Demand Forecasting Analyst

Centrica plc; Windsor; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Centrica plc is seeking a Demand Forecasting Analyst to join the team in Reading/Windsor/London with HybridFlexFirst working. You will own gas and power demand forecasts for UK homes, build and refine models using ML/AI where appropriate, and develop tools to monitor forecast quality while reducing imbalance costs.

You will analyse customer behaviour, policy trends, and storage/demand dynamics to improve forecasting accuracy and support commercial decision making across hedging and trading teams.

Qualifications

• Numerate with strong analytical skills.
• Experience with statistical modelling.
• Proficient in Excel; Python and SQL are advantageous.

Responsibilities

• 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 forecast gas and power demand using ML and AI techniques where appropriate.
• Producing and utilising analytical tools to monitor and visualise forecast model quality.
• Understanding customer behaviour and policy trends to predict energy demand.
• Reducing energy imbalance cost by improving forecasting models and processes.
• Support the wider Commercial team with insights into demand impacts and automation of processes.

Skills

Numerate

Analytical skills

Statistical modelling

Excel

Python

SQL

Job description

Join us, be part of more. We're so much more than an energy company. We're a family of brands revolutionising how we power the planet. We're energisers. One team of 21,000 colleagues that's energising a greener, fairer future by creating an energy system that doesn't rely on fossil fuels whilst living our powerful commitment to igniting positive change in our communities. Here, you can find more purpose, more passion, and more potential. That's why working here is #MoreThanACareer. We do energy differently - we do it all. We make it, store it, move it, sell it, and mend it.

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.

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.

Why should you apply?

We're not a perfect place – but we're a people place. Our priority is supporting all of the different realities our people face. Life is about so much more than work. We get it. That's why we've designed our total rewards to give you the flexibility to choose what you need, when you need it, making sure that you and your family are supported not only financially, but physically and emotionally too.

Visit the link below to discover why we're a great place to work and what being part of more means for you. https://www.morethanacareer.energy/britishgas

If you're full of energy, fired up about sustainability, and ready to craft not only a better tomorrow, but a better you, then come and find your purpose in a team where your voice matters, your growth is non-negotiable, and your ambitions are our priority. Help us, help you.

We would love for you to share any information about yourself throughout our recruitment process so that we can better understand you and help shape your journey.

We're a family of brands revolutionising how we power the planet. When it comes to energy, no one does it like us. We make it, store it, move it, sell it and mend it.

We're made up of 12 different businesses, but united by our purpose as Centrica. We're energisers.

Our journey to a greener, fairer future is powered by individuals like you. Through innovative green products, intelligent energy solutions and developing smarter ways to use and save energy, we're not just part of the energy transition, we're leading it.

Our commitment goes beyond sustainability. Together we're bringing our collective energies to create positive change in our local communities. If you immerse yourself in our fight to change tomorrow, you might just find your why.

We're looking for people to add to our culture – not fit in with it. We're building a community where you can be unapologetically you, where differences are celebrated, and where everyone can belong.

Real inclusivity also means supporting the different realities our people face. That's why we have the UK's best Carers Policy and are continually building our approach to flexibility and wellbeing.

Of course, we love having fun too. We're a people place after all.