 5/7).
• Desirable Active engagement with sustainable design standards (e.g., PAS 2080).
• Desirable Relevant Health & Safety qualification (e.g., NEBOSH National General/Construction Certificate, IOSH Managing Safely, or NVQ Level 3/5 in H&S).

What UIPTD Offers

• Competitive salary commensurate with level & experience
• Hybrid working arrangement (Dependent upon role)
• Structured career development pathway
• Professional membership and chartership support
• Company pension scheme
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private Medical Cover

Join us at United Infrastructure and be part of our mission to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the complex infrastructure needs of the UK. Here at United Infrastructure, we invest in our people and firmly believe that our workforce is our most valuable asset. A driving force for success and the core to achieving our vision of creating a connected and sustainable future, our team is the heart of our organisation.

Are you looking to be part of an exciting journey within an evolving business? Want to learn something new, every single day? Then you’ve come to the right place. A fast-paced, diverse, and hugely ambitious business, we welcome challengers, innovators and people who embrace change. Establish yourself in a creative environment that champions freedom of expression, and supports you in your personal and professional development – because together, we achieve more.

United Infrastructure operates a direct sourcing model and does not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies. Any CVs submitted without prior agreement will be considered a gift and the candidate will be deemed to have been introduced directly. No fees will be payable in these circumstances.