A privately-owned housebuilder delivering c.250 units per annum across Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire is looking to appoint an Engineering Manager. This is a business with a strong, secure land pipeline spanning strategic land through to sites ready for immediate delivery, giving the successful candidate genuine variety and long-term visibility of workload.
The role will suit an engineer who is equally comfortable assessing the technical viability of land at the earliest stages as they are managing detailed civil engineering design and delivery on live sites.
Key responsibilities:
- Provide technical input into land acquisition, appraising sites for viability and feasibility ahead of purchase
- Support strategic land and planning colleagues through outline consent stages, advising on infrastructure requirements, constraints and technical risk
- Manage the transition of sites from outline consent through to detailed design and reserved matters
- Take immediate/ready-to-build sites through detailed civil engineering design to on-site delivery
- Manage and instruct external consultants (civil engineers, drainage, ecology, ground investigation) to ensure designs are robust, buildable and cost-effective
- Prepare and manage Section 38, Section 104 and Section 278 agreements, liaising with local authorities and statutory undertakers
- Develop and oversee drainage strategies, including SuDS, and ensure compliance with adoption standards for roads and sewers
- Ensure all designs meet NHBC/warranty provider technical standards and building regulations
- Work closely with land, planning, technical, commercial and construction teams to align engineering solutions with programme and cost targets
- Monitor and manage engineering budgets and costs across the site portfolio, flagging risks early
- Attend site visits and progress meetings to ensure engineering delivery stays on programme
- Keep up to date with changes in planning policy, building regulations and industry best practice affecting engineering design
Key skills and experience required:
- Proven civil/site engineering background gained within a residential housebuilder, developer or engineering consultancy, ideally at Engineering Manager or senior engineer level already
- Strong viability and feasibility experience, able to appraise sites technically pre-acquisition and advise land and planning colleagues on infrastructure costs, constraints and risk
- Exposure to strategic land and outline planning consents, understanding how technical requirements evolve from outline through to reserved matters and detailed design
- Experience taking sites with immediate consent through to delivery, managing detailed design, Section 38/104/278 agreements, and liaison with statutory undertakers and local authorities
- Sound knowledge of drainage strategy (including SuDS), earthworks, roads and sewers adoption processes, and NHBC/warranty technical standards
- Ability to manage and review the output of external consultants and contractors, ensuring designs are cost-effective, buildable and compliant
- Strong commercial awareness, able to balance technical solutions against build cost and programme
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, working closely with land, planning, technical, commercial and construction teams
- A relevant engineering degree or equivalent professional qualification (incorporated/chartered status with ICE or similar advantageous)
- Full UK driving licence, with flexibility to travel across the four-county operating area
To apply for this job email your details to tom@tdm-recruitment.com.
