Senior Associate Director – Substations (Primary Design) - UK Grid Network

Jacobs; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free medical cover

Digital GP

Parental leave pay

EAP programs

Professional development reimbursement

Matched giving & volunteering

Hybrid & flexible hours

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Senior Associate Director – Substations (Primary Design) to lead FEED and detailed design for high‑voltage substations across National Grid and DNO projects. You will guide multiple design streams, oversee QA, and drive technical excellence while mentoring engineers and shaping industry standards.

Based in the UK, the role requires deep HV substation expertise (132kV–400kV), leadership, and strong client engagement.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• TP137/TP141 authorisation preferred.
• HV substation experience 132kV–400kV incl AIS/GIS/HVDC.
• Strong leadership and client-facing experience.
• Knowledge of UK transmission/distribution standards.
• Excellent communication and team leadership.
• Track record in business development.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on FEED and detailed design for National Grid and DNOs.
• Oversee QA, resource planning, and capability development.
• Lead technical reviews of HV plant design and reports.
• Coordinate with back-office engineers, sub-contractors and suppliers.
• Manage tender packages and technical/commercial submissions.
• Chair design and hazard review meetings for HV plant.
• Attend site visits, FAT and SAT as required.
• Mentor senior engineers and assist succession planning.
• Maintain client relationships and aid business development.
• Represent Jacobs in industry forums and set technical standards.

Skills

HV Substation Design

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

UK Standards

Communication Skills

Business Development

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

TP137/TP141 authorisation

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting‑edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Jacobs is playing a leading role in the global energy transition. As our UK and Continental Europe team continues to expand, we are seeking a Senior Associate Director – Substations (Primary Design) to support a range of high‑profile projects across our Power & Energy portfolio. This includes high voltage AIS and GIS Substations, transmission system assets, HVDC interconnectors, and energy storage systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on FEED and detailed design workstreams for National Grid and DNO clients
• Oversee quality assurance, resource planning, and capability development across multiple projects
• Lead technical reviews of HV plant aspects including layouts, earthing design and reports, mechanical interlocking, HV busbar calculations, and equipment specifications
• Coordinate with back‑office engineers, sub‑contractors, and suppliers to ensure seamless delivery
• Manage and contribute to tender packages, including technical and commercial submissions
• Chair design and hazard review meetings and ensure technical assurance of HV plant design
• Attend site visits, FAT and SAT as required
• Mentor senior engineers and contribute to succession planning and capability growth
• Maintain and grow client relationships, supporting strategic business development and market positioning
• Represent Jacobs in industry forums and contribute to shaping technical standards and best practices

Here’s what you’ll need

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent
• LCDAE/PD (TP137) and/or TP141 authorisation ideally
• Extensive experience in HV substation engineering (132kV–400kV), including AIS/GIS and HVDC systems
• Proven leadership in delivering complex, multi‑disciplinary infrastructure projects
• Strong understanding of UK transmission and distribution standards and client expectations
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and team leadership skills
• Strategic thinking with commercial acumen and a track record of business development

Why Jacobs?

People are Jacobs’ greatest asset, and we offer a competitive package to retain and attract the best talent.

In addition to the benefits you’d expect, UK employees also receive free single medical cover and digital GP service, family‑friendly benefits such as enhanced parental leave pay and free membership of employee assistance and parental programmes, plus reimbursement towards relevant professional development and memberships. We also give back to our communities through our Collectively program which incorporates matched‑funding, paid volunteering time and charitable donations.

Work‑life balance and flexibility is a key focus area for Jacobs. We’re happy to discuss hybrid, part‑time and flexible working hours, patterns and locations to suit you and our business.

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well‑being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https://www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.

As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.