Mechanical Design Manager

Dalkia UK; Paisley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Dalkia UK is seeking a Mechanical Design Manager to lead the design function across front-end, pre-construction and delivery stages. You will provide technical leadership, design governance, and risk management to ensure compliant, high-quality mechanical engineering solutions while supporting business growth and client engagement.

You will drive design excellence, mentor the team, and collaborate with Commercial, Operations and Development to optimise tender submissions and project delivery,

Qualifications

• Experience leading mechanical design teams across full project lifecycles.
• Ability to govern design processes to meet governance and regulatory standards.
• Strong risk assessment and mitigation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Mechanical Design function across projects.
• Provide design governance and technical leadership to teams and partners.
• Drive value engineering, design optimisation and innovation.
• Collaborate with business development, operations and clients to ensure successful delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Design governance

Risk management

Technical leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

About Dalkia UK

At Dalkia, we're driven by a shared purpose: tackling climate change and building a better, more sustainable future. We bring together talented people who share knowledge, challenge each other and grow together.
Backed by EDF, Britain's biggest generator of low carbon electricity, we're a people-first culture. With 5,000+ employees and £600m+ turnover, we combine the strength of a major group with a great culture, innovative mindset and inclusive values making Dalkia a great place to work and grow your career.

Job Purpose

To lead and manage the Mechanical Design function in support of front-end, pre-construction, installation, maintenance, and lifecycle business operations. The role is responsible for providing technical leadership, design governance, innovation, and risk management to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality, compliant, and commercially viable mechanical engineering solutions. The Mechanical Design Manager will drive excellence across the design team, support business growth, and ensure alignment between design development and operational delivery.

Aims and Objectives

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Operations and Design team's.
• Drive a culture of technical excellence, innovation, continuous improvement, and accountability.
• De-risk projects through robust design review, technical assurance, and effective stakeholder engagement.
• Support business growth by contributing to work-winning strategies aligned with company objectives.
• Ensure the efficient allocation and management of design resources to meet business demands.
• Maximise tender success through innovative engineering solutions, value engineering, and commercially focused design development.
• Foster strong collaboration between Design, Commercial, Operational, and Business Development teams.
• Promote and implement best practice design management processes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop and mentor team members to enhance capability, succession planning, and employee engagement.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Leadership & Management

• Lead, manage, and develop designs to ensure effective delivery of project and business objectives.
• Establish clear performance expectations and support team members through mentoring, coaching, and professional development.
• Manage team workload, resource planning, and prioritisation to ensure optimum utilisation and project delivery.
• Champion a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Support recruitment, succession planning, and talent development within the department.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical oversight and governance across all mechanical and public health engineering activities.
• Review, approve, and sign off design solutions in accordance with company procedures and industry standards.
• Ensure all designs both internally and our supply chain partners comply with relevant legislation, regulations, British Standards, and client specifications.
• Lead technical reviews and design risk assessments to identify and mitigate project risks.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, industry developments, and sustainable engineering practices.

Business Development & Pre-Construction

• Work closely with Business Development and Estimating teams to identify, assess, and develop new opportunities.
• Support bid strategies through innovative design solutions, value engineering initiatives, and technical differentiation.
• Provide technical leadership during tender submissions, presentations, and client engagements.
• Assist estimating teams in achieving true net cost positions through efficient system selection and design optimisation.
• Support order conversion objectives through proactive engagement with clients, consultants, and key stakeholders.

Design Management

• Manage the design development process from concept through to project handover.
• Ensure effective coordination with consultants, contractors, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
• Drive the implementation of standardised design procedures and quality assurance processes.
• Oversee the \"Design to Operations Handover\" process to ensure seamless project delivery.
• Monitor design progress, programme compliance, and deliverable quality across all projects.

Operational Support

• Collaborate with Operational and Commercial teams throughout project delivery to resolve technical challenges and maximise project performance.
• Attend project reviews, pre-start meetings, client meetings, and design workshops as required.
• Conduct site surveys and technical inspections to support design validation and project development.
• Provide technical support during installation, commissioning, and project close-out stages.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the evaluation and implementation of new products, technologies, and engineering solutions.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, standardisation, and increased operational efficiency.
• Promote digital engineering solutions and modern methods of construction where appropriate.
• Drive lessons learned reviews and implement improvements across future projects.

Health & Safety

All staff are required to fulfil their legal duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts and omissions and to follow all guidance and instructions given in this respect.
The Mechanical Design Manager shall actively promote and embed Health & Safety by Design principles, ensuring that safety risks are identified, assessed, and designed out wherever practicable throughout all stages of project development.

Working Relationships

External

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with Clients, Consultants, Main Contractors, Supply Chain Partners, and Industry Stakeholders.
• Represent the business at client meetings, technical workshops, and industry events.
• Manage consultant performance and drive collaborative, commercially beneficial design outcomes.

Internal

• Work closely with Business Development, Estimating, Commercial, Operations, Procurement, and Senior Management teams.
• Provide leadership and direction to other Design team members and wider design personnel.
• Support strategic business objectives through effective cross-functional collaboration.

Key Success Measures

• Tender conversion rate and work-winning success.
• Design quality and technical compliance.
• Project profitability through value engineering and risk reduction.
• Team utilisation, development, and retention.
• Client satisfaction and repeat business.
• Effective management of design programme delivery.
• Reduction in technical and commercial project risks.
• Continuous improvement and innovation implementation.

Our Values

People First

It starts with health, safety and wellbeing

Better Together

A collaborative team

Trusted Partners

Dedicated to our clients' success

Taking Responsibility

Making a positive difference

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

We're committed to an inclusive and fair recruitment process. If you need any adjustments please let us know, in confidence, our team is here to support you.

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