Innovation Implementation Manager

National Grid; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy provider in Wokingham is seeking an Innovation Implementation Manager to oversee the transition of innovation projects into operational solutions. This role involves working closely with teams to gather requirements and challenge delivery from suppliers, ensuring alignment with architectural standards. The ideal candidate has a strong background in technical delivery and stakeholder management, along with a Bachelor's degree. A competitive salary between £65,000 - £75,000pa, bonus, and benefits are included.

Benefits

Bonus of up to 15%

28 days annual leave

Competitive contributory pension scheme

Qualifications

• Balanced technical and operational capability.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience delivering digital solutions into operations.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all Innovation projects have clear implementation plans.
• Manage the Incubator team processes and improvements.
• Engage with various stakeholders including innovation teams and external suppliers.

Skills

Technical capability

Stakeholder engagement

Agile development

Implementation experience

Education

Bachelors Degree or higher

Tools

Project management methodologies (Agile PM, Scrum)

Job description

About the Role

National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) strength lies in our people. Together, we’re shaping the future where clean, affordable energy is accessible for all. Every day is an opportunity to make a real difference, accelerating the progress of sustainable GB energy, keeping people connected and society thriving as we create a brighter tomorrow.

The Innovation Implementation Manager plays a key role in transitioning successful innovation projects into operational NESO products, tools and services. This hybrid role spans technical integration and operational readiness, ensuring solutions meet NESO’s digital, data, cyber and architectural standards while supporting business adoption and early benefits realisation.

They will work closely with DD&T Delivery teams and the business in gathering project requirements. Working alongside DD&T architecture to approve each project’s technical design and scope for productionisation.

They will be able to review and challenge project delivery by external suppliers, ensuring the deliverables remains on track to agreed NESO requirements.

They will support the progression of Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) projects from Alpha into NESO‑led Beta stages, reviewing applications, strengthening submissions and ensuring successful initiation into the Incubator delivery portfolio.

This role can be based from Wokingham, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home. This is a full time position and we are open to flexible working arrangements.

Key Accountabilities

• End-to-End Implementation Planning: Ensure all Innovation projects have clear implementation plans, covering scope, milestones, technical integration, operational readiness, learning capture, risks and dependencies.
• Manages team responsible for the Incubator team processes; including the development and continuous improvement of this processes to support the successful implementation of innovation project outcomes into BAU.
• Cross‑Functional Stakeholder Management: Engage with innovation teams, DD&T delivery teams, product owners, Business Partners, Business Change, NESO operational teams, external suppliers and project partners, and UKRI/Ofgem.
• Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) transition: lead on the transition from SIF Alpha to Beta stages; review applications, provide relevant input to strengthen readiness for project kick-off and delivery. Support applications through the Ofgem/UKRI evaluation process.
• Technical Integration & Compliance: Ensure alignment or projects with architecture, data, cyber, engineering and platform standards.
• Operational Adoption & Business Readiness: Define operational handover requirements, processes, roles and training.
• Benefits Realisation Support: Oversee handover into BAU and ensure planning for benefits tracking is in place.
• They will ensure that projects are compliant with NESO Governance and Ofgem Governance (accordingly to the funding) and the two Governance processes work in alignment.
• Participate in all Innovation Productionisation Committees; forums for tracking pipeline of projects requiring productionisation, assigning responsibilities, and escalating risks/issues.

About You

We’re forging the path, and we know we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need visionary minds like yours to join us on this transformative journey. In this case, we’re looking for someone who:

• Balanced technical and operational capability.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience delivering or transitioning digital/data/technical solutions into operations.
• Understanding of agile product development and technical delivery.
• Experience with innovation funding (SIF, NIA) or structured bid/governance processes.

Essentials

• Experience in implementation, technical delivery, service transition or operational change, particularly in digital transformation, or innovation projects.
• Bachelors Degree or higher in a relevant area, or equivalent experience

Desirables

• Energy sector experience.
• Professional certification in project management (Agile PM, Scrum, APM).

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NESO, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace for everyone. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.

About What You\'ll Get

A competitive salary between £65,000 - £75,000pa – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

As we work towards creating a cleaner, greener, and more affordable future for all, we also work towards creating a place for our teammates to belong, with professional and personal growth and positive well-being.

About Us

National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) mission is to facilitate the decarbonisation of Great Britain’s energy network and ensure the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean electricity for consumers. We work with stakeholders across the whole energy industry to plan for future network needs, using a wider adoption of technology and changes in consumer behaviour, as well as ensuring we have the right markets, networks, and frameworks in place, to transform the way we operate tomorrow.

Join us, and let’s energise progress.

Our energy, our future, together.

In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, are now at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation is set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As was the ESO, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.