Principal Designer​/Design Manager; Energy

Job Description

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

Our Networks Engineering team supports some of the UK's largest electricity transmission and distribution organisations, delivering critical infrastructure projects that maintain and enhance the reliability, resilience and performance of the power network. As a Principal Designer, you'll play a key role in the safe and successful delivery of HV and EHV substation projects, providing CDM leadership and design governance from concept through to construction.

Working across new-build, refurbishment and network reinforcement schemes from 11kV to 132kV, you'll lead multidisciplinary teams to develop technically robust, compliant and buildable solutions while ensuring health, safety and risk management remain at the forefront of the design process.

• Undertake the statutory role of CDM Principal Designer for HV and EHV projects, ensuring compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and effective management of health, safety, and welfare throughout the design phase.
• Lead and coordinate the project design phase, managing multidisciplinary design teams, suppliers, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure safe, coordinated, and compliant design delivery.
• Oversee the development and review of technical specifications and design deliverables for substation upgrades and new build projects from 11kV up to and including 132kV.
• Ensure that design solutions are technically robust, buildable, maintainable, and aligned with project requirements, programme objectives, and budget constraints.
• Manage the design risk process, facilitating the identification, assessment, elimination, reduction, and communication of foreseeable health, safety, and operational risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Review and challenge designs produced by internal teams, clients, and suppliers to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, standards, client specifications, and industry best practice.
• Prepare, maintain, and coordinate pre-construction information and support the development of the Health and Safety File in accordance with CDM requirements.
• Chair and facilitate design review meetings, hazard workshops, and stakeholder engagement sessions to ensure effective communication, collaboration, and resolution of design issues.
• Provide design governance and assurance, ensuring that design outputs meet quality standards and are delivered in accordance with contractual, regulatory, and client requirements.
• Support project delivery during the construction phase by providing design leadership, managing design changes, and ensuring that any residual design risks are appropriately assessed and communicated.
• Monitor and drive design performance against programme, quality, safety, and commercial objectives, ensuring successful project outcomes.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal teams, acting as a trusted advisor on CDM and design management matters.

• Degree, HNC, or equivalent qualification in Electrical Engineering, with significant experience in the design and delivery of HV and EHV infrastructure projects.
• Proven experience undertaking the role of Principal Designer under the CDM Regulations, with a comprehensive understanding of design risk management and construction health and safety requirements.
• Demonstrable experience leading and coordinating multidisciplinary design teams through all stages of the project design lifecycle.
• Strong technical knowledge of HV and EHV substations, including AIS and GIS installations from 11kV up to and including 132kV.
• Experience managing the design of new substations, network reinforcement schemes, refurbishment, and retrofit projects of varying size and complexity.
• A thorough understanding of relevant engineering standards, legislation, and technical policies relating to HV and EHV substations, including electrical clearances, earthing, and safety by design principles.
• Experience facilitating design risk reviews, hazard identification workshops, and ensuring that risks are eliminated or reduced through the design process.
• Ability to review, challenge, and assure designs produced by internal teams, third parties, and suppliers to ensure compliance with legislative, regulatory, technical, and client requirements.
• Experience engaging with clients, contractors, suppliers, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Strong understanding of substation plant specifications, protection and control systems, cable systems, and…