Senior Engineering Manager

CETO Talent is working with an established engineering consultancy to recruit a Senior Engineering Manager to lead the delivery of multidisciplinary engineering projects and support the continued development of its technical capability.

This is a senior leadership position combining engineering management, technical assurance, people development, commercial oversight and client relationship management. You will oversee engineering delivery across a portfolio of projects, coordinating teams across civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and other specialist disciplines to ensure designs are technically robust, properly coordinated and delivered within agreed programmes and budgets.

Alongside leading project delivery, you will play an important role in developing engineering teams, improving processes and strengthening client relationships to support the consultancy’s future growth.

The role would suit an experienced engineering leader who can balance technical quality with commercial performance, build effective teams and provide clear direction across complex projects.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership and Project Delivery

- Lead engineering delivery across multiple projects, from feasibility and concept design through detailed design and construction support.

- Establish project scopes, design responsibilities, deliverables, programmes and resource requirements.

- Coordinate discipline leads and specialist consultants, ensuring design interfaces are clearly defined and managed.

- Oversee design reviews, verification and approval processes, ensuring appropriate technical accountability.

- Resolve complex technical and coordination issues, escalating significant risks and decisions where required.

- Ensure designs consider buildability, maintainability, sustainability and whole-life performance.

- Monitor progress against agreed milestones and implement corrective action where necessary.

People Leadership and Resource Management

- Lead, mentor and develop engineering teams, promoting collaboration, accountability and technical excellence.

- Allocate resources across projects, balancing workload, capability, utilisation and delivery priorities.

- Support recruitment, succession planning and the development of future technical leaders.

- Set objectives, conduct performance reviews and identify professional development needs.

- Encourage knowledge sharing and consistent working practices across disciplines and offices.

Commercial and Financial Management

- Work with project managers to establish realistic fee budgets, resource allowances and delivery plans.

- Monitor engineering hours, forecast costs to complete and address emerging budget pressures.

- Identify scope changes, additional services and programme impacts, supporting the agreement of variations before additional work proceeds.

- Contribute to proposals, fee estimates and technical submissions.

- Manage subconsultant deliverables and performance alongside the wider project team.

- Improve project profitability through effective planning, coordination and quality control.

Client Relationships and Business Development

- Act as a senior engineering contact for clients, contractors and project stakeholders.

- Provide clear, practical technical advice to support client decision-making.

- Build long-term client relationships and identify opportunities for repeat business and additional services.

- Support bids, client interviews and presentations, demonstrating the consultancy’s technical capability.

- Work with senior leadership to develop service offerings and expand into target markets.

Quality, Governance and Risk

- Implement and improve engineering procedures, quality assurance processes and design management standards.

- Ensure technical, delivery and design safety risks are identified and managed.

- Oversee design risk reviews and the communication of residual risks.

- Ensure engineering work complies with relevant legislation, standards, contractual requirements and client procedures.

- Maintain clear records of design decisions, checks, approvals and changes.

- Promote continuous improvement through project reviews and lessons learned.

About You

You will be an experienced engineering professional with a strong consultancy background and a track record of leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering complex engineering projects.

You will combine sound technical judgement with commercial awareness, confident leadership and the ability to develop strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

Essential requirements:

- A degree in an engineering discipline relevant to the consultancy’s services.

- Chartered Engineer status through an appropriate professional institution.

- Significant experience within an engineering consultancy, including leadership of multidisciplinary teams and complex projects.

- Proven experience managing design coordination, technical assurance, resources, programmes and fee budgets.

- Strong understanding of UK engineering delivery and construction processes.

- Experience developing client relationships and contributing to successful proposals.

- A track record of mentoring engineers and improving team performance.

- Sound commercial judgement, including the ability to challenge unclear scopes, unrealistic programmes and unmanaged risks.

- Strong communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable experience:

- Experience in infrastructure, rail, aviation, utilities, commercial development or data centres.

- Experience working across multiple offices or with international delivery teams.

- Familiarity with BIM, common data environments and digital design coordination.

- Experience improving quality management systems and consultancy governance.

- Involvement in business growth, recruitment and developing new services.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, you will help ensure projects meet their technical, programme and financial objectives while building a strong, capable engineering team.

You will improve design coordination and quality, reduce avoidable rework, strengthen client relationships and help establish consistent engineering processes that support the consultancy’s continued growth.

Salary and Benefits

The successful candidate will receive:

- Salary of £80,000 to £90,000 per annum, including car allowance.

- Employer pension contributions matched up to 5%.

- 23 days’ annual leave.

- 10% discretionary bonus.

- Hybrid working, with a typical arrangement of 2 days per week in the Surrey office and 1 day per week in Stansted, or vice versa.

Interested?

If you are a Chartered Engineer with the leadership experience to manage multidisciplinary engineering teams, deliver complex projects and contribute to the commercial success of an engineering consultancy, CETO Talent would like to hear from you.

Apply today to discuss the opportunity in more detail
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed