The Opportunity
Due to continued growth across our Design function, OCU is seeking an experienced Design Project Manager to join our expanding team.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the delivery of complex, multidisciplinary power and renewable energy projects across the UK. Working closely with our Design, Engineering, Construction and Pre-Construction teams, you will be responsible for managing design delivery throughout the full project lifecycle, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards.
If you have a strong background in both engineering and design management and are passionate about driving innovation, collaboration, and excellence within infrastructure projects, we'd love to hear from you.
- Managing design deliverables and design-related activities across large multidisciplinary power and renewable energy projects.
- Developing and maintaining design programmes and work breakdown structures throughout project lifecycles.
- Ensuring compliance with client design management and delivery processes, employer requirements, and industry standards.
- Acting as the primary point of contact for all design-related matters between clients, subcontractors, and project teams.
- Forecasting and coordinating design, surveying, and digital engineering resources across projects.
- Championing Safety by Design, sustainability initiatives, and continuous improvement within project delivery.
- Managing design-related project controls, including Technical Queries (TQs), Early Warning Notices (EWNs), Compensation Events (CEs), and Requests for Information (RFIs).
- Supporting the development of tender submissions, design scopes, execution plans, and management plans during pre-construction phases.
- Working closely with Project Managers, Engineers, and Site Teams to coordinate temporary works and construction design requirements.
- Leading design review meetings, workshops, and coordination sessions to ensure all stakeholders are working from the latest approved information.
- Supporting the development of internal design capabilities, governance processes, and engineering excellence across OCU.
- Mentoring and supporting the development of Graduate, Assistant, and Senior Engineers within the business.
Essential
- Degree-qualified (BEng or MEng) in Electrical, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering.
- Significant experience across both Design Engineering and Design Management functions within the Power Transmission & Distribution sector.
- Proven experience acting as a Project Engineer or Design Manager on multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
- Strong understanding of HV/MV cable systems, installation design, and substation design at DNO or Transmission Operator level.
- Knowledge and practical experience of CDM 2015, including Principal Contractor and Principal Designer responsibilities.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience liaising with clients, contractors, subcontractors, and project teams.
- Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to challenge existing practices and drive innovation.
- Demonstrable understanding of construction methodologies, temporary works, and civil engineering best practices.
- Ability to chair meetings, coordinate multiple stakeholders, and manage competing priorities.
- Full UK Driving Licence and willingness to travel to project sites and company offices as required.
Desirable
- Chartered Engineer status or actively working towards professional accreditation (ICE, IET, IMechE or equivalent).
- Previous experience within renewable energy, grid infrastructure, or major utility projects.
- Experience developing Design Execution Plans, Design Management Plans, and Design Scoping Reports.
- Experience managing and mentoring multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Knowledge of digital engineering, surveying, and BIM-related processes.
- Experience working within a Principal Contractor environment.
At OCU, we believe that meaningful work should come with meaningful support. That's the principle behind Careers with Purpose, our commitment to ensuring every person at OCU feels supported, developed, and valued, not just in their role today, but throughout their career with us.
Alongside the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects, we offer a benefits package that we are continuing to develop as we grow, and the kind of career acceleration that only comes from being inside a business moving at this pace.
As a rapidly growing organisation, there are genuine opportunities to progress, broaden your experience, and build a long-term career within OCU Group.
For a confidential conversation about this opportunity, please contact Beth Brookes
at
[email protected]
We review applications every day and may close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received. We encourage early applications.
At OCU Group, we don’t just deliver infrastructure - we help power modern life.
As one of the UK’s fastest-growing utility and infrastructure businesses, we deliver complex, nationally critical projects across power, energy transition, water, telecoms, and digital infrastructure. Over the last five years, OCU has grown five-fold to a £1.1bn organisation, expanding both organically and through strategic acquisitions across the UK, Australia, New Zealand and India.
Our growth is driven by ambitious people, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things properly. We work on projects that genuinely matter by supporting the UK’s energy transition, strengthening essential infrastructure, and helping build more sustainable communities for the future.
Whether you’re an experienced professional looking to take ownership of major projects and influence delivery at scale, or someone starting your career through an apprenticeship, graduate programme, or placement route, OCU offers real opportunity to grow, develop, and make an impact.
We are building a business where high performance, collaboration, innovation, and accountability sit at the centre of our culture. Our people are trusted to lead, encouraged to challenge thinking, and supported to continuously develop their skills and careers.
At OCU, you won’t just join a growing business, you’ll help shape it.
Our Culture & Values
At OCU, our values are at the heart of everything we do. We care about safety, lead with integrity, strive to be better every day, make a positive impact, and deliver to grow, together, as One Company United.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At OCU Group, we believe diversity, inclusion, and belonging are fundamental to building stronger teams, better ideas, and a more successful business. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.
As part of our commitment to fairness and equality, candidates may be asked to complete an equal opportunities monitoring form during the recruitment process. This information is used for monitoring purposes only and plays no part in hiring decisions.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to offering interviews to candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions who meet the essential criteria for the role.
To ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to join our team, please inform us if you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment and interview process is, by emailing
[email protected].
