Senior Project Manager – Grid Automation in Stafford

Do you want to take ownership of complex Grid Automation projects that are helping modernise electricity networks and enable the energy transition across the United Kingdom and Northern Europe? GE Vernova is looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager to join our expanding Grid Automation North Europe Cluster, within Grid Solutions. Based primarily in Stafford, with Glasgow available as an alternative location, you will lead the delivery of technically complex and commercially significant Grid Automation projects across the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Nordic region.

Reporting to the Grid Automation North Europe Operations Manager, you will lead the strategy, planning and delivery of multiple complex Grid Automation projects, including offshore wind, transmission and distribution projects. You will take ownership from contract handover through engineering, procurement, manufacturing, site delivery, commissioning and final customer acceptance, including Provisional Acceptance Certificate or Taking Over Certificate milestones. This is a senior, customer-facing and commercially accountable role. You will balance customer expectations, technical delivery, schedule, quality and financial performance while leading multidisciplinary teams across a complex matrix organisation.

You will act as the principal customer contact, establish the overall project execution strategy, secure the resources required for delivery and take action when projects encounter technical, operational or commercial challenges. The position is currently an individual contributor role without direct reports. However, you will coach and support other Project Managers, share lessons learned and help strengthen project-management capability across the organisation. For someone with the right leadership potential, the role may also offer future development towards a Project Management Team Leader position.

How You Will Make a Difference

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of several complex Grid Automation projects running in parallel.
• Develop project execution strategies and management plans aligned with contractual requirements, customer expectations and business objectives.
• Define project governance, lead gate and progress reviews, and coordinate engineering, procurement, manufacturing, field services, commercial and finance teams.
• Secure the resources required for successful delivery and address roadblocks, performance issues and cross-functional dependencies.
• Take responsibility for the full project scope, analysing customer and contractual requirements and identifying gaps, inconsistencies or changes.
• Develop and negotiate practical solutions that protect customer outcomes, project delivery and commercial performance.
• Own the master project schedule, contractual milestones and delivery recovery plans.
• Anticipate potential delays and ensure that engineering, documentation, procurement, manufacturing, site and commissioning activities remain aligned.
• Take ownership of project profit and loss, gross margin, cost and margin forecasts, revenue planning and monthly sales forecasting in partnership with the Project Controller.
• Identify financial discrepancies, commercial risks and productivity opportunities, implementing appropriate cost, revenue or margin recovery plans.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, senior decision-makers, suppliers, partners and internal stakeholders.
• Manage customer expectations, lead the resolution of escalations and provide accurate, timely and transparent project reporting.
• Lead risk and opportunity reviews, implement mitigation actions and identify opportunities for additional Grid Automation scope, customer value and follow-on business.
• Manage contractual matters with customers, suppliers and partners, supported by the Contract Management team.
• Develop and negotiate claims, contractual changes and variation orders, including complex cases involving multiple stakeholders.
• Coordinate procurement, manufacturing and supplier delivery, monitoring on-time performance, product quality and service quality.
• Work with engineering and research and development teams to resolve technical or quality issues efficiently.
• Monitor project and segment performance indicators and provide consolidated execution updates to the North Europe leadership team.
• Coach and support other Project Managers, share lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement across project delivery and governance.

Skills for Success

You will be an experienced project-delivery professional who thrives on complexity, accountability and customer engagement. You will bring:

• Substantial experience managing complex projects within Grid Automation, transmission and distribution, Protection and Control, substation automation or a closely related power-sector environment.
• Experience managing projects through the full lifecycle, from contract handover through commissioning and customer acceptance.
• Experience leading several active projects or a complex project portfolio in parallel.
• Strong knowledge of project scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk and contractual management.
• Commercial accountability for project profit and loss, margin, costs, forecasting and revenue.
• Experience managing claims, contractual changes or variation orders.
• Strong customer-management skills, including experience engaging senior stakeholders and resolving escalated issues.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams within a matrix organisation.
• The ability to influence, create accountability and drive action without relying on direct reporting authority.
• A proactive, self-directed and commercially minded approach.
• Strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Fluency in English.
• Experience within the United Kingdom transmission and distribution market would be particularly valuable.

Desirable Experience

Direct experience delivering offshore wind, offshore substation or renewable grid-connection projects would be advantageous, but it is not an absolute requirement. We are also interested in candidates who have managed similarly complex projects within:

• Grid Automation
• Protection and Control
• Substation automation
• Transmission infrastructure
• Renewable grid connections
• HVDC-related systems
• Complex electrical EPC projects
• Power-system integration

Previous experience coaching, mentoring or developing other Project Managers would also be beneficial.

Education

A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering or a related technical discipline is preferred. However, we are most interested in your overall experience, technical knowledge and professional achievements. Candidates with substantial equivalent experience gained within Grid Automation, Protection and Control, transmission and distribution or a related environment will also be considered.

The Approach We Are Looking For

You will take full ownership of project outcomes and approach each project with an entrepreneurial mindset. You will be comfortable identifying problems without waiting for detailed direction, driving actions across teams, maintaining momentum during complex challenges and protecting project schedule, quality, margin and customer relationships. You will bring energy, resilience and a practical, solutions-focused approach to project delivery.

Special Role Requirements

This role involves occasional travel, expected to be approximately 10–15%, depending on customer meetings, project requirements and site activities. The successful candidate will normally work through a hybrid arrangement, including approximately three days per week at the Stafford or Glasgow office. Applicants must already have the right to work in the United Kingdom without the need for current or future employer-sponsored work authorisation.

Where and How You Will Work

This is a permanent position based primarily at our Stafford office. Glasgow is also available as an alternative location for candidates with the right experience. Our hybrid working model provides flexibility to work both from the office and from home while ensuring that you remain connected with customers, project teams and the wider business.

Our Culture

Every action shapes our future. That is why our north star is a culture of impact, where everyone is empowered to thrive, contribute and achieve. Addressing the urgent need to build a more sustainable electricity system while improving the trajectory of climate-change emissions is a global priority, and we take our responsibility seriously. Our technology helps generate approximately 25% of the world’s electricity today, and we are working to help power the rest. To create a different future for energy, join us and be part of the change. Together, we are the Energy of Change.

We Are Determined to Be the Best Place to Grow

We believe that strong careers are built through varied experiences, meaningful connections and continuous development. We are committed to providing you with the tools and support to shape a career journey that reflects your personal and professional goals. Your people leader and trusted mentors will support you as you develop your skills, broaden your experience and explore opportunities across teams and functions. We also prioritise fair pay, performance-based recognition and wellbeing programmes for you and your family.

Inclusion and Diversity

We are passionate about creating an inclusive working environment where everyone feels valued, respected and able to contribute. By welcoming different perspectives, experiences and ideas, we strengthen our business, inspire innovation and create opportunities for people to grow and succeed. GE Vernova is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on the requirements of the role, individual qualifications, experience and business needs, without regard to protected characteristics.