Principal Design Manager

COSTAIN GROUP; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Principal Design Manager to oversee design management for significant water sector projects. Responsibilities include ensuring robust designs aligned with client needs, leading a team, and driving continuous improvement. Ideal candidates will hold a civil engineering qualification, have management experience, and possess strong communication skills. This position is based in the West Midlands and offers an opportunity to make a significant impact on project delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience with water industry projects is preferred.
• Ability to motivate and lead a team effectively.
• Passionate about best practices and process improvements.
• Quick learner in dynamic environments.
• Care about delivering quality work.
• Experience managing complex programs.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Support the Framework Head of Engineering in design delivery.
• Manage design integration with wider teams.
• Challenge design solutions for affordability.
• Ensure compliance with The Costain Way.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement.
• Recruit and lead a design team.
• Develop design scopes for projects.
• Establish communication lines for resource efficiency.

Skills

Civil engineering qualification

Team leadership

Effective communication

Stakeholder management

Continuous improvement

Project management

NEC 4 contracts experience

Water industry experience

Education

Chartered Engineer of a relevant institution

Tools

SMSTS

CSCS

Job description

Job Description

Costain have won extensive work across the water sector this year to support the AMP8 investment cycle. We have been appointed by Severn Trent Water to help shape and deliver its Capital Delivery Framework as part of its capital programme for the AMP8 period between 2025 – 2030. As part of the Design and Build Framework lot, Costain brings together its design, construction, and consultancy expertise to undertake renewal and refurbishment projects and will assist Severn Trent in its target to make continuous improvements to its safety performance, whilst ensuring continuity of supply and consequently lowering costs for its customers.

The Principal Design Manager will provide technical project management support and set the strategy for design management and interface between Costain, the design partners selected to support project delivery, and the Client teams for all aspects of design. The role will be key to ensuring robust, affordable, and technically compliant designs are aligned to our WiiSE objectives and delivered to programme and budget.

As Principal Design Manager you will develop strong relationships and agreed ways of working with our Client approval bodies, and wider design organisations / partners. You will ensure there is integration of production thinking, innovation and sustainable principles into design activities and provide constructive challenge to strive for continuous improvement, bringing in wider organisation support as required.

Responsibilities

• Support the Framework Head of Engineering in the delivery of objectives in respect of design, prioritising workload, managing cost and programme of delivery
• Take the lead in the management of design and integration with wider teams (delivery, site operations in respect of scope and design requirements, commercial, risk etc)
• Ensure designs are governed and aligned to the requirements of The Costain Way, and the unique Client specifications and industry standards
• Challenge design solutions to ensure DfMA and low carbon solution which meet the Clients affordability challenges
• Champion WiiSE principles in design phase, considering effective design risk management, construction phase risks and drive SHE KPIs through design decisions
• Ensure the Framework and project contractual requirements with respect to design are met while maintaining a strong relationship with our client and design delivery partners
• Recruitment, retention and management of a team of design staff with suitable training and development opportunities over the lifetime of the Framework, engaging with the relevant stakeholders to gain permissions, permits and consents for works as required
• Develop design scopes for projects with the wider team and agree with the design partner organisations
• Drive efficiency and continual productivity improvements, creating best practice for the team and adding value for our customer
• Establish clear lines of communication throughout the integrated team, defining roles and responsibilities to ensure the efficient use of resources and the delivery of cost-effective solutions.

Qualifications

• Civil engineering qualification and practical delivery experience
• Ability to form, motivate and lead your team
• Effective communication and strong stakeholder management skills
• Passionate about improving performance in the sector through best practice, process improvements and continuous improvement practices
• Able to work and learn quickly in a fast paced, fun and dynamic environment
• Care about doing a great job and exceeding expectations with the quality of what you do
• Previous experience of management on complex/sensitive programmes
• Practical experience working with NEC 4 contracts
• Experience of water industry working (preferred but not essential)
• A positive and proactive attitude
• Chartered Engineer of a relevant institution
• SMSTS
• CSCS
• Full UK driving licence

About Us

Costain helps to improve people's lives with integrated, leading edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK's energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK's leading smart infrastructure solutions company. We will achieve this by focusing on blue chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments, legislation or essential performance requirements. We offer our clients leading edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future‑shaping strategic consultancy; consultancy and advisory; digital technology solutions; asset optimisation and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.

Costain appreciate the time and effort taken when applying for one of our positions but, due to the high volume of responses, we are unable to provide individual feedback on candidates at application phase. We do share individual feedback following an interview.

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that disclose they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.

For more details please go to the Disability Confident website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign