Product Owner

National Energy System Operator (NESO); Wokingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

26 days annual leave

Pension contribution (double match up)

Job summary

NESO is seeking a Product Owner to maximise value delivered by the Open Balancing Platform. You will work with the Product Manager and a multidisciplinary team to translate strategy into priorities and delivery-ready work.

The role requires practical, user-focused analysis, sound judgement and stakeholder engagement to maintain an ordered backlog and support the delivery of safe, usable and valuable outcomes for Britain’s energy system.

Qualifications

• Experience in a Product Owner, Business Analyst, product-management or comparable role within a multidisciplinary digital or change team.
• Experience translating user and business needs into outcomes, capabilities, features or requirements.
• Experience supporting or managing backlog prioritisation and refinement.
• Ability to make evidence-based priority and scope decisions.
• Experience across discovery, analysis, design, delivery or operational adoption.
• Strong analytical and stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Understand users, processes, problems and outcomes for the assigned product area.
• Translate strategy and roadmap priorities into capabilities and delivery objectives.
• Own, order and maintain the product backlog for the area.
• Prioritise work by value, risk, regulatory commitments, dependencies and capacity.
• Make timely product decisions within agreed authority.
• Escalate decisions that affect product strategy or roadmaps.
• Maintain focus on outcomes and capabilities rather than replicating existing systems.

Skills

Product Ownership

Backlog management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Requirements translation

Discovery to delivery

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Azure DevOps

Job description

You will need to login before you can apply for a job.

About the Role

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.

Due to continuous growth, we are looking for a Product Owner to join our team at NESO. The Product Owner is responsible for maximising the value delivered by an assigned product area within the Open Balancing Platform.

Working with the Product Manager and a multidisciplinary team, the Product Owner translates product direction and user needs into clear priorities and delivery-ready work. They provide continuous product ownership from discovery and elaboration through delivery, transition and operational adoption.

The role requires a practical, user-focused individual who can apply strong analysis, judgement and stakeholder skills to make timely product decisions, maintain an ordered backlog and support the delivery of safe, usable and valuable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Understand the users, operational processes, problems and intended outcomes for the assigned product area.
• Work with the Product Manager to translate product strategy and roadmap priorities into capabilities, features and delivery objectives.
• Own, order and maintain the product backlog for the assigned area.
• Prioritise work according to user and operational value, risk, regulatory commitments, dependencies and available capacity.
• Make timely product decisions and scope trade-offs within agreed authority.
• Escalate decisions that materially affect product strategy, roadmap commitments or other product areas.
• Maintain focus on the outcomes and capabilities required rather than automatically replicating existing systems or processes.

About You

Essential Experience and Capabilities

• Experience working in a Product Owner, Business Analyst, product-management or comparable role within a multidisciplinary digital or change team.
• Experience understanding user and business needs and translating them into clear outcomes, capabilities, features or requirements.
• Experience supporting or managing the prioritisation and refinement of a backlog or comparable body of work.
• Ability to make, or demonstrate readiness to make, evidence-based priority and scope decisions.
• Experience working across discovery, analysis, design, delivery or operational adoption.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to understand complex operational processes, dependencies and impacts.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and communication skills.

Desirable Experience

• Practical experience working as a Product Owner and owning or ordering a product backlog.
• Experience accepting delivered work against agreed outcomes and acceptance criteria.
• Experience in energy, utilities, critical national infrastructure or another regulated and operationally critical environment.
• Experience working with complex, data-intensive or real-time digital products.
• Understanding of user-centred design, agile delivery, operational readiness and continuous improvement.
• Experience using Jira, Confluence, Azure DevOps or comparable product-delivery tools.
• Relevant Business Analysis, Product Owner, product-management or agile training.

What You'll Get

A competitive salary of £60,000 - £80,000 dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, NESO's core benefits are the essential perks and advantages that form part of your employee package.

• You will receive a bonus based on company performance
• 26 days annual leave as standard
• A competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
• Annual Enrollment to NESO Savings Plan, when you save between £20- £500 a month from your take-home pay, we will pay a 50% matching contribution.

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

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'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.

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.

Visit this company’s hub to learn about their values, culture, and latest jobs.

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.