Head of Operability, Wholesale & Location – ESO
Job Description
Job title: Head of Operability, Wholesale & Location – ESO
Company: National Grid
Job description: About the role
Great Britain’s electricity system is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come.
The Head of Operability Wholesale and Location (OWL) will set the strategic direction for, and own the delivery of, the largest and most complex workstream in the NESO REMA Programme. They will represent NESO on the REMA OWL Working Group, and will influence and engage senior stakeholders from DESNZ and Ofgem, as well as across industry. As with all change, there will be winners and losers, so being able to make well-evidenced and unbiased arguments is of paramount importance.
Just as important will be influencing your peers and executive members in NESO – these reforms will impact every aspect of the organisation, so internal stakeholders will need to be fully bought into your vision.
These reforms will be the most significant in over two decades, and will take several years to design and implement. Therefore it is vital that we get it right now, not only to ensure that REMA makes the right decisions for GB, but also so the reforms can be implemented as quickly as possible.
This role can be based from Warwick, Wokingham 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.
About us
At National Grid ESO, our mission is to meet the challenges of the future and deliver cleaner, affordable electricity. We constantly strive to do this better by using technology and innovation to transform the way we work.
Becoming the National Energy System Operator
In Summer of 2024, the ESO will transition to becoming the National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator will be the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.
The ESO, including all of its existing roles, will be at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.
The organisation will be set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As the ESO are today, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.
The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.
Key Accountabilities
- Set the strategic direction of the NESO OWL workstream, and work closely with the Heads of the Future Renewable Investment and Future of Flexibility workstreams to ensure overall coherence of the NESO market design and policy recommendations that are feeding into the government’s REMA programme
- Accountable for the delivery of the overall OWL workstream, and sub-workstreams, which include dispatch & scheduling; zonal wholesale pricing; balancing & operability; and cross-border trading.
- Work closely with the Implementation Strategy team to understand and assess the time, cost and activities associated with implementing any of the proposed reforms. This includes NESO implementation but also wider implementation across the industry.
- Scope and oversee consultancy projects to complement in-house analysis.
- Establish and lead a happy, motivated and diverse team of managers, analysts, strategists and stakeholder leads. Develop each team member in the core capabilities needed to deliver the programme objectives.
- Create and role-model a culture where the NESO values thrive, that is Be Curious; Accelerate Progress; Create Belonging; Build Trust.
- Lead effectively across the NESO organisation, influencing other senior leaders to support your strategic recommendations and commit to delivering capability/resource/data where required.
- Deliver through your teams to produce first-rate analysis that is presented (written and verbal) in a way that is compelling, visually appealing and impactful.
- Working with the Head of Governance and Stakeholder to:
- Ensure healthy project management across the workstreams – milestones are met, good governance and compliance is achieved, risks are managed and mitigated, and all reporting is completed on time and to a high quality.
- Execute the stakeholder strategy for the programme. This will involve engaging and influencing senior stakeholders within the REMA programme (Heads Of across DESNZ and Ofgem) but also across the GB industry
- Represent NESO on the REMA OWL Working Group, ensuring NESO’s recommendations are adopted.
About you
What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we’re looking for someone who:
- Experience in leading a motivated and high-performing team is essential
- Experience in leading complex strategy projects for a consultancy or a utility is essential
- Understanding of GB wholesale, balancing and dispatch market design and economics is a strong advantage
- Experience operating/trading in GB electricity markets a strong advantage
What you’ll get
A competitive salary between £75,000 – £85,000pa – dependent on experience and capability.
As well as your base salary, you will receive a company car or allowance, a bonus of up to 20% of your salary for stretch performance, private medical insurance, 28 days annual leave as standard and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
As we work towards creating a cleaner, greener, and more affordable future for all, we also work towards creating a place for our teammates to belong, with professional and personal growth and positive well-being.
- Full support and career-development resources to expand your skills, enhance your expertise, and maximise your potential along your career journey.
- A diverse and inclusive community of belonging, where teammates are empowered to bring ideas to the table.
- Generous Total Rewards Plan – comprising of health, finance and wealth, work/life balance, and career benefits.
More Information
This role closes on 25th March 2024 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.
We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. , and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.
We’re committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.
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Expected salary: £75000 – 85000 per year
Location: Warwick – Wokingham, Berkshire
