Finlay Jude Recruitment Ltd
Senior Design Manager

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Location: Derby (Hybrid Working Available)
Sector: Water / Utilities / Design & Build
Salary: Competitive + Benefits
Finlay Jude Associates are looking to strengthen the Engineering Team with an experienced Senior Design Manager based in Derby. This is an excellent opportunity to join a leading Tier 1 contractor delivering major design-and-build projects within the water sector.
Reporting directly to the Regional Discipline Lead – Design Management, you will lead projects through all design phases across a portfolio of work. Your focus will be to deliver cost-effective, technically compliant, and buildable solutions that meet programme expectations and all stakeholder requirements, while ensuring adherence to the company’s design management and engineering procedures.
Key Responsibilities
- Promote and champion Health & Safety in design, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and internal standards.
- Identify, manage, and communicate design-related H&S hazards and residual risks.
- Lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary design teams to meet project objectives and customer expectations.
- Take accountability for design expenditure, ensuring deliverables are achieved within budgeted hours and key milestones.
- Prepare and maintain the Design Management Plan and produce regular progress reports.
- Attend and contribute to project, programme, and technical meetings.
- Drive design efficiency and innovation to deliver cost-effective technical solutions without compromising on quality or schedule.
- Provide technical support during construction, assembly, and commissioning phases as required.
- Ensure all technical work complies with relevant standards, specifications, and quality procedures.
- Contribute to sustainability goals, particularly by reducing embodied and operational carbon footprints.
- Foster collaboration across partner organisations and disciplines, ensuring effective communication and teamwork.
- Represent the business professionally with clients and stakeholders, maintaining positive and proactive relationships.
- Uphold confidentiality and a professional image at all times.
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Essential
About You
- Extensive experience in multi-disciplinary design management within a design-and-build environment.
- Degree in an engineering-related discipline.
- Chartered Engineer status (or working towards).
- APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ).
- Proven ability to lead, motivate, and manage teams to achieve time, cost, and quality targets.
- Strong understanding of CDM Regulations and construction Health & Safety.
- Background in large-scale project delivery.
- Broad knowledge of water treatment, including process, civil, and MEICA disciplines.
- Confident communicator with excellent presentation and stakeholder management skills.
Desirable
- Working towards or holding APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ).
- Experience in a global or multi-office organisation.
- Previous involvement in the water/wastewater treatment industry.
- Experience working with remote or dispersed teams.
- Knowledge of BIM procedures and digital design tools.
- Collaborative, innovative mindset and a solution-focused approach.


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This is a fantastic opportunity to join a major contractor delivering essential infrastructure, offering long-term career prospects and professional growth within the water sector.
If you’re hands-on, dependable, and ready to start a new career, we’d love to hear from you.
If you are interested in applying for this position, then click the ‘apply now’ button.
Due to the high volume of applications we receive we are not always able to reply to all applications. If you haven’t heard back from us within 2 weeks, then please accept that your application has been unsuccessful for the role we currently have advertised.
Please note that no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person’s gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications, and abilities to perform the duties of the job.
Finlay Jude Associates Ltd acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers.
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