Project Design Manager

ZipRecruiter; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company is seeking a Project Design Manager to oversee capital projects in Peterborough. You will manage a cross-disciplinary team to ensure project delivery is safe, compliant, and on budget. The ideal candidate should have a degree in engineering, experience in water or wastewater delivery, and strong stakeholder management skills. This role offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Pension

Private medical

Generous leave

Flexible benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience in water or wastewater project delivery.
• Sound knowledge of health & safety regulations.
• Ability to operate strategically under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Oversee multiple projects through full lifecycle delivery.
• Manage programme-level delivery, cost forecasts, and risk.
• Foster collaborative working with Alliance teams and clients.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Team development

Communication skills

Project delivery

CDM compliance

Education

Degree in engineering or equivalent experience

IOSH qualification

APMP qualification or equivalent

Job description

Join the @one Alliance – a collaborative partnership of eight industry-leading companies (Anglian Water, Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, MMB, MWH Treatment, Skanska, and SWECO) delivering over half of Anglian Water’s capital investment programme. As we prepare for the challenges and opportunities of AMP8, we’re looking for talented individuals to help us shape the future of water infrastructure.

At Anglian Water, we’re Always Exploring – ensuring we remain competitive, attractive, and rewarding for both existing and prospective employees. By Doing The Right Thing, we’re committed to recognising and rewarding our people fairly and transparently, while Building Trust through a culture that prioritises health, safety, and wellbeing.

What will you be doing as our new Project Design Manager?

As a Project Design Manager within one of our four business units, you will champion the delivery of capital projects that reduce operational risk. You will lead a cross-disciplinary team in developing and overseeing safe, compliant, on-time, and on-budget solutions that meet quality, environmental, and governance standards.

Key responsibilities:

1. Oversee multiple projects through full lifecycle delivery—from scoping and design through construction, handover, and post-handover management.
2. Assure CDM compliance and promote a zero-harm culture through audits, peer reviews, and checks.
3. Develop and empower a high-performing team of project engineers, planners, cost managers, and coordinators.
4. Manage programme-level delivery, cost forecasts, risk, and change, maintaining alignment with Integrated Project Leaders.
5. Drive constructability reviews and solution development focusing on TOTEX, Risk/Opportunity/Value, and win-win outcomes.
6. Ensure robust Delivery Execution Plans (DEPs) are in place and accepted by stakeholders.
7. Foster collaborative working with Alliance teams, clients, and supply chain partners to deliver integrated outcomes.
8. Translate client governance requirements and support IPLs at governance boards as required.

Qualifications and experience:

• A degree in engineering (or equivalent experience), with proven experience in water or wastewater project delivery.
• Sound knowledge of CDM and health & safety regulations, ideally with an IOSH qualification.
• APMP qualification or equivalent and experience working within a commercial or Design & Build environment.
• Strong stakeholder management, team development, and communication skills.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and multiple projects simultaneously.
• The ability to operate strategically and resiliently, delivering outcomes under tight deadlines.
• A collaborative mindset with the ability to drive cost-effective, sustainable, and inclusive solutions.

Additional information:

Depending on your skills, experience, and interests, you could be aligned to one of our four business units: Place-Based Thinking, Water, Water Recycling, and more, each overseeing large, complex projects and infrastructure networks.

We are committed to caring for and investing in our people, offering a range of benefits including competitive salary, pension, life assurance, private medical, profit share scheme, generous leave, volunteering leave, employee assistance, flexible benefits, company car schemes, leadership training, and more.