Civils Manager

Description

In collaboration with the Chief Architect Engineer and input from diverse subject matter experts, you will shape the civil plant design for all facilities, set detailed objectives, and guide its evolution throughout the plant's lifecycle.

The Civil Manager will collaborate with the STEP Chief Architect Engineer to lead the design of civil engineering, groundworks, infrastructure, and supporting facilities that will house the STEP Prototype Fusion Powerplant. Their mission is to deliver a fully integrated product, meeting all technical and programme objectives. This is a rare and globally significant opportunity to shape pioneering fusion technology with transformative potential for the UK economy and the future of global energy.

Accountability 1: Set and Drive Civil Plant Design Vision

Accountability 5: Lead Cross -Disciplinary Collaboration

Client for Facilities: You will guide facility design through CDM and design requirements, managing teams to deliver integrated solutions, and develop plans through to construction and the DCO approval process. You will also be engaging with Senior Stakeholders with regulators, planning authorities, and local communities.

UKIFS will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year.

Accountability 4: Explore and Define Early Design Concepts

Accountability 6: Ensure Compliance and Future Scalability

You will help define and guide the approach to civil building design, layout, and integration across the plant and site, setting clear directions, policies, objectives, and high-level requirements for the design teams.

Accountability 2: Ensure Integration and Design Integrity

Assist with Design Authority for Buildings, Civil & Structural Engineering, and Associated Areas: As the civil engineer owner, you will ensure compliance with all requirements and regulations, establishing governance to review and validate the design.

Accountability 3: Own and Manage Technical Risk and Safety

• Define and own the overarching vision for the civil design for all facilities and buildings required to house the powerplant.
• Assist with the integration of building design services and the civil structure.
• You will ensure the design evolves with clear direction, aligning with the programme’s goals and long-term vision.
• Your leadership will align diverse teams around a unified design strategy.
• Delivery of engineering / technical assurance/construction in high hazard or highly regulated environments
• Ensure that the facility and civil building design meets all relevant industry standards, quality codes, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the investigation and incubation of early-stage concepts in areas of low design maturity. Assess their potential impact on the whole plant design, translating innovative ideas into concrete requirements.
• Selecting appropriate locations for new construction projects to take place.
• Be accountable for identifying, managing, and mitigating technical risks.
• Ensure all design decisions prioritise safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance, balancing risk with performance, especially in the context of this first-of-a-kind fusion project.
• You will also focus on scalability, designing for future iterations and ensuring the plant’s long-term viability and adaptability as new technologies and operational needs emerge.
• Presenting detailed schematics, plans and budgets to key stakeholders.
• Coordinate building specialisms to ensure consistency in approaches and standards across the site.
• Help oversee the day-to-day management of the Design Authority function, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and compliance with STEP Programme and UKIFS policies.
• Your leadership in early design work will set the foundation for the plant’s evolution.
• Contribute to maintaining a respectful and collaborative workplace, valuing diversity, and promoting teamwork.
• Make informed decisions and solve problems effectively, considering diverse perspectives and organisational goals.
• Foster continuous improvement, drive innovation, and provide regular progress reports with actionable insights to enhance programme delivery.
• Develop inventive strategies to address gaps, ensuring seamless integration and rapid progress by recognising the differing stages of maturity between plant and civil facility design.
• Act as a cultural ambassador, representing our organization's values and professionalism in interactions with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
• Recognise and address the inherent complexity of integrating civil infrastructure with a rapidly evolving fusion plant design, where systems may mature at different rates.
• Define and implement policies, strategies, and standards for civil engineering design, establishing governance to ensure organisational adherence.
• Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that aligns with our cultural values.
• Resolve conflicts, balance competing objectives, and negotiate trade-offs to deliver a fully integrated civil plant design that achieves optimal performance in line with the design vision.
• Uphold safety standards across all design and operational stages.
• Ensure that all domains work cohesively, driving integrated decision-making that reflects the plant’s complex and emergent nature.
• Managing change and change controls.
• Establish high-level objectives and requirements that guide the system towards a high-performing, safe, and sustainable prototype.
• Lead the development and execution of the implementation strategy, manage prioritisation and value engineering efforts, and ensure activities stay on track with budget, quality, and performance targets.
• Help foster interdisciplinary collaboration, coordinating teams across systems, location, time, materials, controls, and operations.

Requirements

STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is the UK’s flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion. STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experiencing in delivery.

• Having awareness on the benefits of BIM (Building Information Modelling) or other digital engineering tools.
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent, preferably Institute of Civil Engineers.
• Experience delivering technical assurance in high hazard and/or technically complex major programmes.
• Proven leadership of complex systems engineering workflows, including the derivation of requirements from objectives and the management of subsequent V&V activities.
• Proven ability to distil complex technical challenges into clear strategies and actions.
• Experience of designing heavy structures (civil nuclear and/or defence)
• Experience of working in an organisation that holds design authority.
• Experience coordinating diverse delivery across multiple partners or businesses.
• Experience working in an emergent tech environment.
• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management systems.
• Knowledge of environmental compliance and sustainability principles in civil design.
• Excellent knowledge of modern civil engineering principles, standards, equations, and processes
• Public Sector Knowledge UK: Familiarity with the specific regulations, policies, and governance frameworks applicable to public sector organisations

Benefits

The salary for this role is £70,505 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension.

Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for Flexible Working.

• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders,
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies.
• Wide range of career development opportunities.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance