Title:  External Engagement Strategy Manager - NESO

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.

If you are passionate about making a real difference to society and enjoy working in a talented and collaborative environment, then please consider applying for this role with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) for GB. NESO is an independent and expert whole energy organisation on a mission to accelerate our energy transition.   

NESO now plays a vital and central role in advising on energy policy and strategy to ensure that it is not only optimal and deliverable but that it drives effective action and delivery plans across all industry vectors.

The purpose of the NESO Corporate Affairs team is to build the reputation needed to succeed in the short and long term.  The External Engagement Strategy division, in which this role sits, is a new function created to drive the strategic coordination, engagement and narrative needed across NESO to speak with one voice across all our external activity. This will be a pivotal role for ensuring NESO’s reputational success going forward.

Alongside this core responsibility, this new division will be responsible for ensuring that NESO is actively listening and learning from non-energy industry stakeholders.

We are flexible about where this role is based and will require the role holder to work from a NESO office, Wokingham, Warwick, Glasgow or London, minimum once a week. We continue to offer hybrid working from office and home.

Key Accountabilities

• Day-to-day responsibility for the operation of NESO’s external engagement plans – responsible for coordinating external engagement and communication activity across Corporate Affairs and the entire organisation, under strategic direction of the External Engagement Strategy Senior Manager.
  
  
• External engagement coordination – The role holder will be responsible for the implementation of the external engagement plan. This will involve coordinating NESO activity across publications, messaging & engagement through setting business wide policies, guidance and providing advice on strategic projects alongside other corporate affairs colleagues.
  
  
• Day-to-day operation of core Corporate Affairs led processes and policies for the organisation. These include but are not limited to: 
  • Secretariat duties for NESO’s new Executive level publications committee, ensuring it is established in a timely manner and operated efficiently. This committee is responsible for reviewing publication requests from across the business and advising on key messaging, publication timings and grid management

• • Developing engagement frameworks and principles to guide all NESO staff in their external communication, ensuring reputational risk is managed to the satisfaction of your line manager.
    
    

• Business guidance and training – Developing internal communications, training and guidance for business units on newly designed Corporate Affairs led processes and policies. Develop and maintain a strong relationship with NESO’s Learning and Development team to support the organisational wide initiatives that will encourage satisfactory delivery.
  
  
• Relationship building - Lead on building relationships with non-energy industry stakeholders of relevance and strategic importance to NESO.
  
  
• External insights – Take responsibility for coordinating and collating external stakeholder insights from specific sectors from across the business, working with external experts where necessary.

• • Lead the analysis, collation and evaluation of this data, ensuring that processes are in place to communicate this in a meaningful way to NESO staff to inform key Business Plan deliverables and Corporate Strategy.
    
    

• Internal stakeholder management: Act as the lead Corporate Affairs liaison to at least two NESO directorates, providing advisory support using new and existing insight to drive continuous improvements in planning and delivery of external engagement.
  
  

• Matrix management – The role holder will be expected to matrix manage staff level colleagues in the planning and execution of external engagement campaigns. There is scope for this role to manage members of staff on formal basis as and when headcount allows.
  
  
• Reporting and assurance - Produce Executive and Board level papers on external insight, top-level communication plan tracking & progress, escalating and presenting key areas of concern to Corporate Affairs Senior Leadership.
  
  
• External presentations - Present as required to external stakeholders on NESO led communications activities of relevance. This includes but is not limited to public bodies, UK and Devolved Governments and European partners and institutions.

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 has: 

• Experience of strategy development and implementation for a similar organisation and/or similar job role.
• Track record of building engagement strategies for businesses, including experience of providing business training (in various forms) on engagement principles and use of external insight.
• Ability and experience in building and maintaining strategic networks across public policy and energy, though evidence of ability to build relationships across different stakeholder bases is acceptable.
  • Experience of working successfully with stakeholders on challenging issues.
• Strong track record of successfully communicating complex topics in a clear and concise manner to different audiences.
• Excellent written skills, able to produce clear and concise briefing notes for internal and external audiences with minimal supervision.
• Experience of using stakeholder mapping and insights tools to produce external insights reports and/or analysis.
• Good knowledge of the current GB political environment and public discourse on energy, with the ability to demonstrate strong political and public insight.
• Proven experience of working on integrated campaigns, using different channels and tactics to achieve positive outcomes.
• Able to prioritise and manage competing issues in a high intensity environment, working independently as required.
• Appreciation of fundamental attributes of operating a business.
• Experience in using data (stakeholder mapping and insights tools) to create insights is required. This includes experience in leading and managing external research and polling when required.

About what you’ll get

A competitive salary between £59,000 – 68,000 – 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%.

You will also have access to a comprehensive benefits package tailored to support your well-being and professional success. From a competitive salary to flexible work arrangements, we promote your work-life balance. Enjoy fit for purpose wellbeing and lifestyle offerings, ongoing skill development aligned to our Purpose and Values, and be part of a supportive community that values your individuality and where you can belong.

About us

National Energy System Operator (NESO) has a key role to play in tackling climate change by transitioning GB’s electricity system to net zero. We already operate the fastest decarbonising electricity system in the world, with an ambition for zero carbon power operation by 2030 when there is sufficient renewable generation. We are also providing advice to the Government on achieving a decarbonised power system by 2030.

So, join the energy transformation and help shape the future.

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.

More information

This role closes on 09/07/2025 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. Interviews will be held w.c 14th July. 

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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