Senior Design Manager (Senior Project Engineer)

Company: United Utilities
Apply for the Senior Design Manager (Senior Project Engineer)
Location: Warrington
Job Description:

As a Senior Design Manager (Senior Project Engineer) within the Waste Water Capital Delivery team, you’ll be responsible for leading & coordinating the design function across multiple high-value, complex capital projects. You’ll provide technical and strategic leadership to ensure designs are safe, efficient, innovative, and fully aligned with regulatory, operational, and sustainability goals. You’ll be a self-driven individual with a focus on your personal development and those under your leadership. You’ll be a key advisor to senior stakeholders and play a crucial role in shaping our approach to design governance and delivery during AMP8 and beyond.

What you’ll do:

  • Work collaboratively with the project delivery team to jointly deliver project outcomes. The project delivery team could be a mix of internal (Delivery Managers, Discipline Engineers, Project Managers etc) or external (delivery partners, contractors etc) colleagues.
  • Where required, support the client in developing their brief (requirement statement) and support the project within the identification phase.
  • Develop and lead the project engineering input to projects throughout the lifecycle of a project, in accordance with approved processes and systems and achieving time, cost, carbon and quality drivers.
  • Inspire, manage and lead Project Engineers across the Waste Water Capital Delivery programme, undertaking formal line management where required.
  • Secure resources and manage multi-disciplinary teams across the matrix organisation.
  • Maintain a focus on your own personal development and the development of your team.
  • Develop and maintain proactive empathetic enduring relationships and creating a healthy, inclusive and diverse environment for their team to flourish.
  • Engage with consultants, specialists and contractors throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Help champion the project within the business and from time to time represent the business externally.
  • Positively support and lead new ways of working within your area, and wider across the community where the opportunity arises.
  • Building and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
  • Deputise for the Engineering Manager (EM) on occasions.
  • Carry out project reviews, recommending and taking action as appropriate, reporting at an appropriate frequency.
  • Responsible for writing contract documentation or other technical reports and acting as the single point of contact for technical input throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Manage the project budget including writing and presenting business cases at corporate governance gateways.
  • Proactively manage project risks and opportunities, including escalation and management of issues outside of your control.
  • Act as the Principal Designer under CDM, where required.

What we’re looking for:

  • Significant post graduate experience and professionally qualified (degree or equivalent).
  • Member of Association for Project Management (APM) or an Engineering Institution and tangible evidence of working towards professional registration (Chartered Project Professional, Chartered Engineer, etc).
  • Proven experience of leading complex projects in a project engineering/management role, including the ability to integrate input from different technical areas and other departments.
  • Proven communication skills with an ability to engage with stakeholders and colleagues to develop solutions to complex problems.
  • Proven experience of project management.
  • Proven experience of risk management.
  • Demonstrable experience of commercial / contract management.
  • Proven experience of conflict management.
  • Proven ability to manage budget and direct project controls.
  • Proven application of innovation, particularly with emerging technologies and/or environmental solutions.
  • Proven experience of health, safety and well-being relating to the delivery of projects (e.g. CDM Principal Designer or Client roles).
  • Ability to think more strategically about how problems are solved; working collaboratively across different directorates at UU.

What we offer:

  • A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service, in addition to 8 bank holidays.
  • A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover.
  • A 20% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements.
  • A £5,000 car allowance to support your travel needs.
  • A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme.
  • Flexible and hybrid working.

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Posted: June 4th, 2026