Senior Delivery Manager - Balancing Transformation

About the Role

The Senior Delivery Manager is accountable for the successful delivery and operation of NESO's Balancing Transformation technology portfolio, leading the digital transformation of the systems and services that underpin real-time electricity balancing across Great Britain.

The role owns the technology delivery strategy for the Balancing Transformation Programme. They are responsible for two equally important outcomes: delivering transformation of energy balancing operations within NESO’s system operations at pace and ensuring the safe, secure and reliable operation of delivered balancing services and platforms.

The scope includes ownership of the digital roadmap for the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) OpenShift platform and delivery of multiple business services that replace capabilities currently provided by legacy balancing systems. These services support the end-to-end balancing lifecycle, from strategy through to energy balancing, dispatch, optimisation, reporting and settlement, while ensuring market services continue to work effectively for the Control Room.

The role also owns the technology communication methodology for market participants and provides leadership across delivery, operations, investment, commercial management, supplier relationships, regulatory assurance and industry engagement. Product Management and Architecture remain peer functions, led by the Principal Product Manager and Chief Domain Architect respectively.

Role balance: Approximately 50% transformation delivery and 50% live operational service leadership.

Digital scope: Ownership of CNI OpenShift platform, Communication Interfaces for Market and System Operations and delivery of business services replacing legacy balancing systems.

Operations: 24x7 availability, service-level performance, operational resilience, incident response and continuity of CNI systems.

External focus: Ofgem assurance, industry webinars, market participant communications, and long-term relationships with software suppliers, consultancies and strategic vendors.

This role can be based from Wokinghamand we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home.

This role is designated as requiring a National Security Vetting (NSV) clearance. You will usually need to have been a resident in the UK for the last five years to apply for the required level of clearance.

Key Accountabilities

Platform and Business Service Delivery

• Own the digital roadmap and delivery of NESO's CNI OpenShift platform, including platform evolution, lifecycle requirements, resilience and readiness for future services.

• Understand and maintain the distinction between platform capabilities and the products or business services that consume them.

• Lead delivery of multiple business services that replace capabilities currently operating on legacy balancing systems.

• Ensure all technology changes protect effective operation of market services for the Control Room.

• Define agile delivery strategy, governance and planning across a complex portfolio of teams, platforms, services and suppliers.

• Drive resolution of dependencies, constraints and delivery blockers to maintain momentum in an ambiguous and fast-changing environment.

Operational Service Leadership

• Provide operational accountability for live balancing systems and associated CNI platforms using SRE model of service operations

• Ensure critical services are available 24x7 and perform in line with agreed service levels.

• Lead operational governance, major incident response, service recovery, disaster recovery and business continuity activities.

• Maintain oversight of operational risk, platform health, service performance, support arrangements and supplier obligations.

• Drive continuous improvement in reliability, resilience, observability, recoverability and operational effectiveness while transformation work proceeds.

Commercial, Investment and Multi-Vendor Leadership

• Lead investment planning, business case development, funding governance and financial oversight across the technology portfolio.

• Develop commercial strategies that support delivery, operational resilience and long-term organisational capability.

• Build durable, outcome-focused partnerships with key technology vendors, software suppliers, consultancies and managed service providers.

• Establish and operate an effective multi-vendor resourcing and support model, with clear accountability, integrated ways of working and effective knowledge retention.

• Protect NESO's strategic, commercial and operational interests in supplier decisions, contracts, delivery trade-offs and sourcing arrangements.

• Hold vendors to account for outcomes while creating the conditions for constructive, long-term partnership.

Digital Strategy and Transformation Leadership

• Define and execute the digital delivery strategy for NESO's Balancing Transformation Programme.

• Own the long-term roadmap for balancing technology, ensuring investment and delivery priorities support organisational strategy, regulatory commitments and future operational needs.

• Lead the replacement of legacy balancing systems with modern, secure and resilient platforms and services.

• Drive delivery of business services across the balancing lifecycle, from strategy and forecasting through to energy balancing, dispatch, optimisation, market services, reporting and settlement.

• Work in partnership with Product and Architecture counterparts, maintaining clear accountability boundaries between delivery, product direction and architectural authority.

Industry Engagement and Market Communication

• Act as a senior technology representative for Balancing Transformation across the energy industry.

• Lead industry webinars, workshops, stakeholder forums and consultation activities.

• Own the communication methodology for technology and operational changes affecting market participants.

• Build trusted relationships with key software suppliers and consulting companies operating within the energy industry.

• Translate complex technology change into clear business and operational messages for market participants, executives, regulators and industry stakeholders.

Regulatory, Governance and Executive Assurance

• Provide clear, evidence-based reporting and assurance to programme governance forums, executive leadership and Ofgem.

• Ensure delivery and operational activities support regulatory obligations, investment commitments and governance requirements.

• Maintain oversight of delivery, operational, commercial, cyber security and regulatory risks. Drive timely decisions and escalations, creating clarity and accountability where dependencies span organisational boundaries.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK by the start of employment. Visa sponsorship may not be available for this role and will be considered in line with business requirements.

About You

Essential Experience

• Significant experience leading large-scale digital or technology transformation in a complex, regulated or critical-services environment.

• Demonstrable experience balancing transformation delivery with accountability for live service operations.

• Experience shaping and executing long-term technology roadmaps across platforms and business services.

• Strong understanding of the difference between a technology platform and the products or business services enabled by it.

• Experience operating or overseeing high-availability services with 24x7 support and defined service levels.

• Substantial experience of investment planning, budget management, business cases and commercial governance.

• Proven success building long-term vendor partnerships and operating effectively in a multi-vendor resourcing model.

• Experience leading through ambiguity, organisational complexity and significant cross-programme dependencies.

• Strong stakeholder leadership across executive, operational, regulatory, supplier and industry audiences.

• Experience translating technology strategy, constraints and trade-offs into clear business language.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in energy, utilities, critical national infrastructure or another safety- or mission-critical sector.

• Knowledge of balancing services, market operations or real-time operational systems.

• Experience engaging directly with regulators and providing formal programme or investment assurance.

• Familiarity with cloud-native platforms, OpenShift, DevSecOps, site reliability engineering or modern service-based architectures.

• Experience leading industry engagement, webinars or market-facing technology change.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree-level qualification in Software Engineering (or equally applicable alternative), or equivalent depth of professional experience across technology delivery, programme leadership, operations and commercial management.

• Evidence of senior leadership responsibility for complex technology delivery and operational outcomes.

Desirable

• Professional qualification in Agile DevSecOps Delivery and/or SRE

• Relevant leadership, technology management or business qualification.

Person Profile: What We Are Looking For

• A high-energy, outcome-focused leader with the drive and resilience to deliver in an ambiguous and sometimes chaotic environment.

• Someone who creates clarity, establishes direction and sustains momentum when priorities, dependencies and information are continually changing.

• A persistent problem solver who actively unblocks challenges and is comfortable escalating and driving decisions across organisational boundaries.

• A leader who understands the difference between platform capability and product or business service delivery, and can connect both to organisational outcomes.

• A commercially astute partner who can build trusted, long-term vendor relationships while protecting NESO's interests and maintaining appropriate challenge.

• Someone capable of creating an effective multi-vendor model that combines external capability with clear accountability, knowledge retention and organisational control.

• A technology-literate business leader. The person does not need to be an engineer, but must understand technology sufficiently to challenge constructively, make informed trade-offs and communicate technology clearly at business and executive level.

• A credible communicator who can work effectively with engineers, Control Room and operational teams, executives, Ofgem, suppliers, consultants and market participants.

• A leader who thinks strategically but remains personally accountable for execution, operational performance and measurable outcomes.

What You'll Get

NESO's flexible benefits programme provides you with more flexibility around your health, lifestyle and protection benefits, here's just a few available:

- Flexible Bank Holidays & Holiday Trading

- Additional Birthday Day Off

- Cycle to Work Scheme, Retail & Gym Discounts

- Private Medical Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance & Personal Accident Insurance

About Us

At the National Energy System Operator (NESO), we play a vital role in tackling climate change and securing Great Britain's energy future. We already operate the world's fastest decarbonising electricity system and are working towards our ambition to run it carbon-free for a short period this year - provided the market supplies electricity exclusively from renewable sources. Alongside this, we provide expert advice to government on how to deliver a clean power system by 2030.

In autumn 2024, the Electricity System Operator (ESO) transitioned to become NESO - an independent, expert public corporation with a whole-system view across electricity, gas, and hydrogen. NESO operates independently and transparently, always acting in the best interests of all energy users.

Licensed and regulated by Ofgem, we make impartial decisions that balance sustainability, affordability and security. Our organisation is fully independent from government, the regulator and all commercial interests, with a clear focus on system-wide benefit, long term thing and public value.

The time to deliver is now. Join the energy transformation and help shape the future.

Your energy. Our future. Together

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.

More Information

Research shows that some people may hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. At NESO, we believe potential comes in many forms and we're committed to a fair, inclusive recruitment

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. If this role sparks your interest but you're not sure you tick every box, we still want to hear from you. process where everyone has the opportunity to show their talents. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds.