Design Manager, Water & Wastewater

Design Leadership | Technical Governance | People & Succession | $180k-$220k + super

Brisbane, Queensland

In some businesses, a Design Manager is still treated as the most senior person checking drawings. This role carries much broader responsibility.You will shape the performance, capability and future of a Water & Wastewater Design Office, with accountability spanning design quality, people leadership, resource planning, technical governance, commercial risk and succession.

We're partnering with our client, a national multidisciplinary engineering and design consultancy growing its water and wastewater capability in Brisbane.

They are seeking a Design Manager who can lead designers and drafters, strengthen delivery systems and ensure the right people are working on the right projects at the right time.

This is not a title awarded for years of service. It is a genuine leadership role for someone who can improve how a design function performs while developing the people within it.

The Opportunity

You will lead the Water & Wastewater Design Office and hold overall responsibility for the quality and delivery of project drawings across the discipline.

The role will see you involved across:

• Leading design delivery across water, wastewater and recycled-water infrastructure

• Overseeing work involving pump stations, pipelines, reservoirs, treatment facilities and associated assets

• Planning design-office resources, schedules and project allocation across competing priorities

• Working with Directors and Technical Directors to organise and deliver project drawing packages

• Leading design reviews, critical hold points, risk identification and resolution of complex technical issues

• Maintaining technical standards, design documentation and consistent delivery practices across teams and offices

• Monitoring forecast workloads, resourcing, cashflow and capacity against project commitments

• Managing design-level commercial risk and supporting sustainable revenue, profit and growth

You'll have the authority to set expectations, make decisions and improve the systems that sit behind successful project delivery.

People Leadership

The strength of this role is not measured only by project output. It is also measured by the capability and confidence of the team you build.

You will:

• Lead the performance, development and wellbeing of design and drafting personnel

• Coach and mentor staff to build technical capability and support career progression

• Conduct succession planning and develop future design leaders

• Support recruitment, performance reviews and performance management

• Create clear expectations while motivating and empowering people to perform

• Improve staff retention and workplace satisfaction through visible, practical leadership

What We're Looking For

We're interested in speaking with established design leaders who understand both the technical detail and the commercial reality of running a high-performing design function.

Essential capabilities include:

• Proven leadership of design and drafting teams within water, wastewater or comparable infrastructure

• The ability to identify high-risk points and make sound decisions at critical project hold points

• Strong design-office resourcing, scheduling and workload-allocation capability

• The ability to coach, mentor and develop technical staff at different career levels

• Commercial judgement and the ability to interpret both technical and commercial challenges

• High-level consulting, client-management and multidisciplinary coordination skills

• The ability to simplify complex technical information for design teams and project stakeholders

• A practical commitment to safety, quality and continuous improvement

Technical Experience

Experience across some or all of the following will be highly regarded:

• Water, wastewater and recycled-water treatment facilities

• Pump stations, pipelines, reservoirs and associated civil infrastructure

• Design governance, formal reviews, quality systems and technical documentation

• Multidisciplinary model and drawing coordination across project stages

• Construction-ready design packages and practical constructability outcomes

Why This Role Stands Out

This position sits well beyond day-to-day design coordination. You will influence the strategic direction, technical standards and commercial performance of the design capability.

You can expect:

• Direct input into leadership decisions affecting workload, resources and business performance

• Ownership of design quality and delivery across a significant water and wastewater portfolio

• The mandate to improve systems, develop future leaders and strengthen succession

• Visibility across the wider national business and its multidisciplinary teams

• An indicative base salary of $180k-$220k plus super, aligned to experience and capability

If you want to build a design function that performs without burning out its people, develops genuine successors and produces work clients can trust, this is worth a confidential discussion.

To apply or request further information, contact James Foden at Telos Co for a confidential conversation.