Purpose of the Role

To provide technical leadership to the OHLE design, general electrical design and mechanical design functions. To act as technical head for relevant Network Rail Standards and other Industry Standards as appropriate.

Key Accountabilities   

• Safety – Lead the implementation of the Colas Rail Limited Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) strategy, associated actions and resulting initiatives within Design Team in support of the broader company objective.

·   Profitability – Ensure that designs are carried out to the agreed timescales and to the number of man-hours within the budget agreed for the contract. 

·    Quality - To ensure that designs and other technical activities are correctly and professionally carried out and to the appropriate industry and contract requirements

• Respect - Develop and implement effective people management policies and procedures to ensure fair treatment of all staff

Key Tasks    

• To ensure the design team has appropriate resources and designers have the appropriate qualifications, skills and competencies to carry out technical activities
• To ensure that designs are carried out to the agreed man – hours under the contracts
• To act as technical head for relevant Network Rail Standards and other Industry Standards as appropriate

·    Manage and develop a first class professional design team

·     Allocate resources to carry out design activities associated with Colas Rail live contracts

·     Allocate resources to carry out design man-hour estimates to form part of Colas Rail tenders

·     Carry out proactive resolution of technical issues with other Professional Heads of design functions and other functional designers

·     Work closely with the design manager to ensure that all designs are carried out to the agreed man-hours in contract budgets, and to report progress

·     Deliver work within agreed timescales, according to the agreed quality and in line with all safety rules, standards and principles

·     Manage the team performance using the Colas Competency Management Framework and Performance and Development process.

·      To identify personal development needs and ensure that technical staff have a Personal Development Plan in place to address any skill gaps.

·      Maintain and update staff Competency Records within the Company database

·      Where required, undertake the role of Bid Manager or Technical Reviewer

·      To technically specify and technically manage design subcontracts as appropriate

·      Ensure by audit and review that resources are competent to undertake their specified activities in accordance with the Safety Critical Work Regulations

·      Produce and/or review engineering quality & safety documentation.

·      Act as CEM and CRE as required

·      Attend client meetings as appropriate

·      To provide day to day management of a team of designers and technical staff

·      To ensure that the appropriate technical resource levels with the correct training and experience are in place for current and planned jobs

·      To ensure that designs and other technical activities are correctly and professionally carried out and to the appropriate industry and contract requirements

·      Leads issue resolution and risk mitigation activities for projects to ensure a proactive approach to project delivery is applied.

Person Specification

·      The job holder will be a technically qualified and experienced engineer, with proven experience of managing a design team.   Extensive knowledge of Network Rail standards and appropriate other industry standards is essential.

Qualifications/Experience

·         Network Rail accredited approver or equivalent experience

·         Chartered engineer or working towards this

·         Proven experience of team leadership

·         Proven experience of delivering designs within agreed budgets and timescales

·         Extensive knowledge of design protocol and standards within the rail infrastructure industry.

·         Good understanding of other rail technical disciplines and interface management

·         Professional approach to managing and delivering technical activities

·         Actively promotes and champions change and innovation by creating and leading new situations

·         Demonstrates broad business thinking and sound commercial judgment

·         Develops effective relationships both externally and internally  to support business strategy

·         Consistently looking at ways to maximize the outputs of the team through their development