Senior Design Manager - D&B

Arcadis; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global engineering consultancy is seeking a high-calibre Senior Design Manager to lead complex infrastructure projects in Birmingham. This role involves managing a multi-disciplinary design team and ensuring client satisfaction. Ideal candidates should have extensive experience in major highways projects and a relevant degree in Civil Engineering. Join us to work on transformative projects and make a lasting impact on our environment.

Benefits

Pioneering skills-based approach to career development

Empowerment to contribute meaningfully

Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

Qualifications

• Proven track record in delivering major and complex infrastructure or highways projects.
• Extensive experience in leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong understanding of project governance, risk, contracts (NEC/JCT), and financial management.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of project technical delivery ensuring technical excellence.
• Lead multi-disciplines design team for large-scale highway infrastructure projects.
• Build and manage effective working relationships with contractor clients.

Skills

Leadership in multidisciplinary project teams

Client-facing skills

Risk management

Financial management

Digital delivery and project control tools

Education

Relevant degree (e.g., Civil Engineering)

Job description

Overview

Arcadis is the world\'s leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role Description

We are seeking a high-calibre Senior Design Manager to join our UK Highways and Transportation business unit, part of a global engineering consultancy renowned for delivering transformative infrastructure projects. This technical leadership role is pivotal in delivering some of the most complex and high-value (£500m+) multi-disciplinary highways projects in the UK and internationally.

Key Accountabilities

• Take full ownership of project technical delivery – from mobilisation through to successful completion – ensuring technical excellence, commercial performance, and client satisfaction.
• Lead multi disciplines design team to deliver large-scale highway infrastructure projects, often as part of major design & build programmes in collaboration with Tier 1 contractors.
• Build and manage effective working relationships with contractor clients, providing proactive leadership to ensure project expectations are met or exceeded.
• Drive multidisciplinary teams (both UK-based and overseas) to deliver integrated solutions in a collaborative and commercially aware environment.
• Support the Project Manager in all aspects of project governance including scope, cost, schedule, risk, and quality management.
• Support business growth through client development, project opportunities, and mentoring of emerging project managers within the team.

Qualifications And Experience

• Proven track record in successfully delivering major and complex infrastructure or highways projects, ideally in a design & build context.
• Extensive experience in leading multidisciplinary project teams, including remote or offshore delivery partners.
• Strong client-facing skills with a commercial mindset and ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments.
• Sound understanding of project governance, risk, contracts (NEC/JCT), and financial management.
• Relevant degree (e.g., Civil Engineering) and professional accreditation (e.g., MIHT, ICE or similar).
• Experience with international highway/infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with working in a global consultancy or contractor environment.
• Experience of digital delivery and modern project control tools.

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone\'s contribution matters. It\’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You\’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you\’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life. We work across six ED&I workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Other

Industries

• Professional Services

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