Operations Manager - Projects

Overview

We have an exciting and rare opportunity for an Operations Manager – Projects to lead our Major Projects Maintenance team across the South West region from North Somerset to the Isles of Scilly. In this pivotal leadership role, you’ll guide a large, multi-skilled team of Engineers, Senior Authorised Persons and Craftstaff to ensure the safety, resilience, and statutory compliance of the electricity distribution network that powers our communities.

With responsibility for an annual budget of approximately £6 million, you’ll oversee the full asset lifecycle - from proactive inspection and maintenance to complex repairs and emergency fault response. Your decisions will directly shape network reliability, resilience, and the experience of our customers, while inspiring your team to deliver BIG WORK for a sustainable future. You’ll have the flexibility to work from any of our locations across the South West.

As this is a hands‑on operational role, you’ll need to be depot‑based five days a week and be comfortable with regular travel throughout the region. This role also requires flexibility during severe weather or unplanned events, such as storms or flooding. You’ll play a vital part in deploying resources and restoring power supplies—keeping customers connected across our licence areas.

About Us

We’re National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses. National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues – who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.

• Responsible for the safety, health, environment and wellbeing of your team & customers in your area. Accountable for CDM compliance for all works and that safety related incident investigations are carried out and learning shared.
• Leading a large multi skilled team with approx.
  40 direct and indirect reports. Facilitating development of team members to deliver a capital work programme.
• Delivering your work programme within a Capex/Opex budget of up to £70m per financial year
• Delivering the key performance indicators to underpin business success.
• Delivering & managing your work programme, over multiple financial years, with single projects over £20m in value
• Delivering the construction of new network across each financial year with responsibility to ensure portfolio of projects are adequately resourced and contractor performance is effectively managed.
• Understanding of Ofgem requirements including financing, profit margins & customer service (OFGEM RIG). Collaboration with stakeholders to build & deliver a work programme for each financial year, including engagement with strategic customers to enhance customer experience.
• Monitoring, maintaining & reinforcing the distribution network for customers with responsibility for the 132kv network in a specific geographical area.
• Building a succession pipeline for yourself and your direct reports. Responsible for ensuring key technical and operational expertise is developed.
• Proactively engage with large generation and demand customers to ensure performance targets are met and projects are delivered.

• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to inspire, develop, and manage teams effectively. Candidates should demonstrate strong decision-making, communication, and people management skills.
• Project & Programme Management:
  Proven experience in planning, resourcing, and delivering complex projects or programmes from initiation to completion, ensuring objectives are…