Head of Commissioning - Scotland

Job No. BBUK
21294

Head of Commissioning
- Scotland
- Motherwell

Power T&D

Operational Specialists

About the role
Lead the safe, successful commissioning of major substation projects across Scotland.

At Balfour Beatty, we’re shaping the infrastructure that keeps communities connected and supports Scotland’s energy future. We’re looking for an accomplished commissioning leader to head our Scotland commissioning function and guide high-voltage substation projects safely and confidently from construction completion through testing, energisation and operational handover.

The opportunity

As Head of Commissioning – Scotland, you’ll provide strategic and technical leadership across a portfolio of Power Transmission & Distribution substation projects. You’ll set the commissioning strategy, governance and assurance approach; build the right internal and external capability; and bring project teams, delivery partners, network operators and suppliers together around safe, compliant and predictable delivery.

You’ll lead an internal team, while managing specialist subcontractors, original equipment manufacturers and agency partners. Working closely with the Scotland Substation Operation Director and stakeholders across operations, projects, engineering, commercial, procurement and workforce planning, you’ll ensure every project is ready for safe energisation and successful client acceptance.
What you'll be doing
Provide accountable leadership for commissioning across Scotland, from construction completion through testing, energisation and final handover.

Develop and maintain the commissioning strategy, governance framework, standards, procedures and assurance regime.

Lead, mobilise and performance-manage internal teams and the external supply chain, setting clear expectations for safety, quality, technical delivery and behaviours.

Own the portfolio resource and competency plan, ensuring qualified and authorised capability is available for project schedules, outages and energisation milestones.

Embed commissioning requirements early in tendering, design, procurement, construction and project controls.

Lead readiness reviews, integrated commissioning plans and safe energisation sequences, proactively resolving technical interfaces, defects and programme constraints.

Manage commissioning budgets, forecasts, supplier performance, risks, opportunities and change.

Drive continuous improvement through standardisation, lessons learned, digital systems and the development of sustainable in-house capability.
Who we're looking for
You’ll be a credible, visible leader with extensive senior-level experience of commissioning high-voltage transmission or distribution substations. You’ll combine deep technical judgement with the ability to lead people, influence clients and partners, and make sound decisions in complex, safety-critical environments.

A degree, HNC/HND or equivalent professional qualification in electrical engineering, power systems or a related discipline.

Strong knowledge of the full substation commissioning lifecycle, including factory and site acceptance testing, protection and control, SCADA, primary plant, transformers, switch gear, telecommunications, metering and AC/DC auxiliary systems.

A proven record of leading commissioning across major projects and managing multidisciplinary teams and specialist supply-chain partners.

Thorough understanding of UK legislation, CDM requirements, electrical safety rules, operational authorisation, competence regimes and relevant industry standards.

Experience of live operational environments, outage planning, readiness reviews, defect management, commissioning documentation and client handover.

Strong commercial and financial acumen, alongside excellent stakeholder…