Design Manager - Main Civil Works

Sizewell C is one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure and energy projects. The programme will deliver a new nuclear power station in Suffolk, providing reliable low-carbon electricity and supporting the UK's long-term energy security.

We are looking for an experienced Design Manager to join the team delivering the Main Civil Works programme at Sizewell C.

The role will initially support two technically significant work packages covering Secondary Steelworks and Steel Cylinder Concrete Pipes, with responsibility for coordinating design development, technical interfaces and design delivery across the Client, construction teams, designers, consultants and supply chain.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in ensuring complex civil and structural designs are technically compliant, coordinated, constructible and delivered in line with the wider construction programme.

The Role

As Design Manager, you will coordinate the development, review, control and delivery of design information across your assigned packages.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, Responsible Designers, construction teams, consultants, procurement, commercial teams and specialist suppliers to ensure design solutions meet technical and contractual requirements while considering safety, constructability, maintainability, quality, programme and cost.

A key part of the role will be managing the interfaces between design, materials, manufacturing, procurement and construction methodology, ensuring technical decisions support successful delivery on site.

You will also challenge and optimise design solutions, lead option studies and value engineering activities, and ensure design risks, changes and technical actions are effectively managed through to close-out.

Key Responsibilities

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Manage design activities, deliverables and technical interfaces across the Client, construction teams, designers, consultants and supply chain;

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Ensure design information is complete, coordinated, approved and delivered in accordance with contractual requirements and programme;

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Review designs for technical compliance, safety, constructability, maintainability, quality and whole-life performance;

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Coordinate design programmes with construction, procurement and commercial requirements;

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Monitor design progress, resources and performance and provide clear reporting to project leadership;

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Manage design risks, opportunities, changes, technical actions and decisions through to formal close-out;

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Lead option studies, design optimisation, value engineering and whole-life cost assessments;

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Manage design consultants, establishing clear scopes, deliverables, interfaces and performance expectations;

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Challenge design proposals to achieve safer, more constructible and better-value solutions;

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Identify and manage critical interfaces between design, materials, manufacturing, construction methodology and procurement;

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Promote effective information management and the consistent use of BIM and 3D design environments; and

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Support the management of Professional Services Contracts and associated NEC compensation event processes.

Essential Skills & Experience

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

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Strong design management experience within complex civil engineering, construction or major infrastructure projects;

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Experience coordinating multidisciplinary designers, consultants, contractors and project stakeholders;

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Experience managing design information, technical interfaces, changes and design deliverables;

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Working knowledge of steelwork and concrete design;

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Strong understanding and practical application of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations;

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Understanding of constructability, design risk management, value engineering and whole-life cost principles;

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Experience aligning design activities with construction programmes, procurement and commercial requirements;

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Familiarity with BIM and 3D design environments;

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Ability to interpret project information and effectively monitor and report design progress and performance;

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Degree-level qualification in a relevant engineering, construction or design discipline;

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At least five years’ relevant professional experience, including a minimum of three years within design management and consultant coordination; and

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Demonstrable experience managing multidisciplinary technical interfaces and design deliverables on complex projects.

Desirable Experience

Experience in one or more of the following would be particularly advantageous:

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Nuclear, energy or other highly regulated infrastructure environments;

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Major civil engineering or structural works;

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Secondary steelwork and/or complex steel structures;

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Concrete structures and associated infrastructure;

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Management and coordination of external design consultants;

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Professional Services Contracts and NEC contract mechanisms;

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Design progress reporting using Power BI or comparable reporting tools; and

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Membership of, or professional accreditation with, a relevant engineering, construction or design institution.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for someone who is:

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Technically confident – able to understand, challenge and coordinate complex multidisciplinary design solutions;

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Delivery-focused – able to keep design activities aligned with procurement, manufacturing and construction requirements;

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Collaborative – comfortable working across Client, designer, contractor, consultant and supply chain organisations;

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Proactive – able to identify design risks, constraints and opportunities early and drive them through to resolution;

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Commercially aware – understands the impact of design decisions on programme, procurement, construction methodology and cost;

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Clear and decisive – able to communicate complex technical information effectively and drive timely decision-making;

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Constructability-focused – able to challenge designs and identify practical solutions that support safe and efficient construction; and

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Adaptable – comfortable operating within a large, technically complex and highly regulated infrastructure programme.

Project Environment

The role forms part of the Sizewell C Civil Works Alliance, bringing together Sizewell C, Balfour Beatty, Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke to deliver the Main Civil Works programme.

You will work across a highly collaborative project environment involving engineering, construction, procurement, commercial teams, consultants, specialist suppliers and the Client.

The role will initially focus on Secondary Steelworks and Steel Cylinder Concrete Pipes, providing exposure to complex interfaces between structural design, manufacturing, materials and construction.

The position will be based across London / Ipswich, with interaction with the wider Sizewell C project and supply chain as required.

This is an opportunity to take on a significant design management role within one of the UK’s largest infrastructure programmes and contribute to the delivery of major nuclear infrastructure from design development through to construction.