At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of early careers strategies and programmes in the nuclear sector.
- Company: Great British Energy - Nuclear, a key player in the UK's energy future.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive workplace, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to building a sustainable energy future.
- Why this job: Shape the future workforce and make a real impact in the nuclear industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in early careers or workforce development and strong stakeholder management skills.
Great British Energy - Nuclear is an arm's length body of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, dedicated to supporting the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies in Great Britain. We play a crucial role in advancing nuclear new build, ensuring the UK's energy security and achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Great British Energy - Nuclear focuses on fostering innovation, facilitating investment, and coordinating efforts across the nuclear industry to build a resilient and sustainable energy future.
We are seeking an experienced and credible Early Careers Lead to take ownership of GBEN's early careers strategy and programmes. This is a senior role with responsibility for setting direction, making decisions, managing key partnerships and ensuring early careers provision delivers real value for individuals, the organisation and the wider nuclear sector.
Why You'll Love This Role
- Strategic Impact: You will shape GBEN's early careers strategy at a critical moment for the organisation and the UK nuclear sector.
- Autonomy & Ownership: You will have end-to-end responsibility for early careers programmes, from strategy through to delivery and evaluation.
- External Influence: Build and sustain relationships with government, industry, education and regional partners, including a strong place-based focus in Anglesey.
- Purpose-Driven Work: Contribute directly to the development of a skilled, diverse and future-ready nuclear workforce.
The successful candidate will be aligned to either our Warrington (Greater Manchester) or Wylfa (Anglesey) office.
Please see the attached job description for a full list of the duties.
Accountabilities & Responsibilities:
- Early Careers Strategy & Leadership: Develop, own and continuously evolve GBEN's Early Careers Strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, workforce planning and national nuclear skills agendas. Act as the organisational lead and subject matter expert for early careers, providing strategic advice and insight to senior leaders and stakeholders.
- Graduate & Apprentice Programme Ownership: Provide strategic and operational leadership for GBEN's graduate and apprentice programmes, ensuring they are well designed, well governed and deliver strong outcomes. Ensure a high quality experience for early career participants, balancing development, wellbeing and performance expectations.
- Partnership & Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with external delivery partners (e.g. training providers, universities, colleges, skills bodies and government schemes). Develop and strengthen place based relationships in Anglesey, working with local stakeholders to support skills pipelines, outreach and regional capability building.
- Governance, Quality & Continuous Improvement: Establish and maintain appropriate governance, assurance and evaluation mechanisms for early careers activity. Use data, feedback and insight to drive continuous improvement and demonstrate impact and value for money.
- Internal Collaboration & Influence: Work closely with People & Culture colleagues, line managers and technical leaders to embed early careers talent effectively across the organisation. Support line managers to develop confidence and capability in managing and developing early career colleagues.
Day to day duties:
- Lead strategic planning and decision making for GBEN's early careers portfolio.
- Manage relationships with external providers, partners and stakeholders.
- Oversee programme delivery, risks, issues and continuous improvement activity.
- Engage regularly with early career participants and managers to gather insight and feedback.
- Represent GBEN in external internal and external early careers, skills and nuclear workforce forums.
- Produce briefings, papers, presentations and updates for senior leaders as required.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience required:
- Significant experience leading early careers, talent or workforce development programmes at organisational or system level.
- Proven ability to operate autonomously, setting strategy and translating it into effective delivery.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience working across organisational boundaries.
- Experience of managing graduate and/or apprenticeship programmes and external delivery partners.
- Credibility and confidence working with senior leaders and external bodies.
- Strong understanding of skills, workforce and early careers challenges within complex or technical environments.
- Excellent communication, influencing and relationship building skills.
Qualifications:
- Degree or equivalent experience in HR, Learning & Development, Education, Workforce Development or a related field.
- Relevant professional qualifications (or equivalent experience) desirable.
Please complete our short application form to apply for this role. If shortlisted, one of our Talent Attraction Leads will be in touch to discuss the position in more detail. Good luck with your application!
At GBE-N, we are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We value diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, including underrepresented groups. If you require any support or adjustments to help you with your application, please contact us, and we will be happy to provide assistance.
Early Careers Lead employer: Great British Nuclear
Great British Energy - Nuclear is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future workforce in the nuclear sector while contributing to the UK's energy security and net-zero goals. With a strong focus on strategic impact, autonomy, and purpose-driven work, employees benefit from a collaborative culture that values innovation and continuous improvement, alongside robust professional development opportunities. Located in Anglesey or Warrington, team members enjoy a supportive environment that fosters meaningful partnerships with local stakeholders, enhancing both personal and community growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Early Careers Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the nuclear sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. Building relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Show your passion for early careers! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your enthusiasm for shaping the future workforce. Share your ideas on how to develop meaningful skills pipelines and demonstrate your commitment to the sector.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation thoroughly. Understand their early careers strategy and think about how you can contribute. Bring specific examples of your past experiences that align with their goals, especially around stakeholder management and programme delivery.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at Great British Energy - Nuclear. Good luck!
We think you need these skills to ace Early Careers Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Early Careers Lead role. Highlight your strategic thinking and delivery accountability, as these are key aspects of the job.
Showcase Your Experience:Don’t hold back on sharing your past experiences in leading early careers or workforce development programmes. Use concrete examples to demonstrate how you've made an impact in similar roles, especially in complex environments.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon where possible. This will help ensure that your key messages come across effectively to the hiring team.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows your enthusiasm for joining our team at Great British Energy - Nuclear.
How to prepare for a job interview at Great British Nuclear
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the ins and outs of Great British Energy - Nuclear's mission and how it relates to early careers. Familiarise yourself with their current strategies and challenges in the nuclear sector, as this will show your genuine interest and help you speak confidently about how you can contribute.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in developing and implementing early careers strategies. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed partnerships and influenced stakeholders in previous roles, as this aligns perfectly with what they’re looking for.
✨Engage with Questions
Think of insightful questions to ask during the interview. This could be about their approach to building relationships with local stakeholders or how they measure the success of their early careers programmes. It shows you're not just interested in the role but also in the organisation's future.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion
Let your enthusiasm for shaping the future workforce shine through. Share your vision for developing a skilled and diverse nuclear workforce, and how you plan to make a meaningful impact in this role. Passion can set you apart from other candidates!