Major Projects Operations Manager

Job Introduction

We have an exciting opportunity for an Operations Manager to lead our Major Projects Capital Delivery team based in Hinckley covering a wide region including Coventry, Warwick, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Leicester and Kettering.

In this pivotal leadership role, you’ll guide a large multi-skilled team of Engineers, Senior Authorised Persons, and Craftstaff to deliver complex capital programmes, ensuring safety, compliance, and outstanding customer service. Managing projects worth up to £20m within an annual budget of £70m, you’ll oversee network performance, contractor management, and stakeholder engagement while driving efficiency and building future capability.

As the GB energy system transforms to meet CP30 and Net Zero by 2050, you’ll be at the forefront—helping NGED deliver new connections, asset replacements, and reinforcement across the distribution network up to 132kV. This is a leadership role where your decisions shape reliability, resilience, and customer experience, while inspiring your team to deliver BIG WORK for a sustainable future.

This role also requires flexibility during severe weather or unplanned events, such as storms or flooding. You’ll play a vital part in deploying resources and restoring power supplies—keeping customers connected across our licence areas.

Main Responsibilities

• Responsible for the safety, health, environment and wellbeing of your team & customers in your area. Accountable for CDM compliance for all works and that safety related incident investigations are carried out and learning shared.

Proactively engage with large generation and demand customers to ensure performance targets are met and projects are delivered.

Ideal Candidate

• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to inspire, develop, and manage teams effectively. Candidates should demonstrate strong decision-making, communication, and people management skills.
• Project & Programme Management: Proven experience in planning, resourcing, and delivering complex projects or programmes from initiation to completion, ensuring objectives are met and lessons learned are applied.
• Supplier & Contract Management: Experience managing suppliers and contracts to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to quality standards, aligned with KPIs.
• IOSH or equivalent safety qualification (or willingness to commence within 12 months of appointment)
• Construction CDM and project management qualification (or willingness to obtain within 12 months of appointment)
• Customer Focus: Demonstrated ability to understand customer needs and deliver excellent service, with experience in developing affordable, customer-centric solutions.
• Regulatory & Commercial Awareness: Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks and incentive targets, with proven ability to apply commercial thinking to maintain affordability and value for customers.

Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in influencing and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders across a matrix organisation, with experience in building relationships to achieve business objectives.

Risk Management & Problem Solving: Ability to identify and assess risks, analyse complex situations, and develop practical solutions using logical thinking and sound judgment, incorporating stakeholder input.

Data Management & Compliance: Knowledge of data governance policies and procedures, with experience maintaining accurate records in business systems to support informed decision-making.

Safety Leadership: Strong understanding of safety management systems and proven ability to design and execute work tasks in compliance with safety standards, ensuring the protection of self, colleagues, and the public.

A full UK/EU driving licence

Experience within the Energy or Utility sectors – desirable

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.

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.