Design Manager

Job Summary

We are seeking a Design Manager to help the evolution of our rail capability in the North. This role is key to shaping and developing schemes during the pre‑construction phase, ensuring they are ready for successful delivery with a broader remit to drive collaboration, innovation and efficiency throughout the development lifecycle.

This is a hybrid role, with flexibility to work from home and our Manchester or Birmingham offices, alongside occasional site visits. You will lead the development of solutions that meet Network Rail's requirements and Octavius Infrastructure's objectives, ensuring designs are robust, cost‑effective and aligned with programme and safety standards. Your leadership will foster a collaborative culture across customers, stakeholders, design partners and suppliers, creating a seamless transition from development to delivery.

• Drive collaboration, innovation and efficiency throughout the development lifecycle.
• Lead the development of solutions that meet Network Rail’s requirements and Octavius Infrastructure’s objectives.
• Ensure designs are robust, cost‑effective and aligned with programme and safety standards.
• Foster a collaborative culture across customers, stakeholders, design partners and suppliers.
• Serve as the lead for design programmes, managing delivery, quality, design assurance, commercial performance and meeting programme constraints.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Good level of NEC3 knowledge, and ability to administer the contract.
• Exceptional people management—ability to influence and mentor to motivate employees to achieve exacting standards of compliance.
• Technically savvy, with good working knowledge of Microsoft Project.
• Experience managing projects or programmes and working with other departments to achieve deliverables.
• Experience and knowledge of construction industry—awareness of current techniques.
• Knowledge of Network Rail PACE/GRIP processes and assurance procedures.
• Detailed understanding of safety leadership from a policy and behavioural perspective.
• Proficiency in driving the use of BIM, technology and IT to improve efficiency.
• Embrace Lean personally and within your team as a means of driving out waste and seeking improvements in all activities.
• Identifying new thinking and innovation through collaboration on project delivery and implementing it successfully.
• Understanding and implementing actions from our 'lessons learnt' meetings, ensuring lesson learnt are undertaken for all Stage 1 contracts upon completion and ideally at regular intervals through the project life cycle and that you actively participate in Stage 2.

• Degree qualified in Civil, Electrical Engineering or a related course (or equivalent relevant experience).
• Has achieved, or has aspiration of, Professional membership with a recognised and relevant Professional body, e.g. Institution of Civil Engineers or Institution of Electrical Engineers, and has a clear plan to achieve such status.
• Pricing & Estimating knowledge is a bonus.

Inclusion and diversity are important to us. We are an equal opportunities employer and value difference. We want and will continue to build an inclusive environment where our people thrive. We firmly believe constantly striving to build a truly diverse workforce is what makes us a strong business and will enable us to continue to solve important problems and deliver unrivalled value to both our customers and clients.

If you need any specialist support throughout your application, we will work with you where we can to support your journey with us.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme.

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.

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