The Opportunity
Our client, one of the industry’s largest independent M&E contractors, is looking for a Design Manager to manage the design process and external design partners across their full Northern region.
You would not be running a design team. You would be holding the consultants who deliver the design to account, across an entire region.
The role also carries a technical support responsibility within work winning, contributing design input and credibility at bid stage. A background in commercial, education or leisure sectors suits the weighting of the Northern region’s current and target pipeline.
This is a permanent role in Warrington, £70,000 to £90,000 depending on experience, plus a full benefits package.
About the Business
Employee ownership changes how a contractor behaves. There is no PLC reporting cycle and no private-equity exit to work towards, and everyone in the business holds a direct stake in whether it succeeds. It tends to show in how decisions get made when a project turns difficult, and in how long people stay.
The multi-divisional structure matters too, particularly on a permanent contract. Work is spread across major projects, residential-led services and smaller specialist schemes rather than concentrated in one sector, so the pipeline does not depend on any single market staying busy.
What You'll Be Doing
Managing the design process across the Northern region, holding external design partners to programme, quality and technical standards
Acting as the main point of accountability for design output on live projects across the region
Reviewing and challenging external design deliverables to ensure they are buildable, compliant and properly coordinated
Providing technical support and design input into work winning activity, including bid submissions and client presentations
Building strong working relationships with external design consultants, holding them to the standard the business expects
Identifying design-related risk early and working with project and commercial teams to resolve it
Supporting the development of design standards and processes across the region
Representing the business in design-related client and consultant meetings across live and prospective projects
What We're Looking For
A strong mechanical or electrical design background, with experience managing external design consultants or partners
Comfortable holding external parties to account on quality, programme and technical standards
Experience contributing technical input to bids or work winning activity
A background in commercial, education or leisure sector projects is ideal
Confident engaging directly with clients and consultants at a senior level
Degree, HNC/HND or equivalent in Mechanical or Electrical Building Services Engineering
Chartership or working towards it is welcomed, though not essential
Full UK driving licence
•Accountability for design output across the full Northern region
•Managing and challenging external design partners
•Technical input into bids, submissions and client presentations
•A regional remit rather than a single office or project
•Leading an in-house design team
•Producing the drawings yourself
•Rubber-stamping what the consultants send back
•Confined to live projects — work winning is part of the job
What's on Offer
A regional remit spanning the full Northern operation
Direct involvement in work winning, with real visibility of how the business grows
The backing of a large, employee-owned national contractor
How to Apply
Apply using the button below, or contact Mike Halliwell directly for a discreet conversation.