Senior Policy Lead, Strategic Energy Planning - 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 Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) is a first of a kind programme for Great Britain. It will provide strategic direction for the country’s future energy system requirements, by identifying the optimal locations, quantities and types of energy infrastructure through to 2050. This is a high-profile project both for NESO and government. We’re looking for a Senior Policy Lead to help drive alignment and integration with energy and infrastructure policy across Great Britian.
Your role will be to engage closely with government, including UK Government and the Devolved Administrations, to understand their policy ambitions and to help them understand the implications of the SSEP pathways for their future policy decisions. You will also need to engage regularly with external stakeholders and ensure their insight and views are factored into your analysis.
To do this you will need to have a broad understanding of energy infrastructure, such as types of generation and energy networks. You will need a strategic level understanding of the challenges of delivering such infrastructure, in particular, how government policies and regulatory landscape impacts this. You will help both NESO and government understand potential regulatory barriers or opportunities that could help or hinder the delivery of the SSEP. Additionally, you will also support the internal NESO team as it begins to plan for SSEP 2, including areas for enhancement.
The SSEP team’s hub is Warwick with a minimum of monthly travel to this office preferred. The SSEP team is geographically dispersed across GB but we have a strong team spirit and friendly, sociable, working culture.
Key Accountabilities
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:
A competitive salary between £65,000 - £70,000pa – 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%.
About Us
National Energy System Operator (NESO) has a key role to play in tackling climate change by transitioning GB’s electricity system to net zero. We already operate the fastest decarbonising electricity system in the world, with an ambition for zero carbon power operation by 2030 when there is sufficient renewable generation. We are also providing advice to the Government on achieving a decarbonised power system by 2030.
So, join the energy transformation and help shape the future.
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.
NESO, 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.
More information
This role closes on 26/03/2026 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.
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 Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) is a first of a kind programme for Great Britain. It will provide strategic direction for the country’s future energy system requirements, by identifying the optimal locations, quantities and types of energy infrastructure through to 2050. This is a high-profile project both for NESO and government. We’re looking for a Senior Policy Lead to help drive alignment and integration with energy and infrastructure policy across Great Britian.
Your role will be to engage closely with government, including UK Government and the Devolved Administrations, to understand their policy ambitions and to help them understand the implications of the SSEP pathways for their future policy decisions. You will also need to engage regularly with external stakeholders and ensure their insight and views are factored into your analysis.
To do this you will need to have a broad understanding of energy infrastructure, such as types of generation and energy networks. You will need a strategic level understanding of the challenges of delivering such infrastructure, in particular, how government policies and regulatory landscape impacts this. You will help both NESO and government understand potential regulatory barriers or opportunities that could help or hinder the delivery of the SSEP. Additionally, you will also support the internal NESO team as it begins to plan for SSEP 2, including areas for enhancement.
The SSEP team’s hub is Warwick with a minimum of monthly travel to this office preferred. The SSEP team is geographically dispersed across GB but we have a strong team spirit and friendly, sociable, working culture.
Key Accountabilities
- Leading on the energy technology policy elements of the SSEP programme, helping ensure that alignment of SSEP pathway options with current and future GB policy is clearly understood both within NESO and government.
- Engaging with the UK Government, Devolved Administrations and Ofgem on current and emerging energy policy, analysing the impact for the SSEP and representing these findings to the wider SSEP team.
- Engaging with external stakeholders and customers, and representing NESO at industry forums and stakeholder events, listening to feedback on the SSEP pathways and outputs, using this to shape SSEP delivery.
- Presenting at governance groups and external working groups on difficult and complex topics.
- Supporting the wider SSEP team, SEP Directorate and wider NESO in understanding and integrating policy into the programme.
- Maintaining a good understanding of other areas within the NESO business to understand implications of SSEP outputs and implementation, and how they impact other teams.
- Ensuring awareness of broader political, economic and social developments which may impact NESO and the SSEP and brief others on these.
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:
- A broad understanding of current GB energy infrastructure policy and regulations and how these influence the delivery of energy infrastructure.
- The ability to see the bigger picture, think strategically and to analyse complex information in order to develop robust recommendations.
- Experience of working in a complex stakeholder environment, analysing complex and conflicting views to inform your recommendations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex information to non-experts
- Proven ability to build high quality relationships both internally and externally and using those to achieve the required outcomes
- The ability to proactively and independently manage multiple activities with tight deadlines, and to work flexibly in a changing project environment.
A competitive salary between £65,000 - £70,000pa – 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%.
About Us
National Energy System Operator (NESO) has a key role to play in tackling climate change by transitioning GB’s electricity system to net zero. We already operate the fastest decarbonising electricity system in the world, with an ambition for zero carbon power operation by 2030 when there is sufficient renewable generation. We are also providing advice to the Government on achieving a decarbonised power system by 2030.
So, join the energy transformation and help shape the future.
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.
NESO, 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.
More information
This role closes on 26/03/2026 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.