Senior Innovation Project Manager

Reference Number - 78588

This Senior Innovation Project Manager will report to the Innovation Programme Delivery Manager and will work within the Customer Services and VICE based in our London office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £66,264.00 and a bonus of 7.5%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote

Close Date: 26/03/2024

We also provide the following additional benefits

• Annual Leave
• Personal Pension Plan - Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit scheme
• Tax efficient benefits: cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On - scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers products.
• Discounted access to sports and social clubs
• Employee Assistance Programme.

The energy industry is going through a once-in-a-generation revolution. We are moving away from a carbon-intensive model that relies on large coal and gas-fired power stations, to a dynamic, flexible and interconnected low carbon energy system, with significant renewable energy, battery storage, electric vehicles and low carbon heating.

UK Power Networks is playing a leading role in enabling the transition to Net Zero for all, and innovation lies at the heart of this transformation. With an expanding innovation budget exceeding £20m annually, our innovation team has delivered more than 50 solutions into the business, unlocking an astonishing £400m in customer benefits.

As a Senior Innovation Project Manager, you will help shape the future of the energy landscape. If you love making things better for customers, bringing people together to find solutions, working with technology, commercial and digital solutions and leading projects, then you've come to the right place.

UK Power Networks was named 2023's Utility of the Year, recognising our sector-leading performance in delivering for customers, driving towards Net Zero, and diversity and inclusion, and we have been voted one of the UK's best big companies to work for.

The Role

We're looking to bring on an experienced and dynamic Senior Innovation Project Manager to join our team. In this evolving space, you will help drive change and set the strategic direction to improve decarbonisation and the changing dynamics of electricity networks.

You will possess a experience managing projects, navigating an evolving environment, and implementing impactful changes to deliver benefits for both us and our customers.

What you'll do

• Drive innovation solutions which enable Net Zero, guiding them through every stage from inception to implementation into business-as-usual
• Lead project teams comprised of internal staff and external partners, empowering them to deliver on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and safety.
• Be a technical or decarbonisation expert who is comfortable discussing complex technical topics with partners and non-technical individuals
• Run workshops with all partners to identify challenges/problems and drive solutions that meet customer's needs
• Maintain the risk monitoring framework to identify any issues early and resolve them. You will navigate challenges and will help maintain project momentum and success
• You will find ways to make work and results more visible, help to remove blockers and impediments to delivery of projects
• Engage partners, including customers, the regulator, government and system operators, to widen market access
• Promote expertise around the energy transition and champion a consumer-centric energy system. Ensure knowledge and outcomes are shared widely across different communication channels

What you'll need

• Degree in engineering, science or social sciences
• Experience in a project management, technical, analytical role in the electricity industry
• A formal Project Management qualification such as PRINCE2, APMP or Agile methodologies will be required
• Delivery focus - 3+ years leading high impact business initiatives
• Relate to multiple partners including leading and influencing partners at different levels - able to balance competing demands to ensure best overall outcome
• Experience working on collaborative projects with several business teams and external partners
• You don't need to be deeply familiar with the electricity networks and products (we can teach that), but a general understanding of how energy systems/markets and low carbon technologies infrastructure operate is a good start.
• Understanding of what cost-benefit assessments are and good ability to develop cost-benefit analysis
• Translate technical information for non-technical audiences
• Experience using multiple tools and methodologies to formulate an understanding of our customers' and partners' needs, process pain points and areas of improvements
• Adaptability and flexibility when sometimes no 'blueprint' exists
• Have an interest and passion in decarbonisation, change transformation and consumer vulnerability
• Be curious - it's essential you have the initiative to make decisions yourself, and can find solutions to novel problems without lots of help and support
• Creative and critical thinker, be a problem solver - you'll need to be able to listen and understand the problems and requirements of the business and come up with pragmatic solutions
• High ownership - you manage your work and guide next steps at pace independently

We are looking for someone with an understanding of the challenges and opportunities posed by the Net Zero transition to the electricity networks, including what they mean in terms of consumer vulnerability and wider social sustainability. If this sounds like you then we'd love to hear from you.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit their CV and a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and passion for Net Zero and the energy system transition. We welcome diverse applicants who share our vision for a greener, more resilient future. It is unlikely that we'll shortlist you for an interview without a cover letter. This is your first opportunity to show us why you're right for this role.

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

If in doubt ask!

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.