Overview
Secretariat – DSO Independent Panel – Full Time
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 DSO Panel Secretariat, working within National Grid Electricity Distribution’s (NGED’s) Distribution System Operator (DSO).
The DSO Panel: Our DSO is responsible for shaping the future development of NGED’s distribution network in line with future energy demands. This includes planning and network development and developing markets for flexibility. However, within distribution businesses, there may be a perceived conflict between DSO and network ownership roles. The potential for any conflict to occur can be minimised and the impact diminished by ensuring appropriate steps are taken with respect to independence and governance. NGED is committed to introducing measures to ensure independent oversight and external assurance of its DSO. This includes appointing and convening NGED’s DSO Panel.
The DSO Panel Secretariat is an outstanding opportunity to implement and shape a key governance function, the DSO panel, while working closely with senior stakeholders within NGED and the external members of NGED’s Independent DSO Panel. This post-holder will be responsible for bridging the relationship between the DSO Panel Chair and NGED DSO Senior leadership including the Director of DSO and the NGED President. More information about the DSO Panel Chair can be found here: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/regina-finn-announced-as-independent-panel-chair-at-national-grid-s-distribution-system-operator
Key Accountabilities:
The Secretariat for the DSO Panel is an important liaison position, offering a unique opportunity to work with senior leaders in the energy sector. Your voice will be a trusted advisor to the DSO Panel Chair, and it will carry weight and hold authority within NGED DSO. While the Chair and the Panel meet four times a year, the Secretariat is a consistent presence within NGED representing the needs and the interests of the DNO Panel.
This role offers hybrid working and the base location will be agreed with the successful candidate.
If you are offered a position, you will be required to successfully complete a basic DBS check that shows any unspent convictions or conditional cautions.
Main Responsibilities
- Establishing yourself as the internal point of contact for the DSO Panel and support the Chair and DSO Panel members in navigating internal DSO teams.
- Strategic management and oversight of the DSO Panel and planning and driving the agenda and gathering high quality papers to ensure the right conversations are happening at the right time and at the right level.
- Organising the quarterly cycle of DSO panel meetings and ensuring smooth running including timekeeping, note-taking, logistics such as establishing availability/dates for the meetings, booking rooms, ordering catering.
- Tracking scrutiny and challenges raised by the DSO Panel, logging follow-up actions and ensuring that NGED DSO teams follow up and take action to address the concerns raised.
- Implementing the governance function of the DSO Panel and integrating it into existing internal and external NGED structures. Managing DSO Panel reporting obligations, both internal and external.
- Other governance duties as needed.
The Ideal Candidate
You’re a collaborative professional, with a proven ability to think strategically and to execute. You’re inquisitive, curious and able to constructively challenge, whilst building strong and meaningful relationships with senior stakeholders, internally and externally, to support and influence effectively.
We’re looking for a delivery-focused individual with strong project management skills who keeps sight of delivering good outcomes as well as the outputs to successfully operationalise the DSO Panel. You must be passionate about playing a critical role in delivering net zero.
You will have previous experience in a secretariat role and leading/supporting a board level structure, or similar/commensurate experience as well as experience working with and gaining the trust of senior leaders and boards and influencing across all levels in an organisation.
Proven communication skills and ability to be clear, diplomatic and focused are key, as is proven ability to work flexibly and collaboratively with senior internal and external stakeholders and to deliver effective outputs and presentations.
We’re looking for a forward thinker who can identify, plan and deliver objectives at speed, whilst energy industry experience would be an advantage, but it is not essential.
Required Skills: Project management, stakeholder engagement, influencing, collaboration, communication, strategic thinking
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At National Grid, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace for everyone. So if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.
About the Company
If this is your opportunity to join us, you’ll find we offer a supportive, rewarding and friendly working environment where you’ll be empowered to build a career. Along the way, you’ll be invested in, be enabled by the latest technology and find that we’re always interested in evolving our systems and processes so that we get even better, every day.
In return, you’ll enjoy a package of benefits designed to reward your hard work and incentivise your ambition. In addition to your competitive salary, we offer a competitive contributory pension scheme where the company will double match your pension contributions up to a maximum company contribution of 10%. You will also have access, subject to eligibility criteria, to join our annual Share Save plan.
You will receive a generous annual leave entitlement on joining, starting at 26 days rising to 28 days following 10 years’ service, plus 8 bank holidays. In addition, you will be able to access support via our Employee Assistance Programme, including musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services.
Additional Application Information
Recruitment correspondence is usually sent by email, so please do check your email account including spam/junk folders regularly after the closing date.
To enhance your candidate experience, we recommend using Google Chrome to complete your online application. Should you have any questions regarding this or require additional support to complete your online application, please contact us.
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should sufficient numbers of suitable applications be received. We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible.
