Senior Manager - Enterprise Tooling & Automation

National Energy System Operator; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £80,000-£95,000

Bonus up to 20%

Private medical insurance

28 days annual leave

Pension with 12% company contribution

Job summary

National Energy System Operator is seeking a Senior Manager for Enterprise Tooling & Automation to shape and scale the enterprise tooling ecosystem. The role leads the tooling strategy across the organisation, including SDLC, DevSecOps, and AI tooling, while managing licensing and vendor relations.

The successful candidate will influence senior stakeholders, develop a high-performing team, and drive digitalisation across NESO.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in enterprise tooling and transformation initiatives.
• Experience delivering tooling across large, complex organisations.
• Proven ability to lead managers and mixed onshore/offshore teams.
• Strong stakeholder management with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the Enterprise Tooling Function and future-state tooling ecosystem.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive tooling strategy aligned to DevSecOps and SDLC.
• Consolidate tooling to avoid duplication and enable AI tooling where appropriate.
• Oversee AI Ops initiatives and unify platforms and tooling.
• Manage vendor interactions including licensing, timelines and support.
• Implement the tooling strategy and drive digitalisation across NESO.
• Lead and develop the existing team, ensuring delivery and growth.

Skills

Enterprise tooling

DevSecOps integration

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic decision making

Vendor management

Stakeholder management

Large-scale delivery

Waterfall and Agile

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering or equivalent

Job description

About the Role

This role leads the Enterprise Tooling & Automation function working for the head of Enterprise Digital Operations, shaping and delivering the strategic tooling ecosystem that underpins NESO’s ongoing operation & wider transformation. The role is critical in establishing an integrated, enterprise-wide tooling capability spanning all enterprise systems, the tools NESO needs to deliver and supporting subsequent automation across the end-to-end lifecycle in all areas.

The Senior Manager – Enterprise Tooling & Automation will be responsible for defining, delivering and scaling the enterprise tooling ecosystem that supports end‑to‑end delivery/product workflows. The role will be a key decision maker in all-things tooling & subsequent automation, covering areas from IT4IT through to the complete SDLC (including integration of AI), security and in some instances CNI tooling.

As a Senior Manager, we’re looking for a strategic and impactful leader with broad technology exposure, enterprise scale and strong management skills. This role will need to influence at a senior level, engaging with key stakeholders to make informed, robust and respected decisions.

This role can be based from our Wokingham or Warwick office, with hybrid working across office & home. You are expected to attend your base location as required by business needs, whilst some travel to other NESO office locations should also be expected.

Key Accountabilities

• Own & lead the Enterprise Tooling Function, defining and evolving the future-state tooling ecosystem
• Develop and execute a comprehensive tooling strategy that brings together tools (e.g. software) used across the business and aligns to our Agile DevSecOps outcomes. This will include full SDLC across different technologies, all associated tools and the provision of further AI tooling to supplement our existing portfolio
• Consolidation of current tooling ecosystem, refining our approach to avoid multiple tools operating across similar purposes in different areas
• Support the organisations AI Ops ambitions bringing platforms and subsequent tooling together, providing a unified view and enabling the efficient management of complex, high-volume operations
• Manage vendor interactions including licensing, commercial approvals, implementation timelines and support model, partnering with our Vendor Management Team as required
• Implement the tooling strategy across the organisation, influencing peers and customers across NESO to adopt change and embrace digitalisation.
• Own certificate and license management, ensuring timely response to expiry dates by the wider organisation
• Manage and lead an existing team, understanding what is currently in‑flight and building upon their existing knowledge and successes
• Performance manage, lead, coach and develop the managers in your team, supporting effective delivery, career growth and capability development.

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

We’re looking for someone with:

• Extensive experience in enterprise tooling, ideally with some focus surrounding transformation
• Knowledge of tooling integration and activation points within E2E DevOps/DevSecOps pipelines
• Ability to make strategic decisions around tooling cross‑functionally based on fit for purpose, strategy and adherence to requirements
• Proven experience delivering large-scale tooling implementations across complex organisations.
• Experience managing managers and leading teams across onshore and offshore locations
• Stakeholder management skills, including with senior leadership
• Experience collaborating across engineering, finance, architecture, procurement and transformation teams.
• Deep understanding and prior demonstrable ownership of vendor‑based tooling processes such as licensing and procurement
• Demonstratable knowledge of both Waterfall and DevSecOps agile delivery models
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or similar field, or equivalent work experience.
• Demonstrated experience of working with technology leadership teams.

What You’ll Get

A competitive salary of £80,000 - £95,000 dependent on experience and capabilityAs well as your base salary,you will receive a benefits allowance, a bonus of up to 20% of your salary for stretch performance, private medical insurance, 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’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.