Principal Design Manager - Water

MOTT MACDONALD; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy firm based in the UK is looking for a Principal Design Manager to oversee major water supply projects. This role requires a strong background in engineering, particularly in water infrastructure, and offers opportunities for career development and mentorship. Communication skills and project leadership experience are essential. The company promotes diversity and offers a range of benefits to support employee wellbeing.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Health cash plan

Flexible benefits options

33-35 days holiday entitlement

Enhanced maternity/adoption leave

Qualifications

• Demonstrable technical experience in design of dams, reservoirs, and treatment works.
• Proven track record in project leadership and delivery of complex projects.
• Excellent communication skills for collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct a team of engineers in delivering major water supply projects.
• Develop new solutions from concept to construction support.
• Mentor junior staff and ensure delivery against programme.

Skills

Technical experience in design of water projects

Project leadership

Client management

Excellent communication skills

Motivation for professional development

Education

Chartered or Incorporated with a relevant professional institution

Job description

Overview

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy. Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients' businesses, our communities and employee opportunities. We are proud to be a Glassdoor top employer in the UK and a Top Inclusive Company. Our values are Progress, Respect, Integrity, Drive, and Excellence.

The Water Consultancy Division is Mott MacDonald’s centre of excellence for responding to water and wastewater challenges, offering opportunities to work on diverse and technically challenging projects. Our multi-disciplinary teams provide services throughout the full project lifecycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies to construction support and site supervision. We support development of internal technical career pathways and mentoring to foster creativity and growth.

Ready for your next challenge? We actively support career development, including technical, management, and client-facing paths, with opportunities for progression as the business grows.

Overview of role

As a Principal Design Manager, you will lead and direct a highly motivated team of engineers in the technical delivery of major water supply projects. Responsibilities include developing new solutions from concept through to construction support, introducing innovative thinking to existing schemes, ensuring delivery against programme, maintaining commercial margins, and improving client KPIs. You will mentor junior staff and provide technical and pastoral support. You will support cross-cutting technical practices in developing inter-disciplinary services between water, environment, and technology. There is also opportunity to develop skills in project leadership and business development within water sector and regulatory frameworks.

Mott MacDonald offers a collaborative environment with career opportunities in technical, management or client-facing directions. You will have control of your career path and strong prospects for progression as the business grows.

Candidate specification

• Demonstrable technical experience in design of dams, reservoirs, water transfers, treatment works and/or pumping stations
• Proven track record in project leadership and delivery of complex, multidisciplinary projects
• Proven track record in managing clients and other project stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills with experience in effective collaboration across internal multi-disciplinary teams including environmental specialists, geotechnical, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers
• A drive to stay abreast of professional development and knowledge of current and emerging technical solutions
• Motivation and ability to collocate within client offices, notionally 1-2 days/week

Desirable

• Chartered or Incorporated with a relevant professional institution
• Proven track record of client-based or collocated roles, overseeing the deliverables of others
• Ability and enthusiasm to supervise engineers, technicians and apprentices

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We recognise differences in ability, skills and experience as a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, promoting fair employment procedures and equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression and are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. is not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This is due to changes made to the Skilled Worker route in April 2024. We welcome applications from candidates eligible for alternative UK immigration routes that do not require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage of the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need support to apply or attend an interview, please contact [e-mail] to discuss how we can support you.

Agile working

We are happy to discuss Flexible Working and how we can support responsibilities beyond the workplace.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues
• Health cash plan to help with everyday health costs and treatments
• Access to Peppy for menopause support
• Wellbeing program and family wellbeing support
• Flexible benefits with the option to adjust salary to health benefits, extendable to family

Financial wellbeing

• Matching pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%
• Life assurance up to 4x basic salary (option to increase to 6x)
• Income protection with return-to-work support
• Flexible benefits including enhanced life cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving, and will writing
• Profit-sharing through annual bonus schemes as an independently owned business

Lifestyle

• Holiday entitlement 33-35 days, with buy/sell options via flexible benefits; increases to 35 days after 5 years
• Holiday entitlement may increase with service
• Employee saving schemes and retailer discounts

Enhanced family and carers leave

• 26 weeks paid maternity/adoption leave, two weeks paid paternity/partner leave
• Shared parental leave up to 24 weeks at full pay
• Up to five additional days leave for significant caring responsibilities (two paid)

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription
• Opportunities to enhance technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join groups including Advanced Employee Networks supporting LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities
• Contribute to social outcomes in communities

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.