Strategic Engagement Lead

National Energy System Operator Limited; Warwick; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus based on company performance

26 days annual leave

Pension scheme with company contrib ut

NESO Savings Plan with 50% matching

Job summary

The National Energy System Operator Limited is seeking a Strategic Engagement Lead to shape stakeholder engagement across SEP and NESO, working with senior leaders to drive outcomes across strategic projects. You will lead cross-programme engagement, design governance mechanisms, and mentor teams to enhance engagement maturity.

You will build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, anticipate risks, and deliver credible, evidence-based recommendations in high-profile forums,

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex engagement across programmes or portfolios.
• Ability to operate at system level and influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience identifying and mitigating strategic engagement risk.
• Ability to coach and develop others.
• Credibility to represent the organisation in high-profile settings.

Responsibilities

• Design and embed a strategic stakeholder engagement framework aligned to priorities.
• Own stakeholder architecture across the portfolio with governance and insight.
• Lead cross-programme engagement activity and senior adviser to leadership.
• Develop strategic communications and executive briefings for decision-making.
• Governance, reporting and risk oversight across SEP and NESO.

Skills

Strategic stakeholder engagement

Cross-programme leadership

Relationship management

Influence senior stakeholders

Coaching others

Job description

About The Role

Great Britain’s electricity system is undergoing an ambitious and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system that serves consumers now and for generations to come.

The National Energy Systems Operator (NESO) are looking for a Strategic Engagement Lead, to work closely with the Head of Wales and Head of Engagement for Strategic Projects. The Strategic Engagement Lead will play a critical leadership role in shaping and driving stakeholder engagement across Strategic Energy Planning and wider organisational priorities. Working closely with the Head of Wales and Head of Engagement for Strategic Projects, the role will lead complex cross-programme engagement activity, own senior stakeholder outcomes, and design frameworks, governance and insight mechanisms that improve engagement maturity across SEP and NESO. The postholder will provide subject matter leadership, anticipate and mitigate strategic engagement risks, lead direct or virtual teams where required, and act as a trusted senior adviser on high-profile and sensitive stakeholder matters.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement
  Lead and drive the design, implementation and continuous improvement of a strategic stakeholder engagement framework aligned to organisational priorities, strategic programmes and measurable engagement outcomes.
  Own and drive stakeholder architecture across the portfolio, including segmentation, prioritisation, relationship planning and governance, ensuring engagement is coordinated, insight-led and focused on areas of greatest strategic value and risk.
  Act as a senior strategic adviser and representative for the Head of Wales and Head of Engagement for Strategic Projects, leading high-profile and sensitive relationships and ensuring consistent, credible and influential engagement across internal and external audiences.
  Lead complex engagement programmes and cross-programme activity through direct or virtual team leadership, ensuring workshops, forums, consultations and events deliver strategic influence, improve stakeholder confidence and avoid duplication.
• Relationship Management
  Build and sustain an extensive network of senior internal and external stakeholders, using influence and credibility to shape decision-making and support strategic delivery.
  Lead relationship management across complex stakeholder environments, balancing competing interests and ensuring consistent, organisation-wide engagement approaches.
  Anticipate stakeholder sentiment, emerging issues and strategic risks, intervening early to mitigate risk and protect trust, confidence and delivery outcomes.
• Strategic Alignment & Delivery
  Lead significant and complex cross-programme engagement activity, ensuring engagement approaches are sequenced, integrated and aligned to business priorities, delivery milestones and strategic outputs.
  Operate with a system-level perspective, connecting engagement insight across programmes and translating it into actions that improve planning, delivery and decision-making.
  Own and drive wider engagement outcomes, ensuring stakeholder feedback demonstrably shapes strategic direction, programme development and organisational priorities.
• Communication & Influence
  Lead the development of strategic communications, executive briefings and high-impact materials that support senior decision-making, stakeholder confidence and programme influence.
  Represent NESO in senior forums, governance groups and external settings, acting with authority and credibility on complex, sensitive or high-profile matters.
  Influence senior stakeholders through evidence-based insight, strategic judgement and clear recommendations, and act within delegated authority where appropriate.
• Governance & Reporting
  Create and embed engagement governance frameworks, systems and standards that improve consistency, coordination, sequencing, reporting and risk oversight across SEP and wider NESO activity.
  Establish robust mechanisms for tracking, evaluating and reporting engagement outcomes, including trust, confidence, stakeholder insight and behavioural indicators.
  Proactively identify and mitigate engagement risks with strategic implications, escalating issues where appropriate and ensuring mitigation plans are in place.
  Provide SME leadership and coaching to L6/L7 colleagues and project teams, role modelling best practice and building organisational capability in engagement, relationship management and stakeholder insight.

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 are looking for someone who is proactive, adaptable and able to work on fast-paced projects and engagements, managing multiple priorities simultaneously, with strong communication and organisational skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines and deliver as promised.

• experience leading complex engagement across programmes or portfolios
• ability to operate at system level and influence senior stakeholders
• experience identifying and mitigating strategic engagement risk
• ability to coach and develop others
• credibility to represent the organisation in high-profile settings

What You'll Get

A competitive salary of £50,000 - £60,000 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.

Benefits

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.