Head of Operational Services

Base

Location:

For this role, we require successful applicants to be based from one of our Scottish locations and you’ll be expected to spend 50% of your working week in the office – Perth, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness or Glasgow.

Salary: £80,700 – £121,100 + car allowance + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available

As Head of Operational Services, you’ll provide strategic leadership across a diverse portfolio of operational support functions that are critical to the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland.

Leading multidisciplinary teams and specialist delivery partners, you’ll be responsible for services that enable the construction, commissioning and operation of a rapidly expanding transmission system. This includes vegetation and land management, civils and buildings engineering, logistics, warehousing and strategic spares. You’ll play a key role in ensuring operational readiness, supporting major infrastructure investment programmes and helping maintain network resilience during storms and emergency events.

This is a high‑profile leadership opportunity where you’ll influence long‑term strategy, shape operational standards and work closely with senior leaders across operations, asset management and major capital projects.

• Lead a diverse operational services function, providing strategic direction, governance and performance oversight across vegetation management, civils and buildings engineering, logistics, warehousing and strategic spares.
• Develop and deliver long‑term strategies that improve network resilience, operational readiness and asset performance while supporting a growing infrastructure investment programme.
• Champion a strong safety, health and environmental culture, ensuring excellent standards across internal teams, contractors and operational activities.
• Provide leadership during major incidents, storms and system events, ensuring resources, logistics and specialist services are available to support safe network restoration.
• Work collaboratively with operational, engineering and project delivery teams to ensure new infrastructure is designed, constructed and handed over with long‑term operability, maintainability and resilience in mind.

• Significant leadership experience within utilities, infrastructure, engineering or another safety‑critical, regulated environment.
• Experience managing large multidisciplinary teams and supplier or contractor partnerships, with a track record of delivering results through others.
• Strong understanding of operational risk management, health and safety legislation and the governance required to support safe delivery.
• Experience supporting major capital investment programmes while balancing operational requirements, risk and business priorities.
• Commercial and strategic planning experience, with the ability to make informed decisions, influence senior stakeholders and drive continuous improvement.

SSE’s purpose is to provide energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow. We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. Our Transforming for Growth investment plan sees us investing £33 bn in critical electricity infrastructure across the five years to 2030.

SSEN Transmission owns and operates the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland. We transport energy from where it is generated to where it is needed, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply for the communities we serve. We’re upgrading the grid to deliver cleaner, home‑grown energy for the future and building a network for net zero to create secure power for generations to come.

Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest‑free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. As well as generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. We’re dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.