Design Manager

Octavius Infrastructure Ltd; United States; Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car or car allowance

Private healthcare

Pension

Life assurance

Hybrid working where possible

Job summary

Octavius Infrastructure Ltd seeks a Design Manager to evolve our rail capability in the Southern Region. Hybrid role with home and Blackfriars office, plus site visits. Lead design programmes, coordinate stakeholders, and ensure cost-effective, safe solutions aligned with Network Rail requirements.

Engineering background required; NEC3 knowledge and people leadership essential. Pricing/estimating knowledge is a bonus.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent).
• Extensive experience managing design programmes with delivery, quality and cost objectives.
• Strong NEC3 contract knowledge and ability to administer contracts.
• Excellent communication and people management skills.
• Experience interfacing with design consultancies and clients; BIM/Lean focus.

Responsibilities

• Manage design workstreams and drive a programme-aligned design programme.
• Coordinate with clients, stakeholders, design partners and suppliers.
• Lead on BIM adoption, lean practices and technology to improve efficiency.
• Ensure designs meet safety standards, cost targets and schedules.

Skills

Design management

Stakeholder coordination

People management

NEC3 knowledge

Project/program management

Safety leadership

Microsoft Project

Communication skills

BIM leadership

Education

Degree in Civil or Electrical Engineering

Professional membership with a recognised Professional body

Tools

BIM

Microsoft Project

Job description

We are seeking a Design Manager to help the evolution of our rail capability in the Southern Region.

Working on the Access for All portfolio across the Southern region, the role entails the management of the designs, stakeholder coordination and commercial control. Tendering experience would be advantageous. There would be juniors reporting into this position as and when required.

This is a hybrid role, with flexibility to work from home and our Blackfriars office, alongside occasional site visits. You will lead the development of solutions that meet Network Rail's requirements and Octavius Infrastructure's objectives, ensuring designs are robust, cost-effective, and aligned with programme and safety standards. Your leadership will foster a collaborative culture across customers, stakeholders, design partners, and suppliers, creating a seamless transition from development to delivery.

An Engineering Background with Design Management Experience. Pricing & Estimating knowledge is a bonus.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Good level of NEC3 knowledge, and ability to administer the contract.
• Exceptional people management - with the ability to influence and mentor to motivate employees to achieve exacting standards of compliance.
• Technically savvy, with good working knowledge of Microsoft Project.
• Managing projects or Programmes and working with other departments to achieve deliverables.
• Experience and knowledge of construction industry - awareness of current techniques.
• Has managed design programmes and been responsible for their delivery, in terms of quality, design assurance, commercial performance, and meeting programme constraints.
• Knowledge of Network Rail PACE/GRIP processes and assurance procedures
• Detailed understanding of safety leadership from a policy and behavioural perspective.
• You will be Degree qualified in a Civil, or Electrical Engineering or related course (or equivalent relevant experience)
• Has achieved or has aspiration of Professional membership with a recognised and relevant Professional body, i.e. Institution of Civil or Electrical Engineers and has a clear plan to achieve such status.

We offer a competitive rewards package, including a Company Car or car allowance scheme, Private Healthcare, Pension, Life Assurance cover, 25 days Annual Leave (and a day off for your birthday). You'll also have access to Hybrid working where possible, an enhanced Paternity & Maternity package and the opportunity to develop yourself personally and professionally.

About you…. (what you are skilled at)

• Interfacing with Design Consultancies and the Client, understanding Engineering Remits, developing and driving a design Programme.
• Lead on increasing the use of BIM, technology and IT to improve efficiency.
• Embrace Lean personally and within your team as a means of driving out waste and seeking improvements in all activities.
• Identifying new thinking and innovation through collaboration on project delivery and implementing it successfully.
• Understanding and implementing actions from our 'lessons learnt' meetings. Ensuring Lesson Learnt are as a minimum undertaken for all Stage 1 contracts upon completion, but ideally at regular intervals through the project life cycle and that you actively participate in Stage 2