Design Team Leader – Drainage and Water

Team Leader

We're looking for a Design Team Leader – Drainage and Water to join our team based in Exeter or Salford within the transportation sector. Kier Design are a highly regarded Tier 1 Contractor, with a 750 plus strong design consultancy team, recognised as a Top 30 employer on Glassdoor.

Location: Exeter or Salford based with hybrid working available Hours: 37.5 per week - some flexibility on hours available if desired, just let us know when you speak to us.

Are you…

• Experienced in leading and developing design teams, including line managers and early-career staff
• Confident managing programmes, budgets, and risks across a variety of transportation projects
• Skilled at managing clients and stakeholders, including Local Authorities, Lead Local Flood Authorities, and utilities
• Experienced in delivering high-quality, compliant highway drainage and flood risk solutions
• Holder of a Full driving licence and willing to travel as required

What will you be responsible for?

As a Design Team Leader – Drainage and Water, you'll be working within the Drainage and Water team, supporting them in leading a talented Drainage and Water design team, delivering high-quality, compliant, and sustainable solutions across a diverse portfolio of projects. You'll act as the technical and delivery lead for assigned work packages, ensuring designs are coordinated and that programme, budget, and risk commitments are consistently met. Working closely with the Design Manager and wider Kier Design teams, you'll develop team capability, support consistent delivery, and build strong relationships with internal and external clients to provide a reliable, value-driven service.

Your day to day will include:

• Leading, motivating, and developing your team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and ongoing professional growth
• Acting as technical lead for assigned work packages, ensuring outputs comply with DMRB, LLFA, and local authority standards
• Planning, pricing, and delivering work packages, proactively identifying and managing risks to ensure programmes and budgets are achieved
• Building and maintaining relationships with Local Authorities, Lead Local Flood Authorities, National Highways, and utilities
• Supporting and implementing process improvements, efficiency initiatives, and encouraging technical innovation

Rewards and benefits

We're proud to be able to offer our brilliant people a wide variety of benefits that you can tailor to your needs. You can see more information of benefits here.

Diversity and inclusion

Making Kier a diverse and inclusive place to work is a huge priority for us. We're proud of the steps we've taken so far, but we know we must always do more. Our employees are key in shaping Kier's diversity and inclusion initiatives and our people have made a huge impact on how we work, by using their experiences to shape our policies. You can see our D&I action plan here.

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this role will be offered an interview.

Due to the nature of this role, you will also be required to complete a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check (applicants with convictions will be treated on a case-by-case basis. We do not discriminate based on an applicant's conviction history or the details of any convictions disclosed to us). Some roles may also be subject to further pre-employment checks.

We look forward to seeing your application.

LI-MA1

• Job Description_D&W_Transp Team Leader_Apr2026 (2).pdf

Location: Exeter. Salford

Vacancy ID: 12470

Background check: BPSS Checks

Closing date:

Contract type: Permanent

Working hours: Full Time

Flexible working: Yes Flexible working could include part time, job share, condensed hours, or flexible start/end times.