Title:  SSEP Policy and Strategy Manager - Maternity Cover

About the role

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 energy future.

The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will accelerate and optimise the national energy transition to clean, affordable and secure energy. It is the first GB-wide spatial energy plan that will assess the optimal locations, quantities and types of energy infrastructure required to meet our future energy demand.

We are looking for a Policy and Strategy Manager for a 9 month maternity cover. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the SSEP Policy team, which sits within the Strategic Energy Planning Directorate. Your team will directly shape the policy underpinning the Plan by providing reliable research, insight and advice to complement modelling outputs, and guide significant decisions by key internal and external stakeholders.

You will also be responsible for ensuring that the plan is cohesive with other programmes across NESO, Ofgem, UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments and The Crown Estate. You will maintain important external relationships and regularly communicate via webinars and in-person presentations. This maternity cover period will cover the delivery of the pathway options report to the Secretary of State for DESNZ and the supporting communication and advocacy for NESO’s recommendations, as well as preparation for the public consultation on the selected pathway. 

This role can be based from Wokingham, Warwick, 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

The creation of National Energy System Operator (NESO) is driven by an urgent need to unify and optimise our approach to energy. A more integrated and coordinated strategy is needed to meet the unprecedented challenges of climate change, ensuring secure energy supply, and keeping costs manageable for consumers.

Join us and empower your potential, energise our team, and be part of something bigger.

Your energy, our future, together.

About the National Energy System Operator (NESO)

In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is 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, are now 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 is 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 was the ESO, 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

• Lead on the policy elements of the SSEP programme, ensuring that the pathways recommendations to the Secretary of State reflect existing and future policy and regulatory futures for Great Britain
• Engage with the UK Government, Devolved Administrations, Ofgem and DESNZ on current and emerging policy deliverables to support the energy transition, and represent these finding to the wider SSEP team
• Produce board level papers on new policies and strategies and escalate and present key areas of concern to internal Steering Committees
• Represent the NESO at industry forums and stakeholder events to provide updates on NESO and Spatial Planning to improve connections and to answer Q and A
• Present at governance groups and external working groups on difficult and complex topics
• Engage with external stakeholders and customers, listening to feedback on the SSEP methodology and outputs using this to shape SSEP delivery
• Support the wider SSEP team, SEP Directorate and wider NESO in understanding and integrating the policy outputs of the programme

• Lead and develop a team of Policy analysts
• Support wider connections teams with specific policies that improve the connections process 
• Maintain a good understanding of other areas within the NESO business in order to understand implications of SSEP outputs and implementation, and how they impact other teams
• Ensure awareness political, economic and social developments which may impact NESO and the SSEP and brief others on these
• Be the lead for SSEP in internal and external working groups

About you

We’re forging the path, and we know we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need visionary minds like yours to join us on this transformative journey. In this case, we’re looking for someone who: 

• Knowledge of energy system transformation, particularly in the policy and regulatory space and a technical background would be welcome
• Experience of working in a complex stakeholder environment, shaping complex views into coherent outcomes
• Ability to chair internal and external meetings impartially and be comfortable with challenging conversations or debates
• Ability to present to large audiences
• Ability to see the big picture and think strategically
• Demonstrated ability to build efficient working relationships

• Ability to develop self and direct reports to achieve their full potential
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex information in a way non-experts can understand
• Proven ability to build high quality relationships both internally and externally and using those to achieve the required outcomes
• Strong organisational skills, able to work to tight deadlines and deliver as promised, ideally with experience of delivering within complex projects and managing consultants to deliver desired outcomes.
• Excellent time management skills, including the ability to successfully manage multiple activities and issues to set deadlines, including excellent administrative skills
• Knowledge of Performance Excellence, including operating a team meeting, developing robust plans for delivery

About what you'll get

A competitive salary between £62,000 - £75,000 per annum – dependent on experience and capability. As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 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 17th June 2025 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. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, 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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