Project Design Manager

Sweco; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Sweco is seeking a Project Design Manager to lead major infrastructure projects in Peterborough as part of its ambitious AMP8 programme. This role involves coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to ensure practical and sustainable design outputs, enhancing both community and environmental resilience. As a part of a progressive company culture, you will have opportunities for career growth and be directly involved in shaping the future of water infrastructure.

Benefits

Competitive benefits including pension and flexible hours

Personalized career development plans and mentoring

Opportunities to work on innovative projects

Supportive and diverse workplace culture

Qualifications

• Experience in design/engineering leadership within infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of CDM 2015 regulations.
• Proven capability in managing design risks.

Responsibilities

• Lead design on major capital projects, ensuring integration of operational and environmental objectives.
• Act as Principal Designer under CDM regulations, managing safety at all stages.
• Drive collaboration and mentorship within design teams.

Skills

Stakeholder Engagement

Problem Solving

Team Leadership

Digital Design Tools

BIM Workflows

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering

HNC or HND in a related discipline

Job description

Sweco Peterborough, England, United Kingdom

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

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About the @one Alliance

The Anglian Water @one Alliance is a totally collaborative organisation made up of nine partner companies (Anglian Water, SWECO, Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, MMB, MWH Treatment, and Skanska) and an extended supply chain, delivering over half of Anglian Water’s capital investment programme.

We are gearing up for our most exciting and challenging Asset Management Period yet, known as AMP8, this will see us deliver a programme of work larger than we’ve ever delivered before. We’ll be embarking on a new kind of project delivery focusing on nature-based solutions like wetlands and urban drainage schemes.

We are driving change, empowering us to set global benchmarks and build a better environment, with the opportunity to offer enhanced growth and development to our workforce. We’re looking to build on our existing teams with an environment built for career progression.

With such an exciting portfolio of projects planned for AMP8 to keep the water flowing across the region, our ability to manage our work and outperform against our customer’s expectations will come under greater scrutiny.

We need aspiring driven talent to help us achieve our ambitious targets, are you ready to join us as we prepare to deliver the most creative and innovative AMP we have ever seen?

About Sweco

Transforming society together, we're planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future.

Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable.

We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients’ most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

To ensure we support our objectives of collaboration across the business whilst providing our workforce with the agility to achieve a healthy work/ life balance, we are asking our employees to have office or site presence on an average of three days a week.

As a Project Design Manager, you’ll take technical ownership of major infrastructure projects from initial feasibility through to detailed design and handover. You’ll coordinate design delivery across multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring designs are practical, sustainable, and aligned with cost, time, and quality expectations.

You’ll act as a key point of contact across the project lifecycle, working closely with project leaders, engineers, construction teams, and external stakeholders to ensure seamless delivery. It’s a hands-on, highly collaborative role that puts you at the centre of some of the most important infrastructure work happening in the region.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading the design process on major capital projects, from early concept through to detailed technical development and design assurance.
• Ensuring design outputs are fully integrated, meeting the operational, commercial, and environmental objectives of the wider project.
• Acting as Principal Designer under CDM regulations, managing design risk and ensuring that safety is considered at every stage.
• Driving digital design excellence, supporting the use of BIM and 3D modelling to improve coordination, data integration, and project outcomes.
• Challenging and improving technical standards, encouraging innovation and the use of repeatable, low-carbon, and cost-effective solutions.
• Liaising with project leaders and delivery teams to plan and allocate design resources effectively, ensuring all technical aspects remain on track.
• Building strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that designs reflect the needs of operators, contractors, regulators, and the community.
• Championing best practice across quality, health and safety, and performance – both within your own team and the wider Alliance.
• Mentoring junior engineers and designers, creating a positive learning culture and helping others grow their skills and confidence.
• Driving collaboration across disciplines, promoting a one-team mindset and helping to unlock value at every stage of the design process.
  
  

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for a confident and technically capable design leader, someone who understands the bigger picture but isn’t afraid to get stuck into the detail when needed. You’ll be calm under pressure, clear in your thinking, and passionate about delivering sustainable infrastructure that makes a genuine difference.

Ideally, You’ll Have

• A degree, HNC or HND in civil engineering or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in a design or engineering leadership role within complex infrastructure or water-related projects.
• A working knowledge of CDM 2015 regulations, with prior experience acting as Principal Designer or managing design risk.
• A strong understanding of project delivery in a multi-disciplinary environment, ideally within an alliance or joint venture.
• Experience with digital design tools, BIM workflows, and integrated design processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills – able to influence, lead, and work collaboratively at all levels.
• A proactive, solution-focused mindset with a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
  
  

Why join us?

Support and wellbeing: Enjoy competitive benefits, including pension, holiday leave, flexible working hours, wellbeing initiatives, etc

Be part of something bigger: Work on projects that shape the future of water infrastructure and benefit local communities.

Career growth and development: Personalised career development plans, mentoring, and opportunities to progress in a high-performance team.

Collaboration at its best: Work with specialists across multiple disciplines in a truly integrated team.

Innovate and make an impact: Help us push boundaries, improve efficiency, and drive real change in the water industry.

Join a team where your work matters, your ideas count, and your future is bright Apply today!

@OneAlliance vision

A Collaborative Alliance, Driving Change. Empowering Us To Set Global Benchmarks And Building a Better Environment For Our Customers. We Strive To

Empower our people; Delight our Customers; Embrace digital transformation; Deliver brilliance.

@OneAlliance Values

To bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve through our commitment to Love Every Drop we:

Build trust; Do the right thing; Are always exploring

The Anglian Water @one Alliance. Nine partners, endless opportunities.

Let’s transform society together at Sweco.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It’s important to us that that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. To find out more The Armed Forces Covenant - Our Commitments | Sweco UK .

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, and will interview applicants covered by the Equality Act 2010 that opt into the guaranteed interview scheme on the application form and meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If I have a disability, can I get help (e.g. “reasonable adjustments”) with the application process?

If you’re an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, please contact [e-mail] for assistance.

In order to address your request the following information is needed:

• Name
• The best method for contacting you (Phone or email)
• The position title
• Requisition/vacancy number
  
  

Upon receipt of this information, we’ll respond to you promptly to obtain more information about your request.

Please note: we reserve the right to close vacancies before the advertised closing date.

Sweco UK&I have an internal resourcing team who are responsible for all recruiting activity. We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted agencies who we work with on those “hard to fill” roles.

We have defined processes for recruitment applications and it is company policy not to accept speculative CVs. Any speculative CVs received into the business (whether to a manager or member of the resourcing team) will become the property of Sweco and the agency will not be eligible for an introductory fee.

Our Preferred Supplier List was reviewed in November 2024 and we are not looking to add any additional agencies. We’ll be reviewing the PSL again at the end of 2025 and non-compliance with the above statements could be detrimental to you having the opportunity to be included.

Our Talent Community for experienced professionals is a great way to keep up to date with our latest news, insights, future vacancies, as well as gaining access to exclusive events hosted by our experts.

To learn more Join Our Talent Community - Sweco United Kingdom

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

• Industries

  Civil Engineering, Architecture and Planning, and Environmental Services

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