Project Design Lead

Southern Water; Falmer; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Pension

Life assurance

Health plan

Volunteer days

Annual leave 28

Occupational health

Retail discounts

Flexible return to work

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking a Project Design Lead to drive the technical assurance and delivery of engineering design across wastewater projects. You will lead design activity from needs identification through to commissioning, ensuring the lowest whole-life cost without compromising safety or environmental outcomes.

The role is hybrid, based between Falmer and home, 37 hours per week on a permanent contract.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in an engineering design, design management or technical assurance role within a complex project delivery environment.
• Experience supporting or assuring design across infrastructure and/or non-infrastructure projects, ideally within water, wastewater or regulated sectors.
• Knowledge of health & safety standards, environmental requirements and CDM regulations.
• Ability to assess technical options and support decisions based on safety, whole-life cost, deliverability and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Providing authoritative technical input across needs identification, optioneering, design, construction and commissioning.
• Assuring the quality of design deliverables across multiple projects, ensuring designs are robust and fit for purpose.
• Leading in-house outline design and optioneering to support lowest whole-life cost, best-value solutions.
• Coordinating multi-disciplinary design teams with internal staff, suppliers and delivery partners.
• Ensuring designs comply with technical standards, safety, environmental expectations and regulations including CDM.
• Driving consistency, rigour and efficiency across design delivery using standardisation and digital design.

Education

MEng/BEng/BSc/HND/HNC in Engineering

Chartered or working towards Chartership

Job description

Project Design LeadBy clicking 'Accept all Cookies', you agree for cookies to be stored on your device - we'll use them to analyse our site's usage, enhance our web pages and support our marketing activities. We also share the data from cookies with Google.# Southern Water## Project Design LeadApply: FALMER: Posted Today: End Date: November 6, 2026 (6 days left to apply): JR9276**Closing Date**2026-11-06Job Title: Project Design LeadLocation: Hybrid working between Falmer (approximately 2 days pw) and home.Contract Type: PermanentHours: 37 hours per week, Monday - FridaySalary: Up to circa £55,000.**About the role**We’re looking for a Project Design Lead to join Southern Water, playing a key role in the technical assurance and delivery of engineering design across Wastewater projects.You’ll lead and coordinate design activity from early needs identification and optioneering through to outline design, detailed design, construction and commissioning. A key part of the role will be making sure that the lowest whole-life cost solution is selected, without compromising on safety, quality, environmental outcomes or long-term operational performance.This is a great opportunity for an experienced engineering professional who enjoys working in complex, regulated environments and wants to influence the delivery of major water and wastewater investment programmes at scale.What you’ll be responsible for:* Providing authoritative technical input across the identification of needs, optioneering, design, construction and commissioning stages* Assuring the quality of design deliverables across multiple projects, ensuring designs are technically robust, compliant and fit for purpose* Leading in-house outline design and optioneering activity to support the selection of lowest whole-life cost, best-value solutions* Managing and coordinating multi-disciplinary design teams, including Southern Water colleagues, suppliers and delivery partners* Ensuring designs comply with Southern Water technical standards, health and safety requirements, environmental expectations and relevant regulations, including CDM* Holding yourself and others to account for strong health, safety and environmental behaviours throughout the design process* Driving consistency, rigour and efficiency across design delivery, including the use of standardisation, digital design concepts and best practice* Managing design scope, cost, quality, resources and change control across your projects* Preparing design plans, design cost estimates and monthly cost forecasts, working closely with Project Managers and Programme Design Managers* Working with Asset Strategy & Planning, Operations and delivery teams to develop practical solutions for emerging needs, operational incidents and business planning activity* Providing early warning of design risks, blockers, cost pressures or programme delays, and working with senior stakeholders to resolve them* Supporting continuous improvement by challenging existing standards and ways of working where better, safer or more efficient solutions are possible* Coaching and mentoring junior colleagues, helping create an environment where people feel able to challenge, innovate and learn* Ensuring customer, regulatory and environmental expectations are properly reflected in design decisions and delivery outcomes**What you’ll bring to the role:*****Essential**** Strong experience in an engineering design, design management or technical assurance role within a complex project delivery environment* Experience supporting or assuring design across infrastructure and/or non-infrastructure projects, ideally within the water, wastewater, utilities or wider regulated sector* Strong technical engineering judgement, with the ability to review, challenge and assure designs rather than simply produce them* Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary design teams, including internal teams, suppliers, contractors and delivery partners* Good understanding of project delivery, contract management, design governance and change control* Strong awareness of health and safety standards, environmental requirements and CDM regulations* Ability to assess technical options and support decisions based on safety, whole-life cost, deliverability, sustainability and operational performance* Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences* Good financial and commercial awareness, including the ability to monitor design costs, support budget decisions and understand value-based delivery* Confidence working with ambiguity, balancing competing priorities and making timely, well-reasoned decisions* A collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across project, programme, operations, asset strategy, supply chain and senior stakeholder groups* MEng, BEng, BSc, HND or HNC in an Engineering, Environmental or numerate science-related subject* Membership of an appropriate professional institute, either Chartered or working towards Chartership***Desirable**** Experience working in the water or wastewater industry* Knowledge of water and wastewater regulations, including requirements linked to the DWI, Environment Agency, WINEP, WRMP or DWMP* Understanding of risk and value processes, procurement strategy and working with framework contractors* Experience using or promoting standardisation and digital design approaches* APM Project Professional Qualification* Managing Successful Programmes practitioner certification* NEC for Project Managers* Knowledge of Southern Water systems and procedures for the management of cost and programme**About Southern Water**Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.Our mission is to protect and enhance life through water and we need passionate people to help us achieve it. If you’re inspired by our purpose and believe you can contribute, apply today. You don’t need to meet every criterion; what matters most is your drive to make a difference.If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here: Introduce Yourself (myworkdaysite.com- Introduce Yourself)**Our Commitment to Diversity**We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.**Additional information**In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years.Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‐employment checks, including security vetting.Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.### Interested in the role?* We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so if you are interested in the position please do send your application over today to ensure consideration.* We truly appreciate every application. Please note, that due to the volume of interest, we may not be able to provide personalised feedback to all applicants.### Our Benefits* Company and performance-related bonus* Generous pension* Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary* Health benefits through a Cash Plan* Two paid community volunteering days a year* 28 days annual holiday* Occupational health service* Retail discount app* We offer competitive maternity leave, and flexible return to work options### Everybody Welcome* We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to facilitate your participation in the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know.### Need flexibility in your work?* Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?