Senior Design Manager - Stormwater PMC

About the Role
The company is seeking a Senior Design Manager to lead the management and technical review of design on a major stormwater infrastructure programme in Abu Dhabi. As part of the Project Management Consultancy (PMC) team acting on behalf of the client, you will oversee the design consultants and ensure that designs are coordinated, compliant, and fit for construction. You will also keep design progress aligned with the programme and budget.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management across the programme, from concept through to detailed design, tender and construction support.
• Manage the design consultants’ performance against the design programme, scope, and quality requirements.
• Review design submissions for stormwater drainage networks, culverts, outfalls, pumping stations, attenuation and retention structures, and stormwater tunnels where applicable.
• Review hydrological and hydraulic modelling, flood risk assessments, and climate resilience approaches, and challenge assumptions where needed.
• Coordinate design across disciplines (civil, structures, geotechnical, MEP, electrical and control systems), providing consolidated comments and recommendations to the client.
• Run the design interface process with utilities, roads, other packages, and third parties, resolving clashes and open design issues.
• Ensure designs comply with the client’s requirements, applicable standards, and the requirements of the relevant Abu Dhabi authorities and utility providers.
• Manage the design approvals and no objection certificate (NOC) process, tracking submissions through to approval.
• Lead constructability, value engineering, and risk reviews, assessing the cost and programme impact of design changes.
• Manage the design change control process and support the commercial team in assessing design-related variations and claims.
• Support the tender stage by reviewing tender design packages and providing answers to technical clarifications.
• Prepare design progress reports and present them to the client, steering committees, and senior stakeholders.
• Lead and mentor a team of design managers and engineers, promoting good design quality and safety in design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources, or a related discipline; Master’s degree preferred.
• Chartered status (CEng, MICE, CIWEM, or equivalent) or an equivalent professional registration preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in stormwater, drainage, or water infrastructure design or design management, with 5+ years in the UAE or GCC.
• Proven experience managing or reviewing design on large infrastructure programmes, ideally in a PMC or client-side role.
• Strong knowledge of stormwater design and flood management, familiarity with modelling tools such as InfoWorks ICM, MIKE, HEC-RAS, or SWMM.
• Working knowledge of the design approval processes and standards used in Abu Dhabi.
• Good understanding of design coordination, BIM processes, and the Common Data Environment.
• Familiarity with FIDIC contracts and how design affects cost and programme.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

Additional Information
All newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an the company office location as a condition of employment.

Benefits
The company is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Benefits may include:

• Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability benefits
• Paid time off, leaves of absence, and voluntary benefits
• Perks and flexible work options
• Well-being resources and employee assistance program
• Business travel insurance and service recognition awards
• Retirement savings plan and employee stock purchase plan

Work Environment

• Work Location Model: On-Site
• Primary Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE