Design Manager
| Posting date: | 03 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £70,000 to £80,000 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Competitive |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 April 2026 |
| Location: | Peterborough, PE3 6WT |
| Company: | Barhale |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | MP-65843-1522 |
Summary
About Barhale
Who are Barhale?
Barhale is a business founded on family values, having been established by our Chairman, Dennis Curran, in 1980. We are one of the largest privately owned civil engineering and infrastructure specialists in the UK, with over 40 years of experience in providing design, civil engineering and maintenance services working across multiple sectors, including:
- Water
- Transport
- Built environment
- Energy
We operate as a tier one partner for blue chip, regulated and private clients, working as part of large frameworks, joint ventures and alliances, as well as on individual standalone projects, developing long-term relationships based on delivering to the Barhale values which have been integral to our business since their inception in 1985.
Our direct delivery model is at the core of everything we do, as we believe that people are our greatest asset. Therefore, we robustly source, train and retain all our own frontline delivery teams as well as management and support services. We employ over 1,200 employees nationwide.
We possess a range of specialist skills to support our civil engineering and infrastructure activities, including:
- Tunnelling
- MEICA
- Temporary and permanent design
- Steel-fabrication
- Signs (design and fabrication)
- Health & safety equipment and products, including PPE
Company Website:
https://www.barhale.co.uk/
Company Showcase Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFqsoclCUZA
Why join Barhale?
- As Gold Investors in People, we are committed to a high standard of people practices, creating an inclusive environment and ensuring cultural alignment to business strategy, ethos and philosophies.
- Job security, long-term secured work through various frameworks and large infrastructure schemes
- Broad range of civil engineering, mechanical and electrical schemes across some of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects and clients
- Strong career progression as demonstrated by our track record in promoting from within, as we believe this is a key driver of our success
Design Manager
The Role
Here within the @one Alliance, we are a totally collaborative organisation made up of our eight partner companies (Anglian Water, Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, MMB, MWH Treatment, Skanska and SWECO) and our extended supply chain, delivering over half of Anglian Water’s capital investment programme.
We are gearing up for our most exciting and challenging Asset Management Period yet, known as AMP8, which will see us deliver a programme of work larger than we’ve ever delivered before. We’ll be embarking on a new kind of project delivery focusing on nature-based solutions like wetlands and urban drainage schemes.
We are driving change, empowering us to set global benchmarks and build a better environment, with the opportunity to offer enhanced growth and development to our workforce. We’re looking to build on our existing teams with an environment built for career progression.
With such an exciting portfolio of projects planned for AMP8 to keep the water flowing across the region, our ability to manage our work and outperform against our customers’ expectations will come under greater scrutiny.
To ensure we have the structure in place to help us succeed, we’re looking for a Design Manager to lead an engineering team to create and develop value-driven solutions that achieve our capital investment programme outcomes for the Poly and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) removal projects within the Water Business Unit.
What will you be doing as our new Design Manager (Water Industry National Environment Programme) (WINEP)?
In your new position as Design Manager, you will lead a multi-disciplinary engineering team (circa 15-20 staff) to deliver engineering design solutions for a portfolio of water (potable) non-infrastructure projects ranging from asset/storage point maintenance; ground water abstraction, water treatment works upgrades, WINEP Water Framework Directive – river support projects and emergency projects. The portfolio includes a high-profile 60-million-pound project to upgrade the output capacity of Covenham Water Treatment Works (WTW).
Key Responsibilities
Design Management:
- Lead and manage the engineering design delivery for the poly a water (potable) non-infrastructure portfolio of projects
- Develop and manage Engineering Project Plans that include scope, program, cost, risk, and resources.
- Provide direction on suitable treatment methods and process design in collaboration with Senior Discipline Engineers.
- Assess project complexity and assign suitably competent engineering resources.
- Implement design quality procedures and ensure adherence to achieve a right-first-time philosophy.
- Manage supplier and subcontractor design input, including engagement, selection, management, and integration of designs.
Project Delivery:
- Work in partnership with other functions to deliver outcomes for your portfolio. Seek and deliver opportunities to achieve affordability and value within your portfolio.
- Support the development and management of project programs to achieve milestones and drive efficiencies.
- Produce designs that contribute to enhancing sustainability.
Health & Safety:
- Undertake delegated duties of the Principal Designer as per CDM Regulations.
- Manage CDM competency assessments for your team and projects.
- Ensure the production of design risk assessments and manage health & safety documentation for your portfolio.
People/Team Development:
- Provide clear, consistent, and visible leadership to your portfolio design team.
- Undertake people management responsibilities, including performance management and personal development.
- Allocate resources based on project priorities and complexity.
- Support team development and recruitment efforts.
Transformation:
- Support the engineering team's transformation and transition into AMP8.
- Drive a culture of experimentation, innovation, risk management, and continuous improvement within your team.
- Reduce carbon and natural capital within designs and embrace new digital technologies.
Essential:
- Degree in an engineering discipline and preferably be Chartered or working towards Chartered status
- Proven experience within the Water industry, ideally in potable water non-infrastructure treatment projects.
Caring and investing in you
Our values have been embedded at Barhale for over 40 years, and they are our guiding principles regarding how we care and invest in people. Our values are our commitment to being a people-centric company.
As a Gold Investors in People company and a Sunday Times 100 Best Company to Work For, we are committed to investing in people. We are passionate about creating a working environment where people are supported throughout their careers, where people can enjoy security and be part of a company that cares about them.
From the moment you join us, your well-being and career aspirations will be supported by.
- Competitive salary
- Company Pension
- Life Assurance
- Private Medical
- 25 days of annual leave in addition to 8 public bank holidays and loyalty days
- 8 hours volunteering
- Employee Assistance Programme to support your mental, physiological and financial wellbeing.
- Flexible benefits via salary sacrifice
- Company car/green car scheme/car allowance/Van (dependent on position)
- Leadership & management training and coaching
- Regular line management engagement and appraisal to support your career progression.
- Development supported by internal and externally delivered training.
- Continuous service awards
Would you like to know more?
Please contact our Recruitment team via careers@barhale.co.uk
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme