Design Manager

Are you looking for a role where you can shape design delivery, grow team capability, and influence how water industry projects are engineered from concept through to delivery? Have you managed and led multi‑disciplinary design teams delivering complex projects within a regulated environment, ensuring quality, safety, and programmed compliance? Do you have strong hands‑on experience leading the design process on water or similar regulated infrastructure projects, with accountability for design outputs and team performance?

Opportunity

This role is available on a contract basis (outside IR35) and we are also recruiting on a permanent basis, offering £60,000–£80,000 per year plus package, with hybrid working options available depending on experience and arrangements.

This role has been created in response to continued growth within a multi‑disciplinary engineering design environment delivering regulated infrastructure projects. With an expanding workload in the water sector, there is a requirement for a Design Manager who can lead delivery, strengthen team capability, and drive consistent, high‑quality design outputs.

Responsibilities

• Manage, direct, and develop engineers, CAD technicians, and graduates
• Lead design delivery across multi‑disciplinary water industry projects
• Grow the design team while maintaining a positive and high‑performing team culture
• Own and lead the design process, ensuring consistency, compliance, and quality
• Challenge, improve, and implement formal design processes and procedures
• Drive the adoption of appropriate software tools, BIM, and 3D modelling
• Ensure design deliverables meet safety, quality, and integration requirements
• Manage delivery of design outputs to agreed programmes and budgets
• Ensure appropriate standards, best practice, and tools are applied consistently
• Ensure all design changes are accurately recorded and controlled

Qualifications & Experience

• Significant experience working within engineering design in a regulated sector (e.g. water)
• Proven experience managing or leading multi‑disciplinary design teams
• Strong understanding of design delivery, governance, and quality management
• Graduate or HND qualified in an engineering discipline
• Good level of IT and familiarity with modern design tools
• Ability to lead teams, manage workloads, and deliver to programme

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant experience working within engineering design in a regulated sector (e.g. water, rail, highways, nuclear, oil & gas)
• Proven experience managing or leading multi‑disciplinary design teams
• Strong understanding of design delivery, governance, and quality management
• Graduate or HND qualified in an engineering discipline
• Good level of IT and familiarity with modern design tools
• Ability to lead teams, manage workloads, and deliver to programme

The Setting

The role is primarily office‑based with occasional site visits, providing structure while maintaining project exposure. Hybrid working is supported, with flexibility for the right candidate. You will work within a collaborative and delivery‑focused environment that values technical excellence, professional development, and wellbeing.

Equal Opportunities & Accessibility

Millbank Holdings Ltd is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background, and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, and we are committed to ensuring an accessible and supportive recruitment process for everyone. If you require any adjustments at any stage, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

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