HV Technical Associate Director – Grid Partnership

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world. We deliver transmission and distribution design projects globally.

In the UK, we provide services from concept through to detailed design and construction for a wide range of clients, including established asset owners and new market entrants such as interconnectors and private wire schemes. As an example, Arup recently formed a joint venture with AECOM to serve as the design and consenting service partner for the UK National Grid’s Great Grid Partnership.

Over a period of 8–12 years, we will help deliver key aspects of the transmission grid transformation, ensuring a resilient, low‑carbon energy network for the future. This is the UK’s largest grid modernisation programme, set to deliver five times more electricity infrastructure than has been built in the past three decades. These projects, part of the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework, will enhance the country’s energy backbone, supporting planned renewable developments such as wind farms in the North Sea and East Anglia coastline.

By expanding and enhancing the grid, this programme will accelerate the transition to net zero, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and drive down energy costs.

This collaboration will drive a comprehensive design and construction program aimed at connecting clean energy to homes and businesses across England and Wales by 2030 and beyond.

Watch this short clip to discover how Arup are shaping a better world and how you could be a part of it!

Provide strategic and authoritative technical leadership across specific electrical engineering aspects of major transmission and infrastructure projects within the UK Great Grid Partnership and other similar projects. You will lead the design, assurance, and integration of all electrical elements of the works — including primary plant, protection and control, SCADA, earthing, auxiliary systems, commissioning, and interfaces with civil, structural and construction disciplines, ensuring seamless multidisciplinary coordination and high quality delivery that underpins the resilience and expansion of the national electricity network.

This role combines technical direction, strategic planning, and delivery oversight, drawing on experience that spans substation works, cable routes, OHL, and large scale infrastructure programmes. It requires an individual who can influence at senior levels, provide technical assurance across multiple work packages, and represent the HV electrical engineering discipline in high stakes client and governance forums, scaling infrastructure programmes.

• Provide organisation wide technical leadership.
• Define and uphold best practice design methodologies and GGP technical governance standards, including integration with National Grid assurance processes.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, providing insight on constructability, engineering risk, programme readiness, and cross-discipline technical dependencies.
• Drive consistency and technical excellence across bundles, ensuring alignment with GGP Charter behaviours.

• Oversee design, assurance, and integration of electrical engineering deliverables including:
  • Substation electrical design, including primary plant, busbar arrangements, switch gear, transformers, reactive compensation, earthing, lighting, small power and auxiliary systems.
  • Protection, control, automation and SCADA systems, including relay settings philosophy, control building interfaces, telecoms, metering and cyber-secure integration.
  • Cable and OHL electrical engineering interfaces, including ratings, bonding, insulation coordination, electrical clearances, commissioning requirements and energisation readiness.
• Lead validation and mobilisation activities during design transitions, including review of incumbent designs, identification of design gaps, and optimisation opportunities.
• Ensure electrical design inputs meet all programme milestones, budget constraints, and contractual requirements.
• Promote…