Design and Development Director in Bristol

About Us

The GB energy system is rapidly transforming as we target Clean Power by 2030 and NetZero by 2050. The distribution network is vital in this transformation as we look to accommodate thousands of electric vehicles and heat pumps in people’s homes and connect large volumes of solar and wind, with NGED being the connections provider of choice. This will require us building out our network at a rate we have not seen this century, with customer affordability being at the heart of our approach.

Job Purpose

The Design & Development Director role requires a senior, strategic leader with a strong strategic mindset, an understanding of power systems, proven experience of leading large teams who execute a large, complex portfolio of infrastructure design and development, and a strong focus on customer and commercial strategy. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of delivering successful strategy outcomes, be people and customer centric. They will be accountable for multiple strategies, holistic work systems and organisation performance systems that deliver multiple projects effectively. They will hold overall accountability for the development and delivery of strategically critical, high value, complex portfolios/programmes; developing the leadership approach that ensures work is completed safely, to time, quality and within budget; while balancing customer expectations, network resilience, and strategic investment outcomes, ensuring NGED remains well positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing energy landscape.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic ownership of the Design and Development strategy, Network Architecture strategy, B2B customer strategy, Customer product portfolio, Operating model and Workforce strategy, Digital and AI transformation strategy, Budget and investment prioritisation, Executive stakeholder relationships and overall performance of Network Design & Development.
• Sponsor NGED’s B2B customer strategy to deliver a shift in outcomes by establishing clear customer segmentation and prioritisation to maximise customer value, growth opportunities, and network outcomes.
• Ensure customers receive the most effective solutions, in timescales that work for them, through a range of network and non-network interventions, and by partnering effectively with DSO, Customer Excellence, Asset Management and Innovation teams.
• Champion and elevate the strategic role of network design, acting as the executive voice for both primary and secondary design.
• Define and deliver the future design capability required to support network transformation, innovation, customer outcomes, and the transition to a more flexible energy system.
• Set the direction and provide inspirational leadership to a geographically dispersed team of c.220 colleagues, creating a high-performance culture that attracts, develops, and retains critical engineering and customer expertise while building organisational capability for the future.
• Establish a clear strategic framework for the key functions, ensuring teams are aligned to NGED’s priorities, regulatory commitments, customer requirements, and performance objectives across Reinforcement, Asset Replacement, Connections, and emerging business opportunities.
• Define, develop and implement an operating model that optimises organisational effectiveness, balancing centralised and regional capabilities and determining the most effective mix of internal and external resource to deliver scalable, resilient, and cost-efficient services.

Candidate Profile

• Proven ability to establish and communicate a compelling strategic vision, inspiring and leading large teams of technical and functional specialists to deliver transformative outcomes while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrable experience leading large-scale, complex transformation programmes within a regulated or infrastructure-intensive environment, successfully aligning people, processes, technology, and investment to achieve sustainable business, customer, and operational outcomes.
• Strong track record of driving productivity, efficiency, and value creation, delivering measurable improvements in delivery performance, cost optimisation, resource utilisation, and customer outcomes through process improvement, digitalisation, automation, and innovative operating models.
• Demonstrated ability to balance immediate operational priorities with long-term strategic objectives, ensuring business performance is maintained while building future capability, resilience, and organisational readiness.
• Exceptional stakeholder leadership and customer engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and influence senior internal and external stakeholders, aligning competing priorities to achieve shared strategic outcomes.

More Information

• Location: UK - based in our geographical footprint with travel across the regions - teams primarily based in Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol. Applications from across the UK and Wales will be considered.
• Salary: competitive base salary plus commensurate benefits.
• The role will close for applications on Sunday the 2nd of August at Midnight.
• We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates - we make appointments purely on merit, assessed against objective selection criteria.
• We support flexible working and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process should you have any physical or mental impairment which may affect your ability to participate in the process.
• Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship.
• All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.