Title:  RESP Technical Lead - East of England

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.

NESO is taking on the exciting new role of being the Regional Energy Strategic Planner. We will be responsible for developing whole energy Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) for 11 regions across Great Britain.

Developing each regional RESP will require us to work with organisations at a local level (local actors) including local government and gas and electricity networks, to improve understanding of the infrastructure needed in different parts of the country and attract investment for projects. Stakeholder engagement will be key to unlocking the benefits of integrated regional energy planning. 

We are building an East of England based team to work alongside our other new RESP teams in forming the hub and spokes needed for energy planning to benefit from, and reflect, local inputs. Therefore, candidates applying for this role must be based in the East of England region.

The purpose of this job is to lead on the technical engagement for the East of England. You will apply your technical energy and system planning understanding and skill in leading engagement with technical audiences and coordinating technical and data interfaces with other regional teams in developing RESPs. This will include inputting into specific energy aspects of the whole energy system as part of the team and wider NESO, engagement with energy system planning stakeholders, strengthening cross-team working, and leading your regions work in gaining and validating local energy insights into RESP. You will play a part in putting into the methodology and assumptions behind regional energy strategic planning, consulting and communicating these with stakeholders, understanding how local energy systems inputs align, and working with others in NESO to validate the data and assumptions.

This role will begin as home-based but will transition to the East of England office upon opening in the future. However, some travel will be expected as part of this role.  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

• Take ownership and understand technical specific aspects of your regions energy system planning inputs into developing the RESP, including the interfaces with local and national data, central RESP methodology and assumptions.
• Develop, consult and then implement parts of the RESP methodology within your region relating to gaining, validating and balancing technical and spatial planning energy inputs.
• Lead on obtaining and validating regional geospatial energy inputs, coordinating with other RESP teams in NESO.
• Work in a matrix style structure within the wider regional energy strategic planning team to ensure work you are leading is coordinated with other regional RESP teams.
• Represent NESOs regional energy planning function to energy system planners and energy leads within local government, gas and electricity networks, and other local actors.

• Understand, engage and gain required and beneficial inputs from stakeholders in developing the RESP to the prescribed methodology; being able to clearly communicate and propose changes where needed to key assumptions.
• Work with the hub of RESP developing geospatial visualisations to support regional insights and communicating to stakeholder’s key changes in the energy system.
• Create new ways to analyse and present problems and potential solutions, sometimes building on the work and experience of others to quickly develop sufficient understanding of unfamiliar topics in developing the RESP.

Some travel will be expected e.g., across the East of England to meet with key stakeholders and across GB to work with NESO and RESP colleagues.

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:

• Lived experience of the East of England this is a must.
• Technical experience within, and knowledge of the energy sector, including energy scenarios.
• An understanding of the whole energy system with experience in at least one of the energy vectors (gas and/or electricity networks, heat decarbonisation, hydrogen, transport decarbonisation, etc.).
• Experience of working with or within energy distribution and/or transmission companies, ideally relevant to the East of England.
• Understanding and experience of geospatial data modelling, ideally applied in energy planning, including knowledge of data management procedures.

About what you'll get

A competitive salary between £51,000 - £61,000 per annum – dependent on experience and capability. As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on company performance, 26 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 19th May 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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