Product Manager (Control Room Technology)

National Energy System Operator Limited; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus up to 15%

28 days annual leave

Pension: company match up to 12%

Flexible benefits package

Job summary

National Energy System Operator Limited is seeking an experienced Product Manager (Control Room Technology) to shape the balancing tools and roadmap for the Balancing Programme. You will partner with control-room users, Product Owners and delivery teams to translate needs into clear requirements and guide agile delivery.

You’ll own backlog priorities, coordinate delivery, assess training and readiness, and communicate progress to stakeholders across internal and external partners.

Qualifications

• Experience in Agile environments (Scrum or Kanban) and Jira to manage backlogs and delivery.
• Experience working in critical infrastructure or energy domain is beneficial.
• Able to translate complex needs into clear product requirements and priorities.
• Strong relationships with operational users, technical teams and senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the product strategy and roadmap for balancing tools, shaped by priorities and user feedback.
• Build a detailed understanding of control-room users, processes and decision support tools.
• Define, refine and prioritise backlogs, requirements and delivery objectives with Product Owners.
• Translate operational needs into actionable requirements for Digital, Data & Technology teams.
• Balance user value, risk, feasibility, dependencies, cost and delivery capacity in decisions.
• Review proposed solutions with users, supporting testing, training and operational readiness.
• Coordinate delivery across business, technology and change teams; manage dependencies.
• Communicate product priorities, roadmaps and progress to internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Agile experience

Stakeholder management

Requirements translation

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Tools

Jira

Job description

About the Role Balancing and forecasting capabilities help National Energy System Operator (NESO) deliver electricity in real time while keeping within security standards in the most economic way. As a Product Manager (Control Room Technology) within the Balancing Programme, you’ll shape and deliver changes to these capabilities across people, processes and technology. You’ll have delegated authority for the product delivery strategy in your area, backlog and budget, working with Product Owners and delivery teams to ensure priorities meet current and future business needs. You’ll work closely with control-room users and technical teams to understand needs, clarify requirements and guide changes through the Agile product lifecycle. You’ll help ensure new or improved products are supported by the right processes, user training and impact assessments before entering service, and contribute to transformation plans, including the decommissioning of existing systems where required. You’ll also communicate the product roadmap and delivery progress to internal and external stakeholders. The role can be based in Wokingham or Warwick, with hybrid working. We expect around one day a week on site, with further attendance when needed to work with control-room colleagues. This role is designated as requiring a National Security Vetting (NSV) clearance. You will usually need to have been a resident in the UK for the last five years to apply for the required level of clearance.

Key Accountabilities

Develop and deliver the product strategy and roadmap for balancing tools, shaped by business priorities, operational needs and user feedback. Build a detailed understanding of control-room users, processes and the decision support tools used by the control room. Work with Product Owners and users to define, refine and prioritise backlogs, requirements and delivery objectives. Translate complex operational needs into clear, actionable requirements for Digital, Data & Technology teams and other delivery partners. Balance user value, operational risk, technical feasibility, dependencies, cost and delivery capacity when making product decisions. Review proposed solutions with users and support testing, training, operational readiness and the introduction of changes into live services. Work across business, technology and change teams to coordinate delivery, manage dependencies and improve products over time. Communicate product priorities, roadmaps and progress to internal and external stakeholders, including industry partners where relevant. 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

You’re an experienced Product Manager who can connect user needs with technical delivery. You have hands‑on experience working in an Agile environment, using frameworks such as Scrum or Kanban and tools such as Jira to manage backlogs, prioritise work and track delivery. You can build strong relationships with operational users, technical teams and senior stakeholders. You’re confident gathering and clarifying complex needs, translating them into clear product requirements, and helping people agree priorities and trade‑offs. You can explain technical information in a way that makes sense to users, and represent the user’s perspective throughout delivery. Experience in a critical national infrastructure or similarly operationally critical environment would be beneficial. A background in energy markets, power systems, or other similar technical environments would also be valuable, particularly where you’ve worked with complex platforms, data or decision‑support tools. If this role sparks your interest but you’re not sure you tick every box, we still want to hear from you.

What You’ll Get

A competitive salary of £65,000-£80,000 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%.

NESO’s flexible benefits programme provides you with more flexibility around your health, lifestyle and protection benefits, here's just a few available:

• 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 day before date shown above, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. 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 are 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.

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.

At the National Energy System Operator (NESO), we play a vital role in tackling climate change and securing Great Britains'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 actin 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

If this role sparks your interest but you're not sure you tick every box, we still want to hear from you.