Programme Design Manager (6 Month FTC)

Gatwick Airport Limited; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK airport is seeking a Programme Design Manager to lead strategic projects shaping airport operations. You will manage design processes, collaborate with consultants, and ensure projects meet operational needs. Ideal candidates have a relevant degree and experience in high-value programmes within live environments. Competitive salary and benefits package offered.

Benefits

5% Welcome Bonus

High street shops and restaurant discounts

Healthcare scheme

Life and disability insurance

Professional training

Discounted travel

Volunteer days

Qualifications

• Multi-disciplinary experience in engineering design or management.
• Experience in a live operational environment.
• Ability to manage budgets and timelines effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management of strategic projects with budgets of £3m to £20m.
• Oversee design activities and ensure compliance with engineering standards.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and external consultants for project delivery.

Skills

Problem solving skills

Flexible and adaptable approach

Team leadership

Education

Degree in engineering or construction

Job description

Overview

As Programme Design Manager in the Operations Programme, you will lead the delivery of strategic projects that shape the future of London Gatwick. Working within a dynamic team in a live airport environment, you will manage the full project lifecycle—from early design to installation—ensuring solutions are sustainable, cost-effective, and aligned with operational needs.

London Gatwick is a community of innovators and problem solvers, united by a passion for delivering exceptional passenger experiences and world-class infrastructure. Your ideas will make a lasting impact on millions of passengers each year.

This is an exciting and diverse programme, encompassing everything from terminal and passenger experience upgrades to critical infrastructure improvements. You will help shape strategic projects that span the entire customer journey—from check-in and security to boarding and beyond. These projects are designed to meet growing passenger demand, embrace emerging technologies, and modernise ageing infrastructure. They range from small-scale enhancements that boost operational resilience to transformative developments that redefine our terminal experience.

In this role, you will lead the design management of a wide range of strategically significant projects, typically with budgets averaging £3 million and ranging up to £20 million in value. You will ensure that all designs meet project requirements while delivering real value for money. Your involvement will span the entire project lifecycle, from early-stage design through to ensuring that installations align with approved specifications. Working closely with a broad range of stakeholders across multiple business areas, you will define and agree on design solutions that meet programme and project objectives. You will bring fresh, innovative thinking to the table while maintaining a strong focus on cost-effectiveness and operational excellence.

The role

Reporting to the Lead Design Manager and working as part of the Programme Managers' leadership team, you will lead the assigned Design Management team and take ownership of the end-to-end design management process within the programme delivery team. You will oversee design activities across all projects in the programme, provide technical assurance, promote best practices and innovative techniques, and ensure consistency across all design outputs. You will collaborate with external design consultants to deliver effective solutions on time and within budget, and work closely with the Programme Construction Manager to ensure installations are delivered in line with approved designs.

Other duties include:

• Agreeing on achievable project scopes that satisfy the sustainability agenda, project sponsors, and key stakeholder needs, alongside reworking scopes and technical requirements when important to do so.
• An ability to challenge requirements, identify operational constraints and define the scope of work to satisfy the business needs.
• Experience in interpreting complex requirements by asking the right questions.
• Agreeing on sustainable design solutions that meet project scopes, are realistically deliverable, meet GAL engineering standards, and are cost effective.
• Creating and communicating transparent and clear design briefs to external consultants, and managing consultants to ensure effective implementation of designs that meet quality requirements.
• Managing and reviewing the outputs of external design consultants, to ensure effective implementation of designs that meet quality requirements and are aligned with delivery milestones and governance tollgates.
• Work with the Asset Information Team and other stakeholders to determine the asset information requirements for design and construction contracts

What we’re looking for

The live environment at Gatwick requires all our teams to have a flexible and adaptable approach, problem solving skills and an innovative outlook. Involved in projects from inception to completion, you will work alongside multiple internal and external stakeholders. In addition, this role requires:

• Educated to Degree level or equivalent in an engineering or construction related field.
• Previous multi-disciplinary experience in an engineering design or design management role, ideally in a live operational environment
• Demonstrable experience of setting and achieving clear programme milestones on high value programmes of work, with an ability to manage and get the most out of budgets and timeframes
• Experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and external consultants

Benefits

Our employees tell us that working here is something special, and no day is like another, where our teams do something every day that other airports only dream of. Along with a competitive salary, our employees enjoy a range of personal, health and financial benefits, including:

• 5% Welcome Bonus
• High street shops and restaurant discounts
• Healthcare scheme
• Life and disability insurance
• Professional training to develop
• Discounted travel
• Volunteer days

What it is like to work at Gatwick

At Gatwick, our people are our biggest asset. We want our people to thrive and have the best experience while working with us. We know we are all at our best when we feel comfortable and included.

We are an organisation that places diversity, equity and inclusion at its heart. Our aim is to create a place where everyone belongs and has a voice, and we recognise that we all play an important role in our success.

To find out more about what it is like to work at Gatwick, visit our careers site Construction Careers London Gatwick Airport

Should you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the application process please contact us directly.

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