Senior Design Manager

Senior Design Manager | Water & Wastewater

Glasgow

Hybrid

Salary Negotiable 

Ceto Talent is partnering with a leading engineering business to recruit a Senior Design Manager to drive excellence across its UK design function.

This is a strategic leadership role offering the opportunity to shape design management standards, mentor high-performing teams and lead the successful delivery of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

You'll combine business-wide influence with hands-on project leadership, helping to establish best practice while delivering complex multidisciplinary engineering solutions.

What you'll be doing:

✅ Driving consistency in design management practices, reporting and governance across the UK.
✅ Developing and implementing design performance frameworks, including KPIs, Earned Value Analysis (EVA), design change management and resource planning.
✅ Mentoring and supporting Design Managers across the business, promoting collaboration and continuous improvement.
✅ Acting as Design Manager on key projects, leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through the full project lifecycle.
✅ Ensuring projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.
✅ Embedding CDM compliance and health & safety principles throughout the design process.
✅ Collaborating with senior stakeholders to align design delivery with business objectives and client expectations.
✅ Supporting recruitment, resource planning and the ongoing development of the design function.
✅ Championing innovation, knowledge sharing and professional development across the business.

We're looking for someone with:

✔️ 10+ years' experience in design management, ideally within the UK water or wastewater sector.
✔️ A proven track record leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and managing complex infrastructure projects.
✔️ Experience implementing design governance, performance frameworks and continuous improvement initiatives.
✔️ Strong understanding of CDM Regulations and the integration of health and safety into design.
✔️ Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.
✔️ A degree in Engineering, Design Management or a related discipline, with Chartered status (or working towards it).

Desirable:

• Master's degree in Engineering or Design Management.
• Project management qualification such as PRINCE2 or PMP.
• Knowledge of BIM and digital design tools.
• Experience delivering sustainable and innovative engineering solutions.

What's on offer?

• A senior leadership role with genuine influence across a growing UK engineering business.
• The opportunity to shape design management standards and mentor the next generation of design leaders.
• Work on nationally significant water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
• Hybrid working based from Glasgow.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

If you're an experienced Design Manager ready to influence strategy while continuing to deliver complex engineering projects, we'd love to hear from you.