Design Manager
Reporting To: Design Management Regional Lead
Role Purpose
The Design Manager is a key member of the Design Management team and will be dedicated to a project in Carlisle
They are responsible for the end-to-end management, coordination and assurance of all design activities across the project, ensuring design outputs are delivered on time, to the required quality standards and in line with client requirements and project governance processes.
This role requires regular site attendance, with a minimum of three days per week on site to support coordination, stakeholder engagement, design reviews and construction interface activities.
Working closely with the Design Management Regional Lead, the Design Manager will oversee design programmes, technical assurance processes, design deliverables and multidisciplinary coordination throughout the project lifecycle.
Responsibilities & Duties
Design Programme Ownership
- Develop, maintain and issue design programmes for all assigned schemes.
- Proactively monitor progress, identify deviations and implement recovery strategies where required.
- Coordinate programme interfaces with planning, procurement and construction teams.
Design Quality & Technical Assurance
- Ensure design outputs meet client specifications and project requirements.
- Manage assurance submissions, hold-point reviews and gateway approvals.
- Provide oversight of compliance with internal procedures, industry standards and CDM requirements.
Commercial & Change Control (NEC Focus)
- Manage design change control processes, registers and tracking logs.
- Administer EWNs, CEs and PMIs, ensuring contractual obligations are maintained.
- Identify design impacts on cost, programme and project risks.
- Support cost forecasting by linking design activities to commercial outcomes.
Design Coordination & Stakeholder Management
- Lead design review meetings and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams.
- Liaise with clients, suppliers, subcontractors, consultants and delivery teams.
- Manage RFIs, TQs and the flow of design communications.
Risk, Safety & CDM
- Identify and manage design risks, including temporary and permanent works considerations.
- Ensure Principal Designer communications are maintained and documented.
- Promote safety-by-design principles and the prevention of risk.
Tender & Pre-Construction Support
- Provide technical input, design methodologies, assumptions and risk assessments during tender development.
- Ensure tender designs and proposals are robust, compliant and commercially viable.
Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement
- Promote collaboration, innovation and best practice within design delivery.
- Drive lessons learned and standardisation across projects.
- Support and mentor Assistant Design Managers and junior team members.
Person Specification
Essential
- Minimum 8 years' experience in a design management or related role.
- Relevant professional qualifications.
- Experience working on HV substation projects, ideally within the UK transmission sector.
- Proven ability to deliver complex design-related projects.
- Strong leadership skills with a commitment to developing high-performing teams.
- Internal and external stakeholder management experience.
- Experience managing complex multi-disciplinary projects.
- Familiarity with National Grid standards, assurance processes and project delivery requirements.
Desirable
- Degree qualified in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management or a related discipline.
- National Grid Persons (Substations) accreditation.
- Experience working within transmission and distribution projects.
- Experience within the UK energy sector or other highly regulated environments.
- Membership of a relevant professional institution.
INDENG
Pay: £450.00 per day
Application question(s):
Education:
Experience:
- HV Substation: 2 years (preferred)
- design manager: 8 years (required)
Work Location: In person
