Design Manager / Principal Engineer

About the Opportunity

Our client, a well-established and expanding engineering consultancy, is looking for an accomplished Chartered Engineer to take the helm of a multidisciplinary design team. Operating across major a range of civil and structural engineering projects - with a strong emphasis on the rail sector - you will provide technical and strategic direction to ensure the safe, innovative, and compliant delivery of complex projects from feasibility through to detailed design.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & People Management: Mentor, develop, and allocate workloads across a multidisciplinary engineering team. You will lead on recruitment, conduct one-to-ones and performance appraisals, identify training needs, and manage HR/disciplinary matters in line with internal policies.
• Technical Oversight & Assurance: Direct the production, checking, and approval of engineering drawings, calculations, technical reports, specifications, and risk assessments. Act as CRE (Contractors’ Responsible Engineer) or CEM (Contractors’ Engineering Manager) on rail schemes, subject to experience.
• Project & Commercial Delivery: Take ownership of project programmes, budgets, and key milestones. You will oversee project variations, assess commercial impacts, manage third-party sub-consultants, and support the preparation of tenders, scopes of work, and bid proposals.
• Client & Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a key technical point of contact for clients and external disciplines. Lead design reviews, attend progress meetings, and undertake site visits, surveys, and inspections across the UK.
• Digital Delivery & Governance: Ensure all outputs adhere to BIM protocols,  Common Data Environment (CDE) workflows, and relevant UK/European regulatory frameworks. Maintain internal technical standards, contribute to Integrated Management System (IMS) compliance, and produce monthly KPI reports for senior leadership.

Candidate Profile

• Qualifications  & Chartership: Hold an Engineering Council-accredited degree (BEng/MEng) in Civil or Structural Engineering, alongside Chartered status with the ICE or IStructE.
• Experience: Bring at least 8 years of post-graduate consultancy or design experience, demonstrating a proven track record of leading multidisciplinary infrastructure projects from concept to completion.
• Sector & Regulatory Knowledge: Possess strong working knowledge of British/European Standards, Building Regulations, and design approval processes (such as Network Rail or National Highways). Experience with Network Rail standards is highly advantageous.
• Technical Software: Confident operating within a Common Data Environment, with hands-on proficiency in ProjectWise and Bentley MicroStation.
• Mobility: Hold a full UK driving licence with the flexibility to travel to project sites and client offices as required.

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary
• Car or Allowance, Pension, Health
• Easily accessible offices
• Continued funded CPD
• Positive and flexible working environment

How to Apply:

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If you would be interested in being considered for this opportunity, please sendan up to date CV detailing your career history to date.

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