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 UK has committed to reaching net zero by 2050, and the energy industry is transforming to meet that goal. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has been given a new and exciting responsibility: acting as the Regional Energy Strategic Planner (RESP) for Great Britain. RESP will coordinate the development of the distribution energy system, enabling confident, long-term investment that supports a whole-system, place-based approach to decarbonisation.

Our South West team work with other NESO teams and organisations at a local level including local government and gas and electricity networks, in developing RESP.  Our current focuses include developing a transitional RESP, and our enduring methodology for future RESPs.

The purpose of this job is to be a RESP Technical Lead. You will apply your technical energy and system planning understanding and skill in leading engagement with technical audiences and coordinating technical and data interfaces in developing RESPs. 

This is a unique opportunity to shape how data is used to drive local energy transformation—combining technical expertise with stakeholder engagement to deliver real-world impact.

This role will begin as home-based but will transition to the South West office upon opening in the future. We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements, but having an understanding and lived experience of the South West will be key.

About Us

The creation of National Energy System Operator (NESO) is driven by an urgent need to unify and optimise our approach to energy. A more integrated and coordinated strategy is needed to meet the unprecedented challenges of climate change, ensuring secure energy supply, and keeping costs manageable for consumers.

Join us and empower your potential, energise our team, and be part of something bigger.

Your 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.

 
The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

Key Accountabilities

• Take ownership and understand technical specific aspects of your region’s energy system planning inputs into developing the RESP including the interfaces with local and national data, central RESP methodology and assumptions.
• Develop, consult and then implement parts of the RESP methodology within your region relating to gaining, validating and balancing technical and spatial planning energy inputs.
• Take ownership of obtaining and validating regional geospatial energy inputs, coordinating with the central team.
• Work in a matrix style structure within the wider regional energy strategic planning team to ensure work your leading upon is coordinated with other regional and central RESP teams.
• Represent NESO’s regional energy planning function to energy system planners and energy leads within local government, gas and electricity networks, and other local actors.
• 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
• Work with the central team in developing geospatial visualisations to support regional insights and communicating to stakeholders key changes in the energy system 
• 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.

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. Key skills and experience we are looking for are:

• Technical experience within and knowledge of the energy sector including of energy scenarios.
• Understanding of the ‘whole energy’ system – with experience in one of the energy vectors (gas and/or electricity networks, heat decarbonisation, hydrogen, transport decarbonisation, storage/flex etc). 
• Experience of working with or within energy distribution and/or transmission companies.
• Knowledge and experience of geospatial data modelling, ideally applied in energy planning, including knowledge of data management procedures.
• Understanding and experience of applying common methods and assumptions and validation of data.
• Ability to translate complex and technical information into easily understandable messaging for non-technical audiences.
• Project management, coordination and planning skills to ensure that deadlines are met, governance is adhered to, stakeholders are effectively engaged and high-quality process and outputs are achieved.
• Training and development of the team will be a key priority as we set up RESP. Successful individuals may be asked to help train other team members and also have the opportunity to be trained on less familiar areas. 

About What You'll Get

A competitive salary between £55,000 - £65,000 per annum, dependent on experience and capability. As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on company performance, 26 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 31st August 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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