Head of Transformation

About the role

We are looking for a Head of Transformation to define, establish, lead, measure and report upon the transformation programme through which National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) will deliver its ambition to become the leading DNO.  This will include transforming the business to deliver on the ED2 business plan as well as preparing the organisation for the delivery of ED3.

This is a high-profile role, and the successful candidate will make a significant impact across NGED, National Grid and the sector. You will be passionate about business transformation, have ambition to play a key role in the UK’s shift to net zero carbon, highly experienced in leading and delivering transformation and change, and skilled in stakeholder management. 

Reporting to the Director of Strategy & Transformation and working closely with NGED’s Executive team, plus other senior leaders across NGED this role holder is the transformation leader for NGED. They are responsible for developing the strategy for and delivery of NGED’s business transformation. This strategically critical role leads NGED in:

•    Developing a clear multi-year transformation plan, with Executives, taking into account the BU Strategy and the requirements for the business to implement major improvements over coming years
•    Managing and driving the delivery of the transformation plan, intervening directly where progress is too slow
•    Overseeing governance, tracking and reporting to the Executive and Group on transformation progress
•    Sharing transformation tools and methodologies with the business
•    Liaising with other related teams, including Change Management and Continuous Improvement
•    Managing a small Transformation Team to provide direct support to specific transformation initiatives
•    ‘Rolling the sleeves up’ and directly supporting specific transformation initiatives themselves

We can offer flexibility for the role to be based from offices within our licence areas of West Midlands, East Midlands, South West or Wales.  Travel most weeks will be required to NGED locations.
 

What you will do

•    Challenge the pace of change, recognising the urgency of the transformation and the multi-year nature of the programme
•    Fully understand the transformation needs right across the business – people, process, systems, data – and prioritising where to focus the transformation
•    Based on this assessment, developing a clear multi-year transformation plan, with Executives, taking into account the BU Strategy and the requirements of the business to implement major improvements over coming years
•    Ensure clear plans are developed for all transformation initiatives
•    Drive delivery of the transformation
•    Ensure that all transformation programme elements are delivered in a consistent and coherent way, that blockers are cleared, priority calls made, business cases created and delivered, progress measured and performance reported upon
•    Define, establish and ensure adequate resourcing and funding to deliver the transformation
•    Lead, measure and ensure governance of NGED’s transformation programme, including reporting to Group
•    Manage steercos, including President and Exec members, the main governance vehicle for overseeing the programme.  Liaise with other key governance boards
•    Input into ED3 submission with regards to the planned transformation of NGED
•    Input into colleague engagement programmes through which to explain the transformation vision and its purpose, report on progress and facilitate the deliver of a change to our culture
•    Facilitate changes to leadership behaviours in support of the transformation
•    Track and drive delivery of IT and technical changes in support of our transformation, to become more digital
•    Coordinate and ensure alignment with other significant NGED programmes – e.g. Efficiency Programme, delivery of our ED3 responses, HR activities to address training deficits or culture change
•    Liaise with others related teams, including Change Management, Continuous Improvement, Comms, HR 
•    Lead a small transformation team, allocating them to specific transformation initiatives, providing support to them, and focusing on their development
•    ‘Roll the sleeves up’ and directly support specific transformation initiatives yourself

About you

•    Significant experience of managing major, multi element transformation programmes in a complex corporate environment
•    Drive, enthusiasm and determination, able to drive delivery of the transformation programmes and challenge NGED Executives
•    Strong intellect and ability to structure complex problems in a pragmatic and communicable fashion
•    Outstanding influencing skills to persuade, motivate and influence programme teams and senior executives across NGED
•    Strong diplomacy skills to ensure ability to react sensitively to the different situations and contexts and the flexibility to adapt solutions accordingly
•    Comfortable with ambiguity, and able to lead effectively in such situations - effectively shaping and framing problems to facilitate effective resolution
•    Ability to switch effectively (as needed) between higher level strategic work and low level operational process and detail
•    Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
•    Gravitas to operate at the Executive level when needed
•    Drive, enthusiasm and determination
•    Wiling to ‘roll sleeves up’ and directly support transformation initiatives
•    Graduate calibre
•    Significant experience of working within the energy industry is desirable

What we can offer you

A competitive salary of £73,000 - £87,000 dependent on experience.

Plus: 
•    An electric company car or car cash allowance
•    Up to 20% Annual Bonus (based on personal and company performance)
•    28 days annual leave, plus eight statutory days in addition to the option to buy additional or sell holiday days every year
•    Private medical insurance
•    A generous contributory pension scheme - we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%
•    Life Insurance 10 x base salary
•    Financial support to help cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions.
•    Family care benefits including a back-up care service for when your usual care arrangements fall through (six paid days each year as standard with the option to purchase further days).
•    Access to apps which support health, fitness, and wellbeing.
•    Career development, ongoing training and support, career progression and plenty of opportunity to progress!

Further information

This role closes on 10 June 2025, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. 
 
National Grid’s recruitment periods can and may vary. We reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process. 

About us

National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is the regional electricity distribution division of National Grid.

We are the largest UK Electricity Distribution company, providing services and energy to over 25 million customers, through 8 million connections in our four regions across South Wales, the South-West, West Midlands, and East Midlands. Over the next five years we need to invest in over £7.5bn of infrastructure to fulfil the UK’s ambition, enabling capacity for more than 1.5 million Electric Vehicles and 600,000 heat pumps and ensuring our customers can connect to our network when they want and how they want.

At National Grid, 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. 

Our goal is to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, the innovation from diverse teams & perspectives and business need. We are committed to building a workforce so we can represent the communities we serve and have a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential. #LI-SC1 #LI-HYBRID