United Infrastructure Ltd
Principal Design Lead
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Principal Design Lead (PDL) – Utility & Social Infrastructure
About United Infrastructure
United Infrastructure is a dynamic and rapidly expanding business, focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects across the utility and social infrastructure sectors. Our team of highly skilled specialists delivers innovative solutions to complex challenges faced by clients.
Our company is split into two business areas:
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Utility Infrastructure
Our team of Utility Infrastructure specialists design, build, and maintain critical water, energy (gas), power, and telecoms infrastructure, serving the UK’s largest network owners and operators.
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Social Infrastructure
Our Social Infrastructure team revitalises homes and communities through retrofit, refurbishment, and maintenance, ensuring high-quality social infrastructure solutions.
Equal Opportunities Statement At United Infrastructure, we are committed to making every interaction positive and inclusive. If there is anything we can do to support you, remove barriers, or improve accessibility, please let us know—we aim to provide the best possible experience for you.
About the Role
The Principal Design Lead (PDL) will provide senior technical leadership across multiple schemes, bridging the gap between project-level design management and strategic technical oversight. The role involves:
- Leading bid-stage technical input
- Managing escalated design and delivery issues across projects
- Supporting the Head of Technical in ensuring consistency, compliance, and performance within the Technical Team.
The PDL will oversee and mentor Senior Design Managers and Design Managers, while retaining hands-on responsibility for complex or critical projects when required.
Responsibilities
Project Leadership & Escalation Management
- Provide leadership across multiple projects, ensuring coordinated, compliant, and buildable design solutions for Senior Design Managers and Design Managers.
- Act as the escalation point for technical and design issues, driving timely resolutions and risk mitigation.
- Lead and coordinate technical bid inputs, including:
- Design appraisals
- Programme development
- Consultant strategies
- Risk identification
- Value engineering opportunities
Strategic Oversight & Compliance
- Support the Head of Technical in maintaining consistency in design management practices, standards, and procedures across all projects.
- Oversee design programmes across multiple schemes, ensuring alignment with business and project objectives.
- Undertake full design management responsibility for selected projects, delivering within programme, budget, and compliance requirements.
Mentorship & Development
- Mentor and develop Senior Design Managers and Design Managers, providing guidance, coaching, and technical support.
- Review and challenge design information to ensure compliance with:
- Legislation
- Company standards
- Planning approvals
- Client requirements
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Technical & Process Governance
- Support the implementation and adherence to Technical Operating Procedures across all schemes.
- Coordinate with Commercial, Operations, and Bid Teams to ensure cost-effective, practical, and aligned design solutions.
- Review and approve:
- Project-specific design scoping
- Consultant and subcontractor designer procurement strategies
- Monitor:
- Consultant and subcontractor design performance
- Design change control processes
Regulatory & Approval Support
- Ensure timely submission of:
- Planning documentation
- Building control applications
- Statutory approvals
- Promote best practice in:
- Design coordination (fire safety, structural integrity, MEP integration, façade design, maintenance strategies)
- Key design coordination meetings and reviews for high-risk or complex schemes
Site Engagement & Compliance
- Conduct site visits as required to support teams and resolve technical issues.
- Ensure adherence to company policies, health, safety, and environmental requirements.
Core Values & Expected Attributes
To thrive at United Infrastructure, you’ll embody our values by:
🔹 Doing the right thing – Integrity above all. 🔹 Raising the bar – Constantly seeking excellence. 🔹 Maintaining a positive attitude with an energetic pace. 🔹 Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills. 🔹 Tactful problem-solving, especially in difficult situations. 🔹 Proactive and decisive – Taking action rather than waiting. 🔹 Challenging the norm (positive deviance) to drive innovation. 🔹 Managing under pressure while multi-tasking effectively. 🔹 Exceptional organisational skills with attention to detail.
A passionate drive for excellence in both business and personal standards is essential.
Key Criteria & Requirements
Essential Experience & Skills
✔ Proven senior design management experience across multiple residential or mixed-use projects. ✔ Leadership capability, including mentoring Design Managers. ✔ Experience managing strategic (multi-project oversight, bids) and project-level delivery. ✔ In-depth knowledge of design management processes across bid, pre-construction, construction, and handover stages. ✔ Strong technical understanding of building design, coordination, and regulatory compliance. ✔ Experience in bid-stage technical submissions, including:
- Technical design appraisals
- Programme development
- Risk identification ✔ Risk assessment and mitigation for technical and design challenges across multiple schemes. ✔ Problem-solving and decision-making for complex or escalated issues. ✔ Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written), with ability to influence stakeholders (internal teams, clients, consultants). ✔ Ability to prioritise competing demands across multiple projects. ✔ Up-to-date knowledge of construction legislation, including:
- Building Safety Act
- Building Regulations (Dutyholder roles)
- HRB (Hazard Risk Review) procedures and compliance ✔ Commercial awareness, balancing design quality and cost-effectiveness. ✔ Consultant and subcontractor performance management (reviewing outputs, appraising competency). ✔ High-rise residential development experience. ✔ Organisational and reporting capability for design and technical processes. ✔ Proven track record in successfully managing design and technical delivery in residential buildings. ✔ Knowledge of methodology & sequencing processes in construction projects (including design and pre-construction). ✔ Valid UK driving licence.
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✔ Detailed understanding of building safety frameworks, including:
- Building Safety Act
- Building Regulations (Dutyholder roles & competency requirements)
- HRB (Hazard Risk Review) procedures
Desirable (but not essential) Qualifications & Experience
✖ Experience supporting or deputising for Head of Technical / Technical Director roles. ✖ Involvement in complex or high-risk schemes (e.g., HRBs, High-Rise Buildings). ✖ Experience in improving or developing technical processes and procedures. ✖ Advanced procurement strategies & contractual obligations knowledge. ✖ Familiarity with:
- PAS 9980 (External Wall Climate Risk)
- EWS1 (External Wall System)
- Fire safety compliance frameworks ✖ Experience with BIM and digital design management systems. ✔ Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., CIOB, CIAT, RICS). ✔ Degree or equivalent qualification in Architecture, Engineering, or construction-related disciplines. ✔ In-depth knowledge of contractual requirements (section agreements, utility applications). ✖ Tenacious, proactive, and solution-driven mindset. ✖ Technical expertise in temporary works & project sequencing. ✖ Experience producing and managing design programmes.
Hierarchy & Decision-Making Process
The following escalation pathway applies:
- Design Coordinator (DC) / Senior Design Coordinator (SDC) → Raises blockers correlating workflows to:
- Design Manager (DM)
- Senior Design Manager (SDM) → Escalates cross-package/issues to:
- Principal Design Lead (PDL) → Division oversight, portfolio-level risks, and resourcing
- PDL → Escalates major risks and operational impacts to:
- Technical Director (South) → Regional accountability
- Head of Technical (South) → Escalates to ** director-level decisions**
- Construction Director → Commercial, programme/reputational risks
As part of employment, you may undertake additional reasonable duties based on need.
Equal Opportunities & Next Steps
This job description is current as of [date], subject to mutual review adjustments to reflect changes in the role.
By acknowledging receipt of this job description, you confirm understanding.
Join United Infrastructure and contribute to shaping the future of UK’s infrastructure through innovation and sustainability!
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