Title:  Balancing Services Market Development Manager - NESO

About the role

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.

The NESO ‘Markets’ function designs and delivers a range of long-term and near real-time markets to help us balance and operate a secure, rapidly decarbonising GB electricity system, at lowest costs to consumers. These markets were worth over £3bn (in the financial year ending March 2022), so represent a major investment signal to a wide range of electricity supply, demand and flexibility technologies. Within Markets, the Flexibility and Electricity Markets Development team is part of the strategic engine – creating the vision for competitive, coherent and coordinated electricity markets in a decarbonised electricity system and designing the roadmap to get there.

The Flexibility and Electricity Markets Development team is currently recruiting for a Balancing Services Market Development manager.

This team is responsible for collaborating across industry , delivering on our market commitments in the Enabling Demand-side Flexibility plan and Clean Flexibility Roadmap as well as setting the strategic direction for our balancing services. You will lead a team delivering high profile projects, which are transforming our balancing services and enabling more demand-side flexibility. You will also engage with senior stakeholders within NESO, Ofgem and DESNZ and co-create with industry to find solutions, which demonstrate value to both consumers and industry. As well as leading a high performing team with 5 direct reports, you will be responsible for leading virtual teams made up of external project partners and sub-contractors, as required.

This role will suit a resilient and ambitious team leader, looking to consolidate their leadership skills by running a high performing team and leading through significant transformation and change.

This role can be based from Wokingham or Warwick, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home. We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

About us

National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) mission is to facilitate the decarbonisation of Great Britain’s energy network and ensure the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean electricity for consumers. We work with stakeholders across the whole energy industry to plan for future network needs, using a wider adoption of technology and changes in consumer behaviour, as well as ensuring we have the right markets, networks, and frameworks in place, to transform the way we operate tomorrow.

Join us, and let’s energise progress.

energy, our future, together.

About the National Energy System Operator (NESO)

In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.  

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, are now at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation is set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As was the ESO, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

Key Accountabilities

• Play an integral part in the Flexibility and Electricity Market Development leadership team, helping to consolidate its position as a high performing and customer-focused team leading the strategic changes needed to deliver net zero. This will include, but not be limited to: setting direction and high standards, developing our people to enable them to achieve their full potential, encouraging healthy challenge and debate, empowering our people to enable them to achieve, collaborating with other managers to ensure delivery plans are in place and resource appropriately allocated.
• Lead a team with direct reports to ensure timely, effective and quality delivery of commitments, on time and to budget. This will require providing direction and guidance, as well as coaching and developing others.
• Ensure awareness of projects and commitments relating to the delivery of Clean Power 2030 across the whole of NESO, DESNZ and Ofgem and communicating their impact effectively. Also maintain positive internal and external stakeholder engagement so that we’re clearly communicating how we’re facilitating a flexible, low-carbon electricity system.

About you

We’re forging the path, and we know we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need visionary minds like yours to join us on this transformative journey. In this case, we’re looking for someone who has:

• Proven leadership and influencing skills, not just in leading high-performing and motivated teams, but in working effectively across the peer group and senior management, gaining buy-in to priorities and driving delivery through others.
• Proven ability to provide strategic direction.
• Experience of leading a team of technical experts to deliver complex change programmes, with a strong understanding of the principles and tools that enable change to be delivered effectively and to maximise value. You should have a passion for people development.
• Excellent communication skills, including articulation of complex insights in a compelling and credible way that is appropriate for the audience.
• Proven ability to think strategically and anticipate business needs.
• Experience of building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and in balancing the needs of competing stakeholders to get to the best overall outcome.
• Knowledge of GB electricity markets and understanding of flexibility services procured at both national and regional level, by NESO and DSOs.
  

Research shows that some people may hesitate to apply unless they meet every requirement. At NESO, we believe potential comes in many forms and we’re committed to a fair, inclusive recruitment process where everyone can show their talents. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds to build a workforce that feels valued and respected and represents the communities we serve.

What you'll get

A competitive salary up to £75,000pa – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 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%.

As we work towards creating a cleaner, greener, and more affordable future for all, we also work towards creating a place for our teammates to belong, with professional and personal growth and positive well-being.

• Full support and career-development resources to expand your skills, enhance your expertise, and maximise your potential along your career journey.
• A diverse and inclusive community of belonging, where teammates are empowered to bring ideas to the table.
• Generous Total Rewards Plan – comprising of health, finance and wealth, work/life balance, and career benefits.
  
  

More Information

This role closes on 6th October 2025 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office. 

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.

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