Senior Design Manager - Natural Environment

Senior Design Manager - Natural Environment

London, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

Introduction

When it comes to pioneering ambition, there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our Heathrow Expansion programme offers a unique and exciting opportunity to play a defining role in one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects.

You’ll help shape a national legacy that millions will experience for decades to come, as we deliver the third runway, improve passenger experience, stimulate jobs and opportunities across the UK, and strengthen the global connectivity that powers trade and travel.

Modernising and expanding the UK’s only hub airport and critical national infrastructure whilst keeping it fully operational and safe, creates a pace and complexity unlike other major programmes. It demands collaboration, resilience, problem solving and a desire to take on challenges that genuinely matter.

From securing planning consents to designing a new runway, modernising terminals and improving public transport access, and delivering on environmental and community commitments - the scale is unmatched.

You’ll be part of a diverse team of talented colleagues, built on mutual respect and where excellence thrives. It’s an inspiring place to work, with unlimited opportunities to make a difference as you help to shape the future of our world‑class airport.

Job Info

• Job Identification 5208
• Job Category Project Management
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations Heathrow Airport Limited, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW6 2GW, GB (Hybrid)
• Contract Type Permanent
• Working Pattern Monday-Friday Business hours

Job Description

This role is responsible for project managing the integrated solution development, ensuring that all options are high‑quality, deliverable, and fully coordinated across multiple work packages. It will also lead the timely delivery of tranche package documentation, ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives of the Long Term Growth Programme.

Integrated, design‑led blue and green infrastructure is central to the success of this programme. The role will play a key part in coordinating the design of biodiversity net gain initiatives, habitat management, open spaces, landscaping, and blue green infrastructure. This work will take place within one of the UK’s most complex programmes and involve close engagement with key stakeholders and local communities.

Principal Accountabilities

• Collaborate with the Programme Leader – Design Delivery to support the effective execution of responsibilities and ensure successful project outcomes.
• Manage the procurement and oversight of Design & Engineering suppliers, including performance and contract management.
• Lead the delivery of design and engineering outputs for assigned tranches, ensuring all deliverables align with strategic programme objectives and documented requirements.
• Monitor progress and performance across tranches, establishing and applying appropriate performance measures throughout each delivery stage.
• Identify and manage risks and opportunities across the full lifecycle, implementing effective mitigation strategies and promoting informed decision ‑ making.
• Oversee optioneering and integrated solution development, support the production of DCO and related documentation, and ensure quality, safety, inclusivity, sustainability, and continuous improvement in all design and engineering activities.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience working within major project or programme environments.
• Strong knowledge of project management tools, including Autodesk Collaboration Cloud and P6.
• Experience collaborating with multi ‑ disciplinary design, engineering teams, and diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering successful outcomes in complex programme settings.
• Ability to adapt to continuous improvement initiatives and effectively support change management.
• Degreequalified in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience (5+ years).

Ideally, you will also have

• Experience of working at Heathrow or comparable aviation or large infrastructure environment
• APM or similar professional body membership
• Development Consent Order Experience
• Proficient in IT systems with strong information management skills.

About us

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer‑term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market‑leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow . Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.

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