Overview As Principal Design Manager you are accountable for all design on the project. You will lead our design team and manage all designers, including Costain Engineering, other subcontractors and design partners. You are responsible for delivering the design on time, to budget, and technically compliant with HRS02 Works Information. The design scope includes construction tunnel ventilation, ventilation control system, permanent tunnel ventilation, tunnel M&E (LV distribution, lighting, signage, CMS, fire main, drainage, CCTV, PAVA, SCADA, etc.), open route LV and lighting systems, and all associated CAT checks, noise, vibration, EMC, earthing, bonding, safety, sustainability, and constructability. You will establish and lead a team of design managers and digital engineering (BIM) on the project. Key Responsibilities Establish collaborative working relationships with HS2, design organisations, the delivery team and the supply chain. Oversee all design and engineering management on behalf of the Lead Engineering Manager. Set up and maintain all required engineering management plans and processes, ensuring they are clearly defined, understood and followed by the design team. Develop a programme‑led design delivery culture with integrated design programmes, short‑interval control methods and regular progress metrics. Ensure regular reporting on design progress and technical risks. Establish MDIP/TDIP programmes with clear deliverables at each design stage and define how deliverables can be progressively checked and earned‑value measured. Hold designers accountable for delivering to the engineering delivery plan through reporting and contractual mechanisms. Implement processes so that received designs are quality controlled, technically assured and of sufficient detail for each lifecycle stage (concept, scheme, detailed). Ensure designs are suitable for assurance, procurement and installation activities. Manage designer accounts, reporting of design account management and design progress. Manage design change and influence HS2, the rail systems contractor and procurement/delivery teams to prevent unnecessary or disruptive change. Systematically challenge the need for design change. Work with the commercial team to draft technically oriented correspondence upstream to HS2 and downstream to designers and subcontractors. Ensure designs are constructable, follow safe‑by‑design principles and meet sustainability goals, including reporting of carbon metrics. Embed Production Thinking / MMC principles into design solutions. Provide judgement and advice, drawing on wider Costain expertise as required, to create optimised solutions and meet HS2 requirements and commercial aims. Influence project procurement and delivery teams so they are engaged in design development and option selection and have appropriate ownership of designs. Qualifications and Experience Significant post‑graduate design, engineering or management experience in infrastructure with a demonstrable track record of achievement. Authority in multiple design and construction process models, especially M&E such as BSRIA. Practical, logical, and methodical work approach with a creative and innovative mindset. Thought leadership in design and design management, horizon scanning for new ideas or technologies that influence HS2 delivery. Experience with design and assurance processes on rail systems projects. Experience in technical management, reviewing design deliverables and preparing reports. Broad technical knowledge across structural, mechanical, electrical engineering, and ability to collate and prepare detailed information. Experience drafting effective contractual correspondence and facilitating collaborative solutions (strong understanding of delivering projects to NEC4 PSC). Experience developing and implementing procurement and contract strategies for design. Negotiation, teamwork and solution‑oriented skills in the UK energy, water, transportation and defence markets. Desirable Qualifications Bachelor’s degree, engineering or management apprenticeship with industry experience. Chartered member of a professional institute (MICE, IMechE, MCIOB, etc.). Project Management training or skills. Other secondary professional qualifications and training (e.g., MAPM, MCIarb, MICW). Experience in multiple infrastructure markets or sectors. Master’s or postgraduate degree (preferred). Equal Opportunities We are a Disability Confident employer. We generally offer an interview to any applicant who discloses a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job. In certain recruitment situations, such as high‑volume, seasonal or high‑peak times, the employer may limit the overall number of interviews offered to disabled and non‑disabled applicants. For more details please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign. #J-18808-Ljbffr