Mechanical Design Manager

Description:

Laing O’Rourke, a leading international engineering and construction company, is seeking a skilled Mechanical Design Manager to join its team. This role is initially office-based in Sale, Manchester, before transitioning to site-based work in either Lancashire or Buckinghamshire, supporting a portfolio of prison projects.

The Design Manager will play a critical role in leading the design process, ensuring quality, compliance, and efficiency throughout all design phases. This includes managing consultancies, technical reviews, design compliance, and ensuring all design deliverables align with contractual and regulatory requirements. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to nationally significant justice sector projects, supporting Laing O’Rourke’s commitment to technical excellence and innovative construction solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and manage the design brief, ensuring all design outputs align with project and client requirements.
• Oversee design optimisation, ensuring solutions are efficient, buildable, maintainable, and cost-effective.
• Drive the integration of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) into project solutions.
• Manage and coordinate external design consultancies, ensuring seamless collaboration across the design supply chain.
• Oversee and manage design information and change control processes, ensuring design revisions are properly controlled.
• Ensure all design outputs meet compliance standards and project specifications.
• Support effective collaboration across the project team, supply chain, and internal departments using BIM/Digital Engineering where applicable.
• Champion continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned, applying innovations, and sharing knowledge across Laing O’Rourke’s Engineering Enterprise.

Skills & Qualifications Required:

• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering (or closely related discipline).
• Significant experience managing the design of construction or building services projects.
• Proven end-to-end design management experience across concept, development, delivery, and handover stages.
• Strong understanding of prison/justice projects OR proven experience in modular/offsite construction projects.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage and influence consultancies, ensuring best value and performance.
• Experience working within a structured design management framework, ensuring design compliance and effective change control.
• Strong technical understanding of mechanical systems in large infrastructure or building services environments.

Technical Competencies:

• Design Brief Development & Management
• Design Optimisation and Value Engineering
• Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA)
• Consultancy and Supply Chain Management
• Design Information Control and Change Management
• Design Compliance Assurance

About Laing O’Rourke:
Laing O’Rourke is an internationally recognised leader in engineering and construction, delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings across the UK, Middle East, and Australia. With over 150 years of industry heritage, Laing O’Rourke is known for certainty, reliability, and quality, bringing together passion, innovation, and teamwork to drive success on complex projects.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, Laing O’Rourke is committed to equal opportunities and actively encourages candidates with long-term health conditions or disabilities to apply. Candidates meeting essential criteria are offered interviews under the ‘Offer an Interview’ scheme. Adjustments and additional support are available throughout the recruitment process and into employment.