Strategic Planning Officer - West Midlands

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

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Pension with employer contribution up 

Private Medical Insurance

Critical Illness Insurance

Personal Accident Insurance

FlexibleBank Holidays & HolidayTrading

Birthday Day Off

Cycle to Work Scheme

Retail & Gym Discounts

Job summary

NESO in the UK is recruiting for a West Midlands RESP Strategic Officer to support developing the West Midlands Regional Energy Strategic Plan. The role involves engaging stakeholders, coordinating with local authorities and energy networks, and delivering workshops and reports for regional strategy.

You will contribute to RESP methodology, communicate complex energy topics clearly, and work within a matrix team structure across NESO regions. A flexible working arrangement is available.

Qualifications

• Experience in the energy sector and ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Knowledge of energy project development and the whole energy system, with experience in at least one energy vector.
• Experience working with Local Authorities and/or energy distribution companies, ideally in the West Midlands.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear messaging for reports and presentations.
• Knowledge of strategic critical thinking and how changes affect RESP design and implementation.
• Awareness of data and systems used in energy planning.
• Project management, coordination and planning skills to meet deadlines and deliverables.
• Curious mindset with willingness to learn new areas of work.

Responsibilities

• Represent RESP at regional and national levels with Strategic Leads and Regional Manager.
• Engage with national and regional stakeholders to understand views and requirements.
• Design and deliver workshops and engagement activities with the RESP Steering Board and stakeholders.
• Support implementation of RESP methodology in West Midlands and contribute to development.
• Be SME for West Midlands energy system and interfaces with NESO and external stakeholders.
• Support definition and delivery of work packages and coordinate across RESP teams.
• Produce clear reports and slide packs conveying key messages to audiences.
• Gather inputs from stakeholders to develop RESP per prescribed methodology.
• Develop new ways to analyze problems and propose solutions for RESP.

Skills

Energy sector experience

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Data and energy systems

Project management

Team learning mindset

Job description

About the Role

In April 2025 the National Energy System Operator (NESO) took on the exciting new role of being the UK’s Regional Energy Strategic Planner. We are responsible for developing 11 Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) across nine English regions, plus Scotland and Wales. This role is based in West Midlands. https://www.neso.energy/what-we-do/strategic-planning/regional-energy-strategic-planning-resp Our West Midlands team will work with other NESO teams and with organisations at a local level (‘local actors’), including local government and gas and electricity networks, in developing the RESP. The purpose of the West Midlands Strategic Officer is to support aspects of developing the West Midlands RESP, as detailed in the Key Accountabilities below. The role accountabilities will be dependent on the successful candidate’s experience, knowledge and interest. We need people that will contribute to or lead on the following accountabilities.

Key Accountabilities

• To support the Strategic Leads and Regional Manager to represent RESP at a regional and national level
• To engage with specific national and regional stakeholders within local government, gas and electricity networks, other local actors and whole energy system stakeholders to understand their views and requirements to ensure that RESP delivers value
• To support the Strategic Leads and Regional Manager in the design and delivery of workshops and engagement activity with the West Midlands RESP Strategic Board, working groups and other national and regional stakeholders to progress the RESP
• To support the implementation for relevant parts of the RESP methodology in West Midlands and contribute to continuous development and consultation.
• To be the subject matter expert in understanding specific aspects of West Midlands energy system and the interfaces with both internal NESO and external stakeholders
• To support definition and delivery of work packages; working in a matrix style structure to ensure co‑ordination across other national/regional and hub RESP teams
• To produce and deliver clear, concise, short reports and slide packs in progressing the RESP. Ensure that the key messages are relevant, clear, and pitched appropriately for the audience.
• To understand, engage and gain required and beneficial inputs from stakeholders in developing the RESP to the prescribed methodology; being able to clearly communicate and propose changes where needed to key assumptions
• To create new ways to analyse and present problems and potential solutions, sometimes building on the work and experience of others to quickly develop sufficient understanding of unfamiliar topics in developing the RESP

This role will include a weekly team day in our Warwick office. Some travel will be expected (e.g., to NESO Warwick Office for team workshops or within the West Midlands to meet with key stakeholders).

We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements. 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

To deliver RESP requires a diverse team made up of individuals with a wide range of skills and knowledge which are unlikely to be present in a single individual.

• Experienceinand/orknowledge of the energy sector, experience of communicating internal and external stakeholders at a range of levels
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Knowledgeofenergyprojectdevelopment and the ‘whole energy’ system – with experience in at least one of the energy vectors (gas and/or electricity networks, heat decarbonisation, hydrogen, transport decarbonisation, etc)
• Experienceofworkingwithorwithin Local Authoritiesandorenergy distributioncompanies, ideallyin theWestMidlands
• Abilitytotranslatecomplexandtechnicalinformationinto easily understandable messaging for non-technical audiences, inbothreportsandpresentations
• Knowledgeandexperienceofstrategiccriticalthinking with ability to consider strategic frameworks and concepts, and how changes to these will drive RESP design and implementation
• Anawarenessofdataandsystemsusedinenergyplanning.
• Projectmanagement, coordination and planning skills toensurethatdeadlinesaremet, governanceisadhered to, stakeholdersareeffectively engagedandhigh qualityprocessandoutputsareachieved
• Acuriousmindwiththeabilitytojointhedotsandawillingnesstolearnaboutnewareasofwork

Training and development of the team willbeakeypriorityaswesetupRESP.Successfulindividualsmaybeaskedtohelptrainotherteammembersandalsohavetheopportunitytobetrainedonlessfamiliarareas.

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.

• Youwillreceiveabonusbasedoncompanyperformance
• 26daysannual leave asstandard
• Acompetitive contributorypension scheme where we will doublematchyour contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
• AnnualEnrollmenttoNESOSavingsPlan,whenyousavebetween £20-£500amonthfromyourtake-homepay, wewillpay a 50%matchingcontribution.
• FlexibleBank Holidays&HolidayTrading
• 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

We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds.