Senior Design Manager

ZipRecruiter; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A major contractor is seeking a Senior Design Manager for water treatment projects in the South. This hybrid position involves leading design coordination, managing teams, and ensuring successful delivery across several sites. Ideal candidates will have a strong engineering background and experience in the UK water sector standards.

Qualifications

• Solid experience in design management.
• Contractor-side delivery background.
• Comfortable working directly with construction teams.

Responsibilities

• Leading design activities across several sites.
• Managing design consultants and reviewing deliverables.
• Coordinating civil, MEICA, and process inputs.

Skills

Design management on water treatment projects

Managing multi-disciplinary design teams

Client engagement

Knowledge of UK water sector standards

Education

Engineering background (civil or MEICA)

Chartered or working towards it

Job description

Job Description

Senior Design Manager - Water Treatment

Covering Southern Water projects

Type: Hybrid working

Randstad are working with a major contractor delivering capital works across Southern Water's AMP programme. They're looking for a Senior Design Manager to join the team and take ownership of design delivery on key water and wastewater treatment schemes across the region.

The role: You'll be leading design coordination from the contractor side, managing multi-disciplinary inputs and ensuring that everything is technically sound, buildable, and on programme. You'll work closely with Southern Water, internal delivery teams, and external design consultants to keep things moving through design and into construction.

The role covers:

1. Leading design activities across several sites, both clean and wastewater
2. Managing design consultants and reviewing technical deliverables
3. Coordinating civil, MEICA, and process inputs
4. Aligning design with construction plans and site constraints
5. Regular engagement with Southern Water and framework partners

It offers a mix of home working, site visits, and time in the regional office (Portsmouth area).

What we're looking for:

• Solid experience in design management on water treatment projects
• Contractor-side delivery background
• Able to manage multi-disciplinary design teams and external consultants
• Comfortable working directly with the client and construction teams
• Strong knowledge of UK water sector design and construction standards
• Engineering background (civil or MEICA), chartered or working towards it

Why this one? It's a key role in a long-term programme with plenty of opportunities to lead. You'll be part of a stable and well-supported team, with flexibility around how and where you work.

If you're local to the South and want a senior role on major water projects without a London commute, this is worth considering.

Randstad CPE values and promotes equality. We encourage applications from all sections of society and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments/support for your application. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For permanent vacancies, we act as an Employment Agency; for temporary/contract roles, as an Employment Business.