Joseph's career as an MEP Design Manager

I'm Joseph Kanu, an MEP Design Manager at Egis. I lead a multidisciplinary engineering team, coordinating the design so that it is fit for purpose, buildable, maintainable and able to stand the test of time. 

The discipline that brings design together 

Design management brings a complex project together. A major railway programme involves many disciplines, suppliers, contractors and stakeholders, each responsible for a different part of the design. Our role is to make sure those parts connect and work as one integrated system. 

That means managing interfaces, closing gaps and keeping the design aligned with the programme, client requirements, industry regulations and project specifications. A solution can work within a single discipline and still create problems elsewhere if its interfaces have not been properly considered. 

A design manager therefore needs a broad technical understanding. We do not replace the specialists, but we need enough knowledge across disciplines to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions and spot where coordination issues may arise. 

Why collaboration matters 

The role goes far beyond managing programmes and spreadsheets. It is about creating the conditions for people to work together, aligning technical disciplines and interfacing parties around the same objectives, and making sure the design is robust enough to move confidently into construction. 

On a complex railway project, that can mean coordinating mechanical, electrical, public health, railway systems, telecommunications and fire protection engineers, as well as construction and procurement teams. Each brings specialist expertise; design management provides the wider view that connects their work. 

Those disciplines cannot work in isolation because one decision can affect many other parts of the system. Bringing the right people together early helps us resolve competing requirements, address gaps and ensure the finished design works for the client and for those who will build, operate and maintain it. 

Getting the design right first time 

One of design management's most important contributions is finding issues before the design reaches site. Identifying a clash, missing interface or compliance problem during design is safer, quicker and less costly than discovering it during construction. 

Getting it right first time means designing out risk wherever possible. We test the design against standards and specifications, involve construction teams to confirm it can be built, and work with procurement colleagues to ensure proposed products have completed the right testing and approval processes. 

This early coordination reduces rework, protects the programme and gives the client confidence that the design can be delivered efficiently and maintained throughout its life. 

Learning from every project 

Technical excellence matters because the decisions we make now will shape infrastructure used for generations. We draw on specialists across Egis and apply lessons from other major programmes, bringing proven knowledge into the projects we are delivering today. 

Every live project also brings new challenges and opportunities to learn. Engineering continues to evolve through new technologies, changing standards and different delivery methods, so each project helps us strengthen our technical understanding and improve how we work. 

Egis supports that development through mentoring, internal training and professional development, including engagement with professional bodies and the Engineering Council. It gives engineers the opportunity to broaden their experience and continue progressing in their careers. 

Infrastructure with a lasting impact 

What makes the work rewarding is its scale and longevity. I spent around 11 years working on the Crossrail project now named the Elizabeth line, and seeing people use that railway today is a powerful reminder that good engineering has an impact long after a project is completed. 

The same principle applies to the project I am working on now. We are designing infrastructure that must perform safely and efficiently, remain maintainable and last for at least 100 years. Knowing that today's work will serve people for generations is a real source of pride. 

For me, that is the value of design management: bringing people, disciplines and decisions together to turn a complex design into a coordinated, compliant and buildable solution. When we get those connections right, we help create infrastructure that will continue to perform for decades to come.