Strategic Demand Lead for Energy Systems

About The Role

This is 18 months secondment/ FTC National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Curate – Understanding, shaping and managing incoming demand applications and the connections queue

Plan – supporting the government in developing credible, coordinated system plans

Connect – enabling faster, more certain and more efficient connections delivery

We are looking for 3 Strategic Demand Workstream Managers; one to be responsible for the Curate workstream, one to be responsible for Plan workstream and one to be responsible for Connect workstream.

Each of these work streams requires strong leadership to operate in a highly ambiguous, fast-moving environment where policy, regulation, commercial incentives and physical network realities intersect.

The managers will provide leadership for their relevant workstream with accountability for setting direction, driving delivery and landing practical solutions at pace.

This role can be based from Wokingham, Warwick or Glasgow, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home. We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

• Set strategic direction and drive delivery for your workstream, owning outcomes rather than process and maintaining momentum in a complex policy and delivery environment.
• Rapidly diagnose and resolve complex problems, cutting through ambiguity and bringing together technical, commercial and policy perspectives to land workable solutions.
• Translate energy policy into operational reality, shaping mechanisms that are credible for industry and deliverable for the electricity system.
• Balance competing objectives, including system operability, delivery speed, fairness, consumer outcomes and government priorities.
• Lead a virtual, multi-disciplinary team, drawing on expertise from across NESO, Ofgem, government departments and industry, and working closely with the programme manager and PMO.
• Build strong senior stakeholder relationships across Government, Ofgem and industry, operating confidently in high-profile, high-scrutiny environments.
• Provide clear advice and recommendations to senior NESO leadership, ensuring decisions are well-evidenced and clearly framed.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK by the start of employment. Visa sponsorship may not be available for this role and will be considered in line with business requirements.

• Have a strong understanding of UK energy policy and electricity networks, and how policy, regulation and delivery interact in practice.
• Bring sound commercial judgement, with the ability to understand incentives, trade-offs and system-wide impacts.
• Are curious, analytically strong and outcome-focused, with the confidence to challenge established approaches.
• Can step into complex, ambiguous environments and quickly take control, building credibility with senior stakeholders and delivery teams alike.
• Are comfortable leading through influence rather than hierarchy, working across organisational and institutional boundaries.

• A competitive salary of £70,000 - £80,000 dependent on experience and capability
• Bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance
• 28 days annual leave as standard
• A competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%

NESO's flexible benefits programme provides you with more flexibility around your health, lifestyle and protection benefits, here's just a few available:

• Flexible Bank Holidays & Holiday Trading
• Additional Birthday Day Off
• Cycle to Work Scheme, Retail & Gym Discounts
• Private Medical Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance & Personal Accident Insurance

At the National Energy System Operator (NESO), we play a vital role in tackling climate change and securing Great Britain's energy…