Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager

Company: Severn Trent

Location: Derby, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Engineering & Design Management / Operations

Date Posted: May 01, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Strategic leadership and management of design programs within the Waste Treatment & Bioresources North sector, directly contributing to Severn Trent's ambitious capital investment initiatives.

• Spearheading the development and implementation of innovative engineering solutions for complex waste treatment and bioresources projects, ensuring alignment with the AMP8 program objectives.

• Driving team performance through effective coaching, mentoring, and capability building, fostering a culture of high achievement and continuous improvement within the design team.

• Exercising financial accountability and rigorous design assurance to meet stringent regulatory and project-specific requirements, including adherence to CDM Regulations 2015.

• Cultivating robust relationships with senior leaders and diverse stakeholders to shape and deliver engineering solutions that meet and exceed sponsor expectations, prioritizing long-term value and asset management.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is classified under Operations due to its direct involvement in managing the design and delivery of critical infrastructure projects, which underpins the operational efficiency and future capacity of Severn Trent's water and waste services. The emphasis on project lifecycle management, resource allocation, financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement aligns with core operations management principles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor an integrated team of Severn Trent design professionals, fostering a collaborative environment focused on developing robust engineering solutions for waste treatment and bioresources projects.

• Manage project resources, including personnel and budget, and maintain financial accountability for the assigned program of works, ensuring efficient allocation and cost control.

• Approve and assure designs in strict accordance with the AMP8 programme requirements and Severn Trent's established quality and safety standards.

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with senior leaders, project sponsors, and key internal and external stakeholders to effectively shape and deliver engineering solutions.

• Champion innovation by identifying, evaluating, and introducing new processes, technologies, and methodologies to enhance design efficiency and project outcomes.

• Ensure a customer-centric approach to all design decisions, prioritizing the creation of long-term value and supporting high-quality asset management strategies for the company.

• Act as a visible role model for positive safety leadership, promoting a strong safety culture across the organization and fulfilling the statutory duties of a Principal Designer under the CDM Regulations 2015.

• Proactively identify and mitigate potential risks and challenges within the design program, ensuring timely and effective resolution.

• Contribute to the broader strategic objectives of Severn Trent by aligning design initiatives with environmental sustainability goals and community impact considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities heavily emphasize project and program management, team leadership, financial oversight, and regulatory compliance, which are foundational to operations management roles, particularly in large-scale infrastructure or utility sectors. The inclusion of "Principal Designer" duties under CDM Regulations highlights a critical operational and safety leadership component.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Proven experience leading multi-disciplinary design teams within highly regulated industries such as water, gas, petrochemical, or power.

• Substantial experience in managing and delivering design projects, demonstrating a strong understanding of project lifecycles and engineering principles.

• Demonstrated success in coaching, mentoring, and developing talent within technical teams.

Required Skills:

• Design Management: Expertise in overseeing the entire design process from conception to completion for complex infrastructure projects.

• Team Leadership & Mentoring: Ability to inspire, guide, and develop diverse technical teams, fostering a high-performance culture.

• Engineering Solutions Development: Proficiency in creating and validating innovative and practical engineering designs for waste treatment and bioresources.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build rapport and influence senior leaders, clients, and project teams.

• Resource & Financial Management: Competence in managing budgets, allocating resources effectively, and ensuring financial accountability.

• CDM Regulations 2015 Compliance: Thorough understanding and practical application of health and safety regulations for design and construction projects.

• Innovation Management: Aptitude for identifying and implementing new technologies and processes to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

• Asset Management Principles: Understanding of long-term asset lifecycle considerations in design decisions.

• Project Delivery Excellence: Track record of successfully delivering engineering projects on time and within scope.

• Multi-disciplinary Team Leadership: Experience integrating and leading diverse engineering disciplines (e.g., civil, mechanical, electrical, process).

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the UK water industry or similar utility sectors.

• Familiarity with specific waste treatment and bioresources technologies.

• Knowledge of advanced project management methodologies.

• Experience with digital design tools and BIM (Building Information Modeling).

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities in ambiguous environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on leading multi-disciplinary teams, managing complex projects in regulated industries, and ensuring compliance with specific regulations like CDM 2015 points towards a role that balances technical oversight with robust operational management and a strong focus on process adherence and risk mitigation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Project Case Studies: Detailed examples of significant design projects managed, showcasing the scope, challenges, solutions implemented, and project outcomes.

• Team Leadership & Development Examples: Evidence of how you have mentored, coached, and developed technical teams, including examples of performance improvements.

• Process Improvement Initiatives: Documentation of any initiatives led to improve design processes, workflows, or the adoption of new technologies, highlighting the impact on efficiency and quality.

• Financial Management Demonstrations: Examples of managing project budgets, controlling costs, and reporting on financial performance for design programs.

• Stakeholder Engagement Strategies: Case studies illustrating successful collaboration and communication with senior leadership, clients, and diverse project stakeholders.

Process Documentation:

• Design Workflow Optimization: Demonstrated ability to analyze existing design workflows, identify bottlenecks, and implement optimized processes for increased efficiency and reduced lead times.

• System Implementation & Integration: Experience in evaluating and integrating new design tools, software, or technologies into existing workflows to enhance capabilities and collaboration.

• Performance Measurement & Reporting: Methods for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) related to design delivery, team productivity, and project success, along with reporting mechanisms.

• Risk Management Frameworks: Documentation of processes used to identify, assess, and mitigate risks throughout the design lifecycle, including safety risks as per CDM Regulations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Manager role with operational responsibilities, a portfolio should not only showcase technical design achievements but also robust evidence of process management, team development, financial oversight, and a proactive approach to optimizing operational workflows within the engineering design function. The emphasis on CDM compliance necessitates a clear demonstration of safety process integration.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Holiday Entitlement: 28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with the flexibility to buy or sell up to 5 additional days per year.

• Annual Bonus Scheme: Opportunity for an annual bonus of up to £2,250, contingent on company performance.

• Pension Scheme: A leading pension scheme with a generous employer match; Severn Trent will double your contribution up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%.

• Sharesave Scheme: The chance to purchase Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate through the company's Sharesave program.

• Training & Development: Access to dedicated training and development opportunities through the 'Academy', supporting continuous professional growth.

• Electric Vehicle Scheme: An initiative to support the adoption of electric vehicles.

• Retail Offers: Exclusive discounts and offers on a range of retail products and services.

• Family Friendly Policies: Support structures and policies designed to accommodate family needs.

• Volunteering Days: Two paid days per year for voluntary work in the community.

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, aligning with full-time employment in the UK engineering sector. While the role is primarily on-site, flexibility may be available subject to project demands and team operational needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for similar roles in the UK, considering experience level and industry. Specifics should be confirmed with the employer. The benefits package is comprehensive and directly extracted from the provided job description, highlighting elements attractive to professionals in demanding operational and technical roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Water and Utilities. Severn Trent is a major UK water company, responsible for providing essential water and wastewater services to millions of customers across the UK. This sector is characterized by heavy regulation, significant capital investment, and a critical focus on public health, environmental protection, and operational resilience.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (typically 5,000+ employees). This indicates a structured organization with established processes, career pathways, and significant resources, but also a need for agility and clear communication to navigate its scale.

Founded: The company has a long history, with its origins tracing back to the mid-19th century, evolving through various entities to form the modern Severn Trent. This longevity suggests stability, deep-rooted expertise, and a long-term perspective on infrastructure development and service delivery.

Team Structure:

• Reporting: The Design Manager reports to the Design Business Lead for Waste Treatment & Bioresources North, indicating a hierarchical structure within the design function.

• Integration: The role involves leading an "integrated team of Severn Trent design professionals," suggesting a mix of in-house specialists and potentially external consultants working cohesively.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires building strong relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders across various departments, underscoring a matrixed or collaborative approach to project delivery.

Methodology:

• Design Assurance: Designs are approved and assured in accordance with the AMP8 programme, implying a rigorous, phase-gated approach to project development and quality control.

• Innovation Focus: Championing innovation suggests an openness to exploring and adopting new technologies and processes to enhance efficiency and outcomes.

• Customer-Centricity: A core value is ensuring decisions create long-term value for customers and support asset management, integrating service delivery goals with engineering design.