Demand Forecasting Analyst

Centrica; Windsor; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Centrica, through its British Gas brand, is seeking a Demand Forecasting Analyst to join the Windsor/Reading/London offices with a Hybrid First policy. You will develop and own gas and electricity demand forecasts for UK residential customers, contributing to hedging and trading decisions while leveraging ML/AI where suitable.

The role requires strong numerical and analytical skills, experience with statistical modelling, and proficiency in Python, SQL and Excel.

Qualifications

• Experience with statistical modelling and large data sets.
• Proficient in Python and SQL.
• Strong Excel skills and data analysis experience.

Responsibilities

• Deliver gas and power demand forecasts to hedging and 24/7 trading teams.
• Develop and maintain models/algorithms to forecast demand, using ML/AI where appropriate.
• Produce and utilise analytical tools to monitor forecast quality.
• Develop understanding of customer behaviour and policy impacts to predict demand trends.
• Reduce energy imbalance costs by improving forecasting models and processes.
• Support the wider Commercial team with insights into demand impacts for new products.
• Improve efficiency of operational processes through automation.
• Build core relationships with hedging, trading, and data teams to enhance impact.

Skills

Statistical modelling

Python

SQL

Excel

Data analysis

Job description

About your team:

At British Gas, our mission is to sell it and mend it.

We’ve been powering the UK’s homes and businesses for over 200 years – but supplying energy is just part of what we do. We’re making the UK greener and more energy efficient, getting closer to Net Zero. By using clever tech like thermostats, heat pumps, solar panels and EV chargers, we’re making it cheaper and easier for our customers to reduce their carbon-footprint.

Demand Forecasting Analyst

Reading / Windsor / London with FlexFirst hybrid working

At Centrica Home which incorporates the British Gas brand, we have a huge opportunity to help customers, and the nation, prepare for a net zero future and support them through a once in a generation cost-of-living crisis. We’re one of the best-known services companies in the country. We have a compelling set of low carbon solutions for customers, a family of door-opening brands and we’re really excited about the future

Overview

In the Demand Forecasting team, we are responsible for gas and electricity demand forecasts for our residential customer base, which inform the hedging and optimisation of >£5 billion of commodity and decisions that allow the costs of energy purchasing to be minimised. Under the current energy landscape, it is vital that our hedging and trading teams receive forecasts which are accurate and timely to help us maintain a competitive commercial position and minimise costs for our customers.

We’re looking for a Demand Forecasting Analyst to join this analytical and commercially important team to play a key role in developing best-in-industry energy forecasts. You'll be expected to be in the Windsor/ Reading or London office at least once a week, but you will be able to work remotely in line with our Flexible First policy.

About the role

In your new role you will have the following accountabilities:

• Shared ownership of delivering gas and power demand forecasts for UK residential customers to hedging and 24/7 trading teams.


• Developing and maintaining models and algorithms to accurately forecast gas and power demand for millions of British Gas customers, using ML and AI techniques where appropriate.


• Producing and utilising analytical tools to constantly monitor and visualise the quality of forecasting models


• Developing deep understanding of customer behaviour, impact of policy and societal trends to predict underlying energy demand trends. Particularly as the market transitions towards more flexibility and distributed generation and storage.


• Reducing energy imbalance cost by bringing commercial and cost focus to forecasting models and processes.


• Supporting the wider British Gas Commercial team with new products and propositions by providing insight and analysis into customer behaviour and demand impacts


• Improving efficiency of operational processes through automation.


• Developing core relationships with colleagues across the business such as hedging and trading teams (Centrica Energy), British Gas Business, Hive, MI, smart metering, data science, finance, billing, industry settlement, debt, and other teams to enhance the role’s impact.


• Carry out in-depth analysis and setup enduring automated processes to provide visualisation and business intelligence to relevant customers/stakeholders; by unlocking the power of big data and new emerging data sources.


• Getting involved in the induction and training of new members, support graduates and interns in the team and help share knowledge on technical and process issues.


• Within all aspects of the role put the customer at the heart of decision making and support the team’s ambition to lead on the digital transformation.

What we're looking for

For this role we are keen to see candidates who are highly numerate and have good analytical skills. You will have experience or knowledge of statistical modelling and be comfortable using varied analytical techniques on large data sets. Experience with Excel is essential and with Python and SQL is highly advantageous.

In addition, you should demonstrate a keen passion and interest for energy as well as doing what is right for the customer, whilst meeting our commercial and net-zero targets for the future.