Design Manager
PR/080593-1
Posted: 04/03/2026
- £55000 - £75000 per annum, Benefits: + Vehicle , Bonus and Continuous Professional Development
- Scotland
- Permanent
Orion Group is working with a hugely successful and established Civil Engineering Contractor seeking a Design Manager to join there team based in Northern Scotland, supporting the design management of major infrastructure projects across there Power & Transmission, renewable energy and marine portfolio.
As the Design Manager, you will take ownership of the design process on high-profile civil engineering schemes, ensuring designs are coordinated, buildable and delivered safely, on time and to budget and help shape complex civil engineering projects from concept to construction
You will work closely with project teams, designers and stakeholders, influencing decisions that directly impact successful project delivery. The successful applicant will Ideally be based in the highlands, however if you're in another region of Scotland there will be a requirement to attend the Highland office on a fortnightly basis.
What you will be doing
***PLEASE NOTE APPLICANTS MUST HAVE FULL UNRESTRICTRICTED RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK***
People are our business worldwide
Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.
As the Design Manager, you will take ownership of the design process on high-profile civil engineering schemes, ensuring designs are coordinated, buildable and delivered safely, on time and to budget and help shape complex civil engineering projects from concept to construction
You will work closely with project teams, designers and stakeholders, influencing decisions that directly impact successful project delivery. The successful applicant will Ideally be based in the highlands, however if you're in another region of Scotland there will be a requirement to attend the Highland office on a fortnightly basis.
What you will be doing
- coordinate the design process across multidisciplinary civil engineering projects, giving you real influence over technical and commercial outcomes
- Manage external designers and consultants, ensuring designs meet contractual, regulatory and client requirements
- Drive buildability and value engineering, helping project teams deliver efficient, practical solutions on site
- Oversee design risk management, ensuring CDM and safety requirements are embedded from early stages
- Control design programmes and deliverables, giving clarity and confidence to construction teams
- Act as the key design interface between clients, site teams and supply chain partners
- Support tender and pre-construction teams, shaping winning technical solutions for future work
- Have proven experience as a Design Manager Or Design Management Engineer within civil engineering or major infrastructure projects
- Understand temporary and permanent works design and how design decisions affect construction
- Are confident coordinating consultants, subcontractors and internal teams
- Have strong knowledge of UK standards, CDM regulations and NEC Contracts and design management processes
- Experience or working within the Scottish Civil Engineering sector with a contractor
- Communicate clearly and can challenge designs constructively to explain why something works better
- Hold a degree in Civil Engineering or a related discipline (Chartered or working towards Chartership is advantageous)
- The opportunity to work on high-value, technically challenging civil engineering projects
- A role where your technical judgement genuinely influences delivery, not just paperwork
- Clear career progression within a respected, well-established contractor
- Competitive salary and package, including:
- Company car
- Private healthcare
- Pension contribution
- Annual bonus linked to project and company performance
- Support for professional development
- A collaborative, experienced project environment where design is valued
***PLEASE NOTE APPLICANTS MUST HAVE FULL UNRESTRICTRICTED RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK***
People are our business worldwide
Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.
John MacRitchie
Senior Recruitment Consultant
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Recruitment