Head of Projects

National Grid; Redruth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading electricity distribution company is seeking a Head of Projects to oversee the Primary distribution systems in the South West of England. This role requires exceptional leadership, project management skills, and stakeholder engagement expertise. The successful candidate will manage end-to-end projects ensuring high performance and compliance while driving a strong safety culture. Regular travel to Major Projects sites is expected.

Qualifications

• Exceptional people leadership skills managing engineering or construction teams.
• Proven experience in regulated industries and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong track record in managing capital infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a team of Managers and operational functions.
• Deliver exceptional customer service within the Distribution Area.
• Manage major capital projects/programmes end-to-end.

Skills

People leadership skills

Project management

Financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Job description

Base Pay Range

Direct message the job poster from National Grid

Job Introduction

An exciting opportunity is available 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 realization.

Responsibilities

• 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, opportunity and engagement throughout all programmes.
• Embed governance and compliance, including gating performance reporting insights.
• Monitor contractual compliance across all projects and champion best practice and consistency across the wider matrix organisation.

Ideal Candidate

• Exceptional people leadership skills, with experience managing large engineering or construction teams, both insourced and outsourced.
• Proven experience in the electricity, energy or other regulated industries, combined with the ability to influence stakeholders at a senior level in both matrix and non-matrix environments including customers, partners and suppliers.
• 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, coordinating capital and revenue plans.
• A change leader at heart - curious, adaptable, and always looking for innovative ways to help us achieve more.

Location

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.

Seniority Level

Director

Employment Type

Full-time

Job Function

Management, Engineering, and Project Management

Industries

Utilities, Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution, and Electric Power Generation

About Us

We’re National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses. National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues – who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.