Power System Technical Operations and Performance Manager

National Energy System Operator; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible holidays

Birthday day off

Cycle to work scheme

Private medical insurance

Pension scheme

Job summary

National Energy System Operator (NESO) is seeking a Power System Operations and Performance Manager in a hybrid role based in the UK. You will lead a team of around 11 technical experts, guiding performance reporting, incident investigations and operational procedures.

We value a digital-first mindset, strong stakeholder engagement and the ability to drive improvements using automation and AI, while keeping governance in check.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading, developing and performance-managing teams of specialists.
• Strong understanding of the energy sector and electricity system operation is useful but not essential.
• Comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders and technical experts alike.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and motivate a team of 11–12 technical specialists, setting direction and enabling their best work.
• Own the team's output on system performance reporting, incident investigation and procedures.
• Represent NESO on operational matters with senior stakeholders, translating technical detail for decision makers.
• Drive continuous improvement in how the team works, including data/tools to improve reporting and efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory reporting obligations.
• Explore opportunities to use automation and AI to improve analysis while maintaining governance.

Skills

Team leadership

Energy sector knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Digital mindset

Communication

Resilience

Automation and AI awareness

Job description

About The Role

Britain’s energy system is going through the biggest change in its history, and the team you’d be leading sits right at the centre of it — watching how the system actually performs, investigating when things don’t go to plan, and making sure the lessons get fed back into how we operate.

As a Power System Operations and Performance Manager, you’d lead a team of around 11 technical experts who provide technical advice and guidance across the operation, capability and connection of transmission assets, investigate operational events, and report on system performance.

Your job isn’t to do that work yourself — it’s to give the team clear direction, support and guidance to make sure their insight lands with the people who need to act on it, inside and outside NESO.

We’re looking for a leader — someone with a solid grasp of energy sector requirements who’s genuinely curious about the technical detail without needing to have written it themselves, and who knows how to bring a team of specialists together, build their confidence, and get the best out of them.

A digital-first mindset matters too: you’ll be thinking about how the team’s tools, data and reporting can keep pace with a system that’s changing fast.

Your role is to provide effective leadership and direction, you will be supported to develop the operational detail; rather than being expected to have the same level of technical expertise as your team from day one.

This is a newly established Operational Risk & Excellence function, giving you the opportunity to shape how the team operates, build its identity and ways of working, and establish strong relationships across NESO and the wider industry.

This role is based in Wokingham, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home, with the specific split determined by business needs. 2-3 days a week on site will be required.

We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

This role is designated as requiring a National Security Vetting (NSV) clearance. The level of clearance associated with the role is Security Check (SC). You will usually need to have been a resident in the UK for the last five years to apply for an SC clearance.

Key accountabilities

• Lead, develop and motivate a team of 11–12 technical specialists, setting direction and creating the conditions for them to do their best work
• Own the team’s output on system performance reporting, incident investigation and operational business procedures — checking it’s rigorous, timely, and actually useful to the people who receive it
• Represent NESO on operational matters and system events with senior stakeholders, both internally and externally, translating technical detail into something decision makers can act on
• Build strong working relationships across NESO, transmission owners, generators and industry bodies, acting as a trusted point of contact on operational issues
• Drive continuous improvement in how the team works — including how technology and data are used to make reporting and analysis more efficient
• Ensure the team meets its statutory and regulatory reporting obligations, without letting that become the whole job
• Explore and introduce opportunities to use automation and AI to improve analysis, reporting and team efficiency, while ensuring appropriate governance and oversight

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK by the start of employment. Visa sponsorship may not be available for this role and will be considered in line with business requirements.

About You

• Proven experience leading, developing and performance -managing teams, ideally teams of specialists or technical experts — you know how to unite people around a shared purpose and get them performing at their best
• A strong understanding of energy sector— a background in electricity system operation is useful but not essential, and you’ll be fully supported to build technical knowledge on the job
• Comfortable engaging credibly with senior stakeholders and technical experts alike, and confident enough to ask good questions rather than needing to know all the answers yourself
• A digital-first mindset — genuinely interested in how better tools and data can improve how a team works, not just tolerant of change
• Clear, direct communication skills, with the judgement to know what matters and what doesn’t
• Resilient and comfortable operating in a fast-changing environment, where priorities shift as the energy system evolves
• Experience of using, implementing or championing automation and AI-enabled tools to improve processes, reporting or decision-making — you don’t need to be a technical expert, but you should understand their potential and be confident helping a team adopt them effectively

What You'll Get

A competitive salary of £60,000 - £90,000 dependent on experience and capabilityAs 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%.

Benefits

• Flexible Bank Holidays & Holiday Trading
• Additional Birthday Day Off
• Cycle to Work Scheme, Retail & Gym Discounts
• Private Medical Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance & Personal Accident Insurance

About Us

At the National Energy System Operator (NESO), we play a vital role in tackling climate change and securing Great Britain's energy future. We already operate the world's fastest decarbonising electricity system and are working towards our ambition to run it carbon-free for a short period this year - provided the market supplies electricity exclusively from renewable sources. Alongside this, we provide expert advice to government on how to deliver a clean power system by 2030.

In autumn 2024, the Electricity System Operator (ESO) transitioned to become NESO - an independent, expert public corporation with a whole-system view across electricity, gas, and hydrogen. NESO operates independently and transparently, always acting in the best interests of all energy users.

Licensed and regulated by Ofgem, we make impartial decisions that balance sustainability, affordability and security. Our organisation is fully independent from government, the regulator and all commercial interests, with a clear focus on system-wide benefit, long term thing and public value.

The time to deliver is now. Join the energy transformation and help shape the future.

Your energy. Our future. Together

National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

More Information

This role closes at 23:59, on the date displayed on the top of this advert, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Interviews will be held Interviews are currently planned to take place on 25th September.

Research shows that some people may hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. At NESO, we believe potential comes in many forms and we're committed to a fair, inclusive recruitment

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential. If this role sparks your interest but you're not sure you tick every box, we still want to hear from you. process where everyone has the opportunity to show their talents. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds.