Project Design Manager

Trant Engineering Ltd.; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car or car allowance

Hybrid working

Career Development Association

Mentored chartership

24 days holiday + 8 bank holidays

Job summary

Trant Engineering Ltd. in Southampton is seeking a Project Design Manager to support the IDS Department in delivering multi-discipline design solutions for water and related projects.

Based at our head office, the role requires coordinating design teams, liaising with clients, and ensuring designs meet project requirements while aligning with safety and environmental standards.

This permanent, full-time position offers hybrid working, a pathway to chartership, and a structured development program.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree with water sector experience.
• Experience coordinating design resources across disciplines.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate design resources across disciplines to deliver design deliverables.
• Ensure design reviews for safety and environmental standards.
• Collaborate with commercial, planning and delivery teams to meet project requirements.

Skills

Team coordination

Multi-discipline engineering

Project prioritisation

Presentation skills

Communication

BIM/Digital Delivery

MS Office

Issue identification

Education

MEng/BEng accredited

Chartered membership desirable

Tools

CAD software

BIM software

Job description

Project Design Manager

Department: Project Delivery

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Southampton

Reporting To: Philip O'Connor

Description

Join Trant Engineering and help shape the delivery of complex, high-impact projects.

Trant Engineering is a leading EPC contractor with a strong reputation for delivering innovative engineering solutions across the UK and internationally. With over 1,000 employees and a £150m turnover, we’re growing—and now looking for a Project Design Manager to play a key role in our project delivery.

The Role

Our IDS Department of Trant Engineering Ltd delivers multidiscipline design solutions and technical support to the wider business and clients. We primarily work in the water sector, undertaking projects in water and wastewater treatment, water storage and distribution and flood defence, as well as some works within the energy sector. Projects typically range in value from £1M to £10M.

The Project Design Manager role will be based at our Head Office in Southampton and reports directly to the Associate Director of Engineering. You will be responsible for supporting the design teams with the technical delivery of projects, acting as a focal point across all stages of the design development process.

In this role, whilst you will be working closely with your IDS colleagues, you will frequently be collaborating with our commercial, planning and delivery teams, to ensure well developed engineering solutions are designed in accordance with project requirements. With Trant Engineering Ltd. being a Tier 1 EPC Contractor, the work is fast paced and collaboration and communication across all teams and stakeholders is the key to our success.

What You’ll Be Doing

KEY SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & BEHAVIOUR

This role is suited to technically strong candidates with an engineering background in the water industry.

• Experienced at coordinating the efforts of a multi-disciplined teams of engineers and CAD technicians on small-medium sized projects.
• Capable of managing and prioritising multiple projects in a dynamic environment.
• Be confident in presenting and explaining ideas and solutions, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintain a thorough awareness of the commercial factors applicable to tendering and the design delivery process.
• Have a keen eye for detail with the ability to identify technical issues in the early stages of the project lifecycle.
• Have a good working knowledge of BIM/Digital Delivery processes.
• Be a competent user of the Microsoft Office suite of products.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

The Project Design Manager role typically encompasses the following activities:

• Taking responsibility for co-ordinating design resources to ensure the efficient and intelligent production of design deliverables against design fee estimates and design programmes.
• Ensuring formal design/safety reviews are undertaken at appropriate stages during the project cycle, ensuring proposals are compliant with health, safety and environmental best practices, as well as Client and industry specifications.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships and communications with our Client’s Project Teams.
• Managing design interfaces with third party designers, subcontractors and suppliers.
• Regularly reviewing design delivery strategies, in collaboration with our Discipline Leads.
• Identifying and escalating instances of design change in accordance with Trant’s Procedures.
• Proactively driving a H&S focus throughout the design process and subsequent delivery phase, instigating development of design risk assessments to address risks identified during review activities.
• Identifying opportunities for the continuous improvement of the design delivery process and associated quality management systems.
• Upholding and promoting the Company’s Core Values – Care, Trust, Respect and Sustainability.
• You may be required to undertake additional duties, consistent with the responsibilities and level of this role, beyond those specified above.

CORE VALUES

Upholds and promotes the Company’s Core Values – Care, Trust, Respect and Sustainability.

What We’re Looking For

Essential requirements of the role:

While the role is hybrid/office based, occasional site visits to remote sites will be required so it is essential that you have the ability to travel to site as and when required.

Desirable requirements:

• Recognised Engineering Institution Accredited MEng/Beng.
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional institution.

Why Join Trant?

At Trant Engineering, we deliver complex, high-value engineering and construction projects across the UK. We play a key role in delivering and protecting critical national infrastructure – shaping the systems that communities and industries rely on every day.

Our teams design and deliver full EPC solutions, combining technical excellence with practical, hands‑on delivery. We offer end-to-end capabilities – from concept and design through to manufacturing, construction and commissioning utilising a continually evolving in‑house expertise. This means you’ll work on projects that are varied, challenging and genuinely impactful.

Our multi‑disciplinary teams bring together specialists in civil, mechanical, electrical, process, instrumentation, and control & automation engineering, alongside our in‑house manufacturing of control panels, MCCs, PLCs and SCADA systems. With over 1,000 people and a strong, growing pipeline of work, it’s an exciting time to join Trant. We are committed to helping our people succeed through our Career Development Association, providing structured support, mentoring and clear pathways to help you reach your full potential.

Whether you’re starting out or looking to take your next career step, Trant offers the chance to develop, progress and make a real difference.

Our company benefits package includes.

• Competitive salary.
• Company car or car allowance (some levels).
• Mentored support within our ‘Career Development Association’, to work towards chartership.
• 24 days holiday (increasing with service) + 8 bank holidays.
• Options to buy additional holiday via salary sacrifice.
• Company Pension Scheme.
• Flexible working based on a ‘core hours’ system.
• 1 x Professional Membership paid annually.
• Hybrid working.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Free onsite parking.
• Bike to Work Scheme.
• Discretionary annual bonus.