Lead Business Strategy & Planning Analyst

National Grid; Buffalo (NY); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

National Grid in New York is seeking a Lead Business Strategy & Planning Analyst for its Digital Solutions group. This hybrid role will shape the Distribution System Operator strategy, operating model, and business case framework to meet future system needs.

You will partner with planning, operations, regulatory, finance, and digital teams to develop investment roadmaps, run financial analyses, and build executive-ready presentations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 3-5 years of utility strategy, business planning, or related experience.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with business case analysis, cost-benefit analysis, investment prioritization, or financial modeling.
• Ability to synthesize information into clear recommendations.
• Experience creating executive presentations and briefings.
• Strong written and verbal communication; cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of National Grid's DSO strategy and long-term roadmap.
• Analyze future energy system needs and assess solutions including investments and non-wires alternatives.
• Develop business cases and investment prioritization frameworks for executive decision-making.
• Collaborate with planning, operations, digital, regulatory, finance, and customer teams.
• Track trends and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Help develop measures and data-driven approaches to demonstrate value.
• Prepare leadership presentations, reports, and briefing materials.

Skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Data Visualization

Analytical Thinking

Communication

Stakeholder Engagement

Problem Solving

Executive Presentations

Education

Bachelor's degree (Business, Economics, Public Policy, Engineering, Energy Systems, Finance, Planning, Data Analytics)

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

SQL

Job description

About us

National Grid is hiring a Lead Business Strategy & Planning Analyst for our Digital Solutions department. This will be a Hybrid role based out of any of our New York offices.

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live.

The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating, and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry. To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

As a Lead Business Strategy & Planning Analyst, you'll play a key role in shaping how the distribution network evolves to support distributed energy resources, customer flexibility, electrification, and digital innovation. Working across strategy, planning, regulatory, operational, and technology teams, you'll help develop solutions that improve reliability, affordability, and system performance while delivering greater value for customers.

Job Purpose

Support the development of National Grid's DSO strategy, operating model, and business case framework by identifying cost-effective approaches to meeting future system needs through a combination of traditional grid investments, distributed energy resources, customer flexibility programs, non-wires alternatives, flexible interconnections, and digital capabilities.

The role will assess strategic opportunities, evaluate affordability and operational impacts, support regulatory and planning activities, and help define how DSO capabilities improve system utilization, increase operational flexibility, and deliver measurable value for customers and the electric system.

Key Accountabilities

• Support the development of National Grid's Distribution System Operator (DSO) strategy and long-term roadmap.
• Analyze future energy system needs and assess a range of solutions, including network investments, customer flexibility programs, energy storage, and non-wires alternatives.
• Develop business cases, strategic recommendations, and investment prioritization frameworks to support executive decision-making.
• Partner with planning, operations, digital, regulatory, finance, and customer teams to align business objectives and grid modernization initiatives.
• Track industry, regulatory, and market trends and translate insights into actionable business recommendations.
• Help develop performance measures and data-driven approaches that demonstrate customer, operational, and system value.
• Prepare leadership presentations, reports, and briefing materials that simplify complex topics and support strategic decisions.
• Support internal and external stakeholder engagement activities by synthesizing industry trends, regulatory developments, and strategic insights into clear communications that advance organizational awareness, foster alignment, and help shape the narrative around National Grid's DSO vision, grid flexibility initiatives, and evolving business model.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Public Policy, Engineering, Energy Systems, Finance, Planning, Data Analytics, or a related field.

• 3-5 years of experience in utility strategy, business planning, corporate strategy, grid modernization, regulatory analysis, management consulting, energy policy, finance, or a related field.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex business, operational, regulatory, and market issues.

• Experience conducting business case analysis, cost-benefit analysis, investment prioritization, financial modeling, or strategic assessments.

• Ability to synthesize large amounts of information and translate findings into clear business recommendations.

• Experience developing executive presentations, briefing materials, and strategic communications.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex topics to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multiple business functions and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and data visualization or reporting tools.

Preferred:

• Experience in the electric utility industry, energy sector, utility consulting, or regulated infrastructure businesses.

• Familiarity with electric distribution planning, distributed energy resources, demand response, energy storage, electric vehicles, non-wires alternatives, flexible interconnections, or grid modernization programs.

• Understanding of New York utility regulation, Public Service Commission proceedings, DSIP planning, rate cases, or utility performance frameworks.

• Experience evaluating affordability impacts, asset utilization opportunities, operational efficiency improvements, or investment trade-offs.

• Knowledge of emerging Distribution System Operator concepts, grid flexibility strategies, virtual power plants, and utility business model evolution.

• Familiarity with utility data ecosystems and operational technologies such as ADMS, DERMS, AMI, GIS, or analytics platforms.

• Experience using Power BI, Tableau, SQL, or other analytical and visualization tools.

• MBA, master's degree, or relevant professional certifications are a plus.

More Information

Why National Grid?

• Help shape the future of New York's electricity system.
• Work on high-impact initiatives that support reliability, affordability, and sustainability.
• Collaborate with industry-leading experts across strategy, operations, technology, and regulation.
• Gain exposure to major grid modernization and energy transformation programs.
• Be part of an organization committed to innovation, continuous improvement, and delivering value for customers and communities.

Salary

Upstate - $128,000 - $150,000 a year

Downstate - $153,000 - $180,000 a year

National Grid will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. You must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

National Grid utilizes an assessment that evaluates the job qualifications/characteristics using AI or statistically based scoring. For more information, please view NYC Local Law 144.

This position has a career path which provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise and acquiring and applying technical skills. Candidates will be assessed and provided offers against the minimum qualifications of this role and their individual experience.

National Grid is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of protected class. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. National Grid maintains affirmative action programs for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Our employment practices are designed to ensure that all individuals are treated fair—?