Title:  IT Networks Service Delivery 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 IT Network Service Delivery Manager will be responsible for ensuring the seamless delivery, stability, and continuous improvement of network services across the organisation following its divestment. This role will manage the end-to-end delivery of network operations, including WAN, LAN, WLAN, firewalls, and cloud connectivity, ensuring that the organisation’s infrastructure is secure, reliable, and aligned with business requirements.

The post-holder will work closely with IT leadership, external service providers, and business stakeholders to ensure that network services meet agreed service levels, support operational excellence, and enable future scalability as the organisation establishes its independent technology estate.

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.

Key Accountabilities

Service Delivery & Operations

• Own and manage the delivery of all network services (WAN, LAN, WLAN, VPN, cloud networking, firewalls, and internet services).
• Ensure operational excellence through proactive monitoring, incident resolution, and change management.
• Act as the primary escalation point for network-related issues and service disruptions.
• Define and manage SLAs, KPIs, and performance reporting for network services.

Transition & Transformation (Divestment Context)

• Lead the transition of network services from the parent organisation to the divested entity, ensuring minimal disruption.
• Manage network separation activities including migration of circuits, firewalls, and cloud interconnects.
• Establish new contracts with third-party providers and ensure effective vendor management.
• Support the build-out of a resilient, scalable, and secure standalone network infrastructure.

Governance & Compliance

• Maintain compliance with relevant regulatory, security, and audit requirements.
• Implement ITIL-based service management processes for network operations (incident, problem, change, and capacity management).
• Ensure network security aligns with organisational cybersecurity policies and frameworks.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into network service improvements.
• Manage third-party service providers, including contract negotiations, performance reviews, and escalations.
• Provide clear communication on service status, risks, and improvements to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement & Strategy

• Identify and deliver opportunities to optimise network performance, cost, and resilience.
• Contribute to the development of the organisation’s IT strategy, particularly in areas related to networking and cloud connectivity.
• Keep abreast of emerging network technologies and assess their potential value to the organisation.

About You

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Network Service Delivery Manager, Network Operations Manager, or similar leadership role.
• Strong technical knowledge of enterprise networking (Cisco/Juniper/Aruba/Palo Alto or similar).
• Experience managing WAN, LAN, WLAN, VPN, SD-WAN, and firewalls in a multi-site environment.
• Demonstrated experience in managing IT services through transition/divestment, carve-out, or large-scale transformation programmes.
• Strong vendor and contract management skills.
• Familiarity with ITIL processes and frameworks.

Desirable:

• Experience in cloud networking (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Knowledge of Zero Trust networking models and modern security practices.
• Relevant industry certifications (CCNP, JNCIP, ITIL, Prince2, etc.).

Skills & Competencies:

• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively.
• Resilience and adaptability to change in a divestment/transitioning environment.

About What You'll Get

A competitive salary between £68,000 - £78,000pa – 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.

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.

Our 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.

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