Head of Detailed Design

Role Overview

The Head of Detailed Design is responsible for leading, managing and coordinating all detailed design activities across Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and ICA disciplines within projects undertaken by Bridges through a well established team of circa 30 engineers/designers located mainly at our head office but also throughout our network of regional locations.

The role ensures that detailed designs are technically robust, compliant with client and regulatory standards, inherently safe, and deliverable within programme, cost and quality constraints. The post holder acts as the technical authority during the detailed design phase, leading multidisciplinary teams and ensuring effective integration between MEICA and civil/structural design elements.

• Lead the development of detailed design phase and fabrication level designs
• Ensure all designs meet client specifications, regulatory requirements, and industry standards (e.g. Water Company asset standards, DWI, Environment Agency, legislation, etc)
• Oversee the production, review, and approval of detailed design deliverables including drawings, risk assessments, specifications, calculations, schedules, and design reports
• Ensure effective integration and coordination between Mechanical, Electrical, ICA and Civil/Structural designs
• Drive "right‑first‑time" design delivery, minimising rework, technical risk, and downstream construction issues
• Support good business wide team communication, client relationships, and support Principal Design and Principal Contractor accountabilities shared in the team

• Act as the technical authority for Civil, Structural and MEICA detailed design decisions
• Ensure compliance with relevant standards, including but not limited to:
  • Bridges own strategies and workflows (The Bridges Way)
  • British Standards (BS), IEC and ISO standards
  • Client asset standards and specifications
  • Legislation
• Review and approve design documentation, technical calculations, and design risk registers
• Lead and manage design risk activities including HAZID, HAZOP, ALM reviews, constructability reviews, and value engineering workshops
• Ensure lessons learned and best practice are captured and embedded into future designs

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary engineering teams, including civil, mechanical, electrical and ICA engineers, designers and technicians
• Plan and allocate design resources to meet programme milestones and project priorities
• Understand workflows and implement methodologies to reduce 'bottlenecks' throughout the detailed design life cycle
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and coaching to design staff, supporting competence development and succession planning
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance and safety-led design culture

• Act as a primary technical interface with clients, delivery teams, contractors, and supply chain partners during the detailed design phase
• Lead and participate in design reviews, technical workshops, and client meetings
• Provide technical support during procurement, construction and commissioning phases as required
• Build and maintain strong, transparent working relationships aligned with framework and business values

• Ensure detailed designs are delivered in line with agreed programmes and budgets
• Support cost estimation activities, procurement strategies and tender evaluations through design input and technical clarification
• Identify opportunities for efficiency, standardisation, innovation, and whole‑life cost savings within designs
• Proactively manage design changes, ensuring impacts on cost, programme and risk are understood and controlled