Head of Engineering - Substations

SSEN Transmission; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 101,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Performance-related bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

SSEN Transmission is recruiting a Head of Engineering – Substations to lead a team of engineers and set technical standards across the substations discipline as the network expands to support the transition to Net Zero.

You will provide senior technical direction, champion governance and drive innovation, value engineering and smarter, repeatable solutions that improve project outcomes. The role requires strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and a commitment to safety and reliability.

Qualifications

• Degree-level engineering qualification or equivalent experience.
• Strong knowledge of high-voltage electrical systems and Substation engineering.
• Significant senior engineering or technical leadership experience.
• Understanding of engineering governance, Technical Authority and Design Authority.
• Experience building and leading high-performing technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across the Substations discipline, setting direction and ensuring standards, policies and guidance are in place.
• Lead Technical Authority for Substations, ensuring decisions are robust and well governed.
• Drive innovation, Value Engineering and standardisation across projects.
• Provide senior technical judgement balancing safety, reliability, operability, cost and whole-life value.
• Build and develop a high-performing engineering community of ~40 specialists.

Skills

High-voltage engineering

Substation engineering

Technical leadership

People leadership

Communication

Commercial judgement

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Base Location

For this role, we require successful applicants to be based from one of our Scottish locations and you'll be expected to spend 50% of your working week in the office – Perth, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness.

Salary

£101,000 - £151,400 + car /car allowance + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern

Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available

The role

SSEN Transmission is delivering one of the most ambitious periods of electricity network investment in the UK, with our network expected to double in size over the next six years as we enable the transition to Net Zero. We’re looking for a Head of Engineering – Substations to provide technical and people leadership across our Substations engineering discipline, shaping how we design, develop and assure the transmission network of the future.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across the Substations discipline, setting direction and ensuring the right engineering standards, policies and technical guidance are in place.
• Lead Technical Authority for Substations, ensuring engineering decisions are consistent, robust and well governed across all projects.
• Drive innovation, Value Engineering and standardisation, challenging established approaches and embedding smarter, repeatable solutions that improve project and asset outcomes.
• Provide senior technical judgement on complex or novel engineering challenges, balancing safety, reliability, operability, constructability, cost, programme and whole-life value.
• Build a high-performing engineering community, leading and developing around 40 engineering specialists while strengthening technical capability, future leadership and collaboration across SSEN Transmission, our supply chain and industry partners.

To Thrive In This Role, You’ll Ideally Have

• A degree-level engineering qualification or equivalent experience, ideally with an electrical engineering background.
• Strong technical knowledge of high-voltage electrical systems and Substation engineering, with the breadth and judgement to navigate complex engineering challenges.
• Significant senior engineering or technical leadership experience, ideally within electricity transmission, utilities or another safety-critical infrastructure environment.
• A strong understanding of engineering governance, Technical Authority and Design Authority, combined with the credibility to influence, challenge and support senior stakeholders and technical teams.
• Exceptional people leadership, communication and commercial judgement, with a track record of developing high-performing technical teams and a genuine passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

About SSE

SSE’s purpose is to be restless every day until we make electricity clean, affordable and available for all.

We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. This includes electricity transmission and distribution networks, onshore and offshore wind farms, hydro-electric power and flexible thermal generation. We also provide products and services for businesses and other customers.

Our investment plan will see SSE invest £33bn in critical electricity infrastructure to 2030.

SSEN Transmission own and operate the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland. We transport electricity from where it is generated to where it is needed, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply for the communities we serve. But that's not all – we're upgrading the grid to deliver cleaner, homegrown power for the future and building the infrastructure needed for a cleaner electricity system to create secure power for generations to come.

Flexible Benefits To Fit Your Life

Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest‑free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. As well as generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Work with an equal opportunity employer

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact [e-mail] / 01738 341043 to discuss how we can support you.

We're dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.