Job Description:

Design Manager

Location: Heathrow – minimum 3 days per week on site
Sector: Aviation / Infrastructure
Employment Type: Contract – 12 months initial 
IR35 Status: Open to inside and outside - full assesment to be undertaken 

We are recruiting for an experienced Design Manager to support major aviation infrastructure projects at Heathrow Airport.

This role would suit an experienced Design Manager or Senior Design Manager with a strong infrastructure background and the ability to manage multidisciplinary design across complex projects.

Detailed knowledge across MEP disciplines would be highly beneficial for this position, alongside experience within aviation, rail or other major infrastructure environments.

You will be responsible for managing the design process across allocated projects, ensuring designs are delivered in line with programme, budget, safety, environmental and technical requirements.

The role is based at Heathrow, with a minimum of three days per week on site and occasional travel across the airport estate and to external design partners where required.

The Role

As Design Manager, you will take responsibility for coordinating and managing design delivery across allocated projects.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing design activities in accordance with project requirements.

• Delivering progressively assured designs while identifying and mitigating technical and delivery risks.

• Monitoring design progress against programme and reporting on key activities.

• Supporting the selection and appointment of external designers and consultants.

• Managing contractual correspondence relating to designers and design delivery.

• Coordinating multidisciplinary design reviews and managing the acceptance of design outputs.

• Engaging with client technical, engineering and assurance teams throughout the design process.

• Managing design change and ensuring appropriate governance is maintained.

• Undertaking technical, safety and design risk reviews.

• Ensuring design responsibilities under CDM and Building Regulations are fulfilled.

• Supporting design procurement and contract strategies.

• Managing design workflows, information and EDMS processes.

• Reviewing technical deliverables across multiple engineering disciplines.

• Working collaboratively with project, construction, commercial and engineering teams to resolve technical issues and maintain programme delivery.

About You

We are looking for an experienced Design Manager with a strong understanding of multidisciplinary engineering and the ability to manage complex design delivery within a major infrastructure environment.

Ideally you'll have:

• A degree, engineering apprenticeship or equivalent technical qualification supported by significant industry experience.

• Around 10 years' post-graduate experience across design, engineering or technical management within infrastructure or a related sector.

• Strong knowledge of multidisciplinary design and construction processes.

• Detailed understanding of MEP / mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines.

• Experience managing technical design deliverables, reviews and assurance processes.

• Experience monitoring design against programme and managing design change.

• Strong knowledge of CDM, construction requirements and design risk management.

• Experience with EDMS platforms and structured design workflows.

• Experience managing designers, consultants and contractual design relationships.

• Good commercial and contractual awareness.

• Strong stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills.

• The ability to understand complex technical information across structural, mechanical and electrical disciplines.

Experience within rail infrastructure would be highly beneficial for this particular role.

Previous aviation infrastructure experience would also be advantageous.

Chartered status with a relevant professional body such as MICE, IMechE or MCIOB, or progress towards chartership, would be beneficial.

Candidates will need to be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary airport security and site passes required to work at Heathrow.

About Full Circle Technical Recruitment

Full Circle Technical Recruitment is a specialist engineering recruitment consultancy supporting clients across the UK infrastructure, water, utilities, energy, aviation and process engineering sectors.

We recruit across engineering, design, project management, construction, commissioning and commercial disciplines on both a permanent and contract basis.

If you are an experienced Design Manager or Senior Design Manager with strong multidisciplinary infrastructure experience and good knowledge of MEP design, please apply with your latest CV for further information.

Only candidates who can provide proof of their right to work in the UK can be considered for this role.