Disicpline Head - Structural Design at Barhale, Manchester

About Barhale Design Services

Barhale Design Services is Barhale’s in-house design specialists, delivering innovative engineering solutions across major infrastructure projects. Combining deep industry expertise with practical construction knowledge, we provide design support from concept through to detailed delivery.

Our collaborative approach combines value engineering, digital innovation, and sustainable design principles to create buildable solutions that deliver best value, reduce carbon impact, and meet our clients' objectives.

As part of the Barhale Group, we work at the forefront of industry developments, helping shape the future of critical infrastructure while delivering lasting benefits for clients, communities and the environment.

Who are Barhale?

Barhale is a business founded on family values, having been established by our Chairman, Dennis Curran, in 1980. We are one of the largest privately owned civil engineering and infrastructure specialists in the UK, with over 40 years of experience in providing design, civil engineering and maintenance services working across multiple sectors, including:

• Water
• Transport
• Built environment
• Energy

We operate as a tier one partner for blue chip, regulated and private clients, working as part of large frameworks, joint ventures and alliances, as well as on individual standalone projects, developing long-term relationships based on delivering to the Barhale values which have been integral to our business since their inception in 1985.

Our direct delivery model is at the core of everything we do, as we believe that people are our greatest asset. Therefore, we robustly source, train and retain all our own frontline delivery teams as well as management and support services. We employ over 1,200 employees nationwide.

We possess a range of specialist skills to support our civil engineering and infrastructure activities, including:

• Tunnelling
• MEICA
• Temporary and permanent design
• Steel-fabrication
• Signs (design and fabrication)
• Health & safety equipment and products, including PPE

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Discipline Head/Principal Engineer – Structural

Discipline Head/Principal Structural Engineer to take a leading role in delivering complex engineering design across regulated infrastructure sectors.

This is a senior position suited to a Chartered Engineer who enjoys combining technical excellence with leadership — someone who can guide design solutions, mentor engineers, and play a key role in shaping how engineering is delivered within a growing consultancy.

You will act as a technical authority for structural design, supporting both project delivery and the continued development of our engineering capability. The role combines hands-on principal-level design and checking work with discipline-wide technical standards, competency and governance responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

Design Delivery & Technical Assurance

• Leading the development of practical, efficient and buildable structural design solutions
• Reviewing and approving design deliverables, design risk assessments (DRAs), reports and technical specifications
• Developing efficient and practical engineering solutions based on scopes, site visits and client requirements
• Communicating design solutions clearly to clients and project teams
• Directing and supporting engineers, CAD technicians and graduates
• Guiding design work to ensure compliance with technical standards, professional guidance and water company specifications
• Ensuring design changes are properly implemented and recorded within project documentation
• Working within established design processes and procedures to maintain quality and consistency
• Attending and leading design reviews, client meetings and technical discussions
• Reviewing, or appointing competent checkers for structural designs produced in-house or by subcontracted designers, to ensure compliance with required technical standards

Discipline Leadership & Technical Governance

• Setting, communicating and maintaining structural engineering technical standards across all live projects
• Verifying the technical competency of structural engineering staff before they are allocated to projects
• Monitoring the discipline engineers' performance and utilisation
• Identifying training needs and supporting CPD planning for the structural engineering team
• Coordinating with other discipline leads on cross-discipline interface items to ensure clear ownership where scope overlaps
• Estimating structural design hours at tender stage, and supporting resource forecasting and capacity planning across active projects
• Championing safety-in-design principles within structural engineering, ensuring CDM 2015 designer duties are embedded across all design and checking activity
• Providing key technical guidance for both projects and tenders
• Supporting the continuous improvement of engineering standards and design practices

Essential: 

• Extensive structural design experience at Senior or Principal level
• Degree or equivalent HND in Structural Engineering or a related discipline
• Chartered Engineer status
• Background within one or more regulated sectors, such as: water, rail, highways/bridges, oil & gas, nuclear
• Understanding of engineering standards, design practices and construction methods
• Worked within multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Proficient IT and digital design capability
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Desireable: 

• Previous experience in a Discipline Lead, Technical Authority or Principal Engineer role
• Experience using structural design and RC software ideally within the Water and/or rail sectors
• Ability to support tenders and technical proposals
• Familiarity with client-specific technical standards across multiple frameworks
• Proven experience as an independent checker across multiple projects
• Conversant with BIM/common data environment workflows
• Contribute to recruitment, onboarding or competency framework development
• Exposure to design-centre and framework consultancy model