Project Design Manager
Mott MacDonald Bentley are recruiting for a Project Design Manager to join the Anglian Water @One Alliance.
As part of Anglian Water’s @one Alliance, we are on a mission to create a sustainable and resilient future for water. With an ambitious £2.3 billion capital investment in AMP8, we are revolutionising infrastructure, sustainability, and digital transformation to protect the environment and support growing communities
What you’ll be doing
As a Project Design Manager, you’ll take technical ownership of major infrastructure projects from initial feasibility through to detailed design and handover. You’ll coordinate design delivery across multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring designs are practical, sustainable, and aligned with cost, time, and quality expectations.
You’ll act as a key point of contact across the project lifecycle, working closely with project leaders, engineers, construction teams, and external stakeholders to ensure seamless delivery. It’s a hands-on, highly collaborative role that puts you at the centre of some of the most important infrastructure work happening in the region.
Your key responsibilities will include:
Leading the design process on major capital projects, from early concept through to detailed technical development and design assurance.
Ensuring design outputs are fully integrated, meeting the operational, commercial, and environmental objectives of the wider project.
Acting as Principal Designer under CDM regulations, managing design risk and ensuring that safety is considered at every stage.
Driving digital design excellence, supporting the use of BIM and 3D modelling to improve coordination, data integration, and project outcomes.
Challenging and improving technical standards, encouraging innovation and the use of repeatable, low-carbon, and cost-effective solutions.
Liaising with project leaders and delivery teams to plan and allocate design resources effectively, ensuring all technical aspects remain on track.
Building strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that designs reflect the needs of operators, contractors, regulators, and the community.
Championing best practice across quality, health and safety, and performance – both within your own team and the wider Alliance.
Mentoring junior engineers and designers, creating a positive learning culture and helping others grow their skills and confidence.
Driving collaboration across disciplines, promoting a one-team mindset and helping to unlock value at every stage of the design process.
What you’ll bring
We’re looking for a confident and technically capable design leader, someone who understands the bigger picture but isn’t afraid to get stuck into the detail when needed. You’ll be calm under pressure, clear in your thinking, and passionate about delivering sustainable infrastructure that makes a genuine difference.
Ideally, you’ll have:
A degree, HNC or HND in civil engineering or a related discipline.
Proven experience in a design or engineering leadership role within complex infrastructure or water-related projects.
A working knowledge of CDM 2015 regulations, with prior experience acting as Principal Designer or managing design risk.
A strong understanding of project delivery in a multi-disciplinary environment, ideally within an alliance or joint venture.
Experience with digital design tools, BIM workflows, and integrated design processes.
Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills – able to influence, lead, and work collaboratively at all levels.
A proactive, solution-focused mindset with a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
At @one Alliance, you’ll be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team that is shaping the future of the UK’s water infrastructure. We offer a collaborative and innovative working environment, where your expertise will be valued and your ideas will drive meaningful change.
What we can offer:
At Mott MacDonald Bentley you will be offered a competitive salary which is commensurate based on your experience. Our core benefits include:
Pension matched by employer up to 7%
Option to purchase, sell and carry over annual leave
Life assurance / Private Medical Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance and Health Screening options
26 weeks maternity leave, enhanced paternity and adoption leave/ Shared parental leave
Payment of annual professional institution subscription costs
Gym Membership discounts UK wide
Cycle to work scheme, interest free season ticket loans and discounted dining cards also available
Other information
This is a Mott MacDonald Bentley role, employed by Mott MacDonald.
Mott MacDonald Bentley is a joint venture business, established in 1999 between civil engineering contractor JN Bentley and global management consultancy, Mott MacDonald.
Mott MacDonald Bentley offers fully integrated design and build services to its clients, combining the contracting expertise of JN Bentley and the design specialisms of Mott MacDonald.
This role is employed by Mott MacDonald but will involve working across the joint venture business, both with Mott MacDonald and JN Bentley colleagues.
About Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management and development consultancy.
Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.
A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs.
Our values: progress, respect, integrity, drive, excellence.
We believe that because we care about what we do, we do things better.
We know that our people are our most valuable asset, so we are dedicated to investing in them, through our comprehensive training and development schemes, exposure to the wider design and build business and endless opportunities.
We are committed to creating a workplace where our people are safe, have a voice, can reach their full potential, and everyone shares in the rewards.
You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to projects that benefit our communities – from helping to secure water supplies for future generations to protecting homes and businesses from flood risk – our projects make a real difference.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
A Mott MacDonald Bentley we welcome applications from all sectors of the community. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace where everyone feels included, has the opportunity to thrive, and is treated with respect.
Even if you don’t meet every requirement for this role but are excited about the opportunity, we encourage you to apply. Find out more about our approach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion here: https://www.mottmacbentley.co.uk/people.
We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment practices are barrier-free and as inclusive as possible. This includes making adjustments during the job application process and throughout your future career with us. Please call 01756 691572 or email recruitment@jnbentley.co.uk to discuss any such adjustments that we can make. You can read more about our Equal Opportunities Policy here: Equality, diversity and inclusion - Mott MacDonald
Agile working
We are committed to providing a flexible and agile working environment that supports both our employees and the needs of the business.