Head of Major Projects - South West

National Grid plc; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 104,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus up to 40%

Electric company car or car allowance

Private Medical Insurance

Contributory pension scheme up to 12%

Life assurance

Sharesave scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

On-site parking

Job summary

National Grid plc in the South West of England is recruiting a Head of Projects to lead the Primary distribution systems and Major Projects across the South West Electricity Distribution network. You will report to the Major Projects Director and own a significant portfolio of investment, directing end-to-end delivery from mobilisation to benefits realisation.

You will lead a large team, influence PMO practices, and ensure governance, risk and performance are embedded to meet stakeholder

Qualifications

• Exceptional people leadership managing large teams.
• Experience managing a portfolio of projects in utilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Managers and operational functions.
• Set objectives and control Primary Distribution activities.
• Manage major capital projects end-to-end.
• Design and implement a new operating model.
• Ensure governance and reporting across the PMO.
• Oversee project lifecycle from start to close.

Skills

People leadership

Portfolio management

Budget management

Safety culture

Program governance

Job description

The energy sector is evolving, and National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is at the heart of that transformation.

As we prepare for ED3, our next regulatory period under the RIIO framework, we are developing the plans, investments and commitments that will shape the future of our electricity network. ED3 will determine how we deliver for customers, communities and stakeholders while enabling the UK's transition to a cleaner, more resilient energy system.

This is a pivotal moment for NGED. Following submission of our ED3 Business Plan, our focus turns to securing the strongest possible regulatory outcome and preparing the organisation to successfully deliver its commitments from day one of ED3.

The opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Projects to manage the Primary distribution systems and Major Projects within our South West Electricity Distribution network area.

Reporting to the Major Projects Director you will take ownership of a significant portfolio of investment and regulated funding, managing projects and programmes end to end to ensure deliverables meet or exceed stakeholder expectations. This includes long-term forward planning up to 10 years ahead, and overseeing all project phases from mobilisation, design, build, commission through to benefits realisation.

Your responsibilities will also extend to certain operational programmes e.g. faults that will need to be developed, operated and maintained efficiently and in compliance with legislation, policies and standards.

As the Head of the Projects you will work closely with the PMO to influence and align project delivery practices and methodologies, ensuring best practice is embedded and role modelled within your region. Each region has a Major Projects capital spend exceeding 0.5BN over the next five years, making this a high impact leadership role.

You’ll be an exceptional leader of people, leading a large team to maintain the 132kV network and minimise customer minutes lost, whilst driving performance and delivering outstanding results for our customers and stakeholders.

You’ll be based in the South West of England, ensuring strong visibility and connection with your teams. Regular travel is needed to key Major Projects sites in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Exeter, Bodmin, and Redruth.

When severe weather strikes, you’ll play a vital role. This position requires flexibility to be available during unplanned events like storms or flooding, working alongside colleagues to deploy resources and restore power supplies—keeping customers connected across our licence areas.

What you'll be doing

• Lead and inspire a team of Managers and operational functions, fostering engagement and high performance
• Set clear objectives, monitor performance and control of all Primary Distribution activities within the region.
• Deliver exceptional customer service, ensuring customers in the Distribution Area receive the highest level of service.
• Develop and manage budgets, coordinating Capital and Revenue plans and controlling expenditure effectively.
• Drive a strong safety culture, embedding best practices across all operations.
• Manage major capital projects/programmes from end-to-end, ensuring delivery against time, cost and quality targets.
• Design and implement a new operating model, overseeing sign-off and successful execution.
• Embrace, implement and embed, best practice governance and controls in partnership with the PMO.
• Translate strategic business plans into operational delivery plans, including making decisions on insourcing versus outsourcing.
• Oversee the full project lifecycle, from appointing project leaders to project closure.
• Define WBS and support schedule creation across all programme types.
• Track and report on project performance, including forecasting, baseline scheduling, resource loading, cost to complete, variance analysis and lessons learned.
• Ensure effective risk, issue and Opportunity, engagement throughout all programmes.
• Embed governance and, compliance, including gating performance reporting insights.
• Monitor contractual compliance across all projects, ensuring supplier performance and contractual obligations are met.
• Champion best practice and consistency across the wider matrix organisation.

About you

• Exceptional people leadership skills, with experience managing large engineering or construction teams, both insourced and outsourced.
• Proven experience in managing a portfolio of projects. Preferable to have electricity or energy or other utility industry.
• Strong project, programme or portfolio leader with a track record of managing contracts and planning large capital infrastructure projects. Ideally you’ll also be confident in data analysis and using insights to drive decisions.
• Financial management expertise, including developing and managing budgets, co-ordinating capital and revenue plans
• A change leader at heart - curious, adaptable, and always looking for innovative ways to help us to achieve more.

What you'll get

A salary of up to £115,000 depending on experience.

• Annual performance-related bonus of up to 40%
• Electric company car or car allowance
• 28 days' annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
• Company funded Private Medical Insurance for you and contributory healthcare for your family
• Competitive contributory pension scheme (we double match your contributions up to a maximum of 12%)
• Life assurance of four times your annual salary
• Annual Sharesave scheme
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, including musculoskeletal and physiotherapy support, as well as Backup Care support for children, adults and elderly dependants
• Free on-site parking at all our main sites

Further information

This role closes on 08 November 2026, 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. #LI-SC1 #LI-HYBRID

National Grid operates in both the UK and US, with a broad portfolio of energy businesses dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and sustainable power.

From electricity and gas transmission to advancing clean energy and modernising grids, our work covers every aspect of the energy system.

Our energy flows through absolutely everything we do

Life here at National Grid is more than just our purpose or our values, it’s everything we put into everything we do. It’s our commitment to diversity and inclusion; how we help our employees learn and grow; and how we partner with and support the communities where we live and work. It’s all this, and so much more.

We leverage our collective strengths to do meaningful BIG work so that we can be at the heart of a fair and affordable energy future.

We offer a competitive base salary, with annual reviews to ensure it reflects the market rate for your role, skills, knowledge, and experience.

Incentive Pay

Depending on your role, you'll be eligible for an annual performance bonus that rewards your contribution to our success. Your bonus is a percentage of eligible earnings and may vary each year.

Recognition

Our global recognition program lets you thank and reward colleagues for their contributions, along with career milestone awards to celebrate key achievements.

Retirement

We offer a generous pension plan with company contributions up to 12%. For every £1 you contribute, we'll add £2. You can also make extra voluntary contributions to boost your retirement savings.