Design Manager

Costain Group PLC

Design Manager overseeing design delivery for water projects within the Severn Trent Water Framework. Collaborating across teams to ensure project quality and compliance in a hybrid setting.

Posted 5/18/2026full-timeRugby • 🇬🇧 United KingdomMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Ensure compliance with The Costain Way gates & controls for design commissions within your control
Control flow of information between parties to ensure relevant information is available to the relevant teams at the right time, including supply chain partners
Prepare design scopes and agree deliverable requirements in collaboration with relevant teams
Co-ordination of reporting aligned to the Framework requirements and agreed KPIs
Management of the project teams to deliver against agreed design deliverables, programmes & budgets
Hold and record regular design meetings to actively manage progress and coordination
Co-ordinate and manage design risk, buildability, carbon and DfMA workshops (amongst others)
Liaise closely with other members of the team to support package procurement and any respective supply chain partners
Work closely with commercial team to ensure engagement with supply chain partners to support the design development with timely provision of design information
Ensuring design compliance with Severn Trent, industry and Costain standards; ensuring necessary derogations are secured as required. Challenge design solutions to ensure a safe, efficient and buildable design, considering DfMA and low carbon solutions which meet the Client’s affordability challenges
Coordination and recording of design reviews, technical assurance reviews and CDM reviews
Ensure design is implemented and managed aligned to the project BIM strategy
Be conversant with current legislation, especially that which applies to health and safety, which is relevant to tasks being carried out
Promote the business in a professional manner to both external and internal persons or organisations
Maintain and grow professional working relationships with the design team, delivery team, commercial team, and employer team and communicate well with them

Requirements

What you’ll need

Civil engineering qualification and practical delivery experience
SMSTS
CSCS
Driving licence
Good organisational skills
Effective communication and strong stakeholder management skills
Passionate about improving performance in the sector through best practice, process improvements and continuous improvement practices
Able to work and learn quickly in a fast paced, fun and dynamic environment.
Previous experience of management on complex / sensitive programmes
Practical experience working with NEC 4 contracts
A positive and proactive attitude.
Experience of water industry working (Desirable)
Chartered Engineer of a relevant institution (Desirable)

Benefits

Comp & perks

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that disclose they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.
It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.

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Hard Skills & Tools

civil engineeringdesign managementproject managementNEC 4 contractsBIM strategydesign complianceDfMAcarbon managementrisk managementKPI reporting

Soft Skills

organizational skillseffective communicationstakeholder managementteam collaborationproactive attitudeperformance improvementprocess improvementadaptabilityleadershiprelationship management

Certifications

SMSTSCSCSChartered Engineercivil engineering qualificationdriving licence