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    • About Us

    We’re National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses.

    National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues – who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.

    Job Introduction

    An opportunity is available for a Head of Projects. 

    In this role you will be responsible for managing the Primary distribution systems and Major Projects within our South West Electricity Distribution area.

    You will be managing the portfolio of investment and regulated funding across all projects and programmes E2E ensuring that the deliverables meet or exceed stakeholder expectations. This will include forward planning 10 years out, and include all project functions from mobilisation, design, build, commission and benefits realisation. Responsibility will also include some operational programmes e.g. faults that will need to be developed, operated and maintained efficiently and effectively in accordance with appropriate legislation, laid down policies and standards.

    As the Head of the Projects you will work particularly closely with the PMO to influence and ensure alignment to all project delivery practices and methodologies used within the business are role modelled within your region. Each region has a Major Projects capital spend exceeding 0.5BN over the next 5 years.

    The base location of the role will preferably be Redruth, Bodmin, Exeter, Weston Super Mare, but we could also consider Taunton and Bristol. This will be agreed with the successful candidate.

    As part of our hybrid working approach this role offers a mix of office and home working. Hybrid working can only be considered once your initial training is complete and is subject to business needs.

    Main responsibilities

    The Head of Projects will be accountable to the Major Projects Director for the following:

    • To engage, motivate and lead a group of Managers and operational functions.
    • To set objectives, monitor performance and control of primary Distribution activities in the region.
    • To ensure that customers in the Distribution Area are provided with the highest level of service.
    • To co-ordinate the formulation of Capital and Revenue Budgets for the area and to monitor and control expenditure of these budgets.
    • To ensure and drive a safety culture.
    • To manage all major capital projects/programmes from E2E against time, cost and quality.
    • To review, design, sign-off, implementation and management a new operating model.
    • To embrace, implement and embed, best practice governance and controls in partnership with the PMO.
    • Convert the high level business plan into an operational delivery plan, including making decisions on insourcing v’s out sourcing.
    • Manage the lifecycle of all projects, from appointing the project leader to closing the project.
    • Defining WBS and supporting schedule creation across all programme types.
    • Tracking all projects and programmes against time, cost, quality, contractual and regulatory requirements, including forecasting, baseline scheduling, resource loading, estimating cost to complete, variance identification and lessons learned.
    • Ensure effective Risk, Issue and Opportunity Management.
    • Embed governance, gating, compliance and performance status updates, reporting and insights.
    • Monitor and control programme compliance in respect of the projects’ contractual obligations.
    • Champion best practice and consistency in all areas across the wider matrix.

    Ideal candidate

    • You will be a strong project/programme/portfolio leader with a demonstrable track record of leading teams in a Project function.
    • You will need to be a subject matter expert on project and programme management methodologies and have experienced project planning large capital infrastructure projects, ideally being a whizz with data analysis.
    • Electricity/energy or other regulated industry experience is a nice to have but not essential, more important is the ability to influence stakeholders at a senior level in both matrix and none matrix environments to include customers, partners and suppliers.
    • You will be an exceptional people leader, having experience of managing large engineering / construction teams, both insourced and outsourced

    National Grid Electricity Distribution is committed to safeguarding the interests of the Company, colleagues and customers. This role is subject to a satisfactory Barring Service, (DBS) check, depending on the role different levels of screening and vetting are required. Some roles require a triannual check.

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