At a Glance
- Tasks: Support senior leaders in driving performance and delivering impactful results.
- Company: Join Northern Powergrid, a key player in the UK's infrastructure.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, double matched pension, 25 days holiday, and bonus potential.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for transformative change.
- Why this job: Shape the future of a business that powers millions and influence key decisions.
- Qualifications: Experience with senior stakeholders and managing complex priorities.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Multiple Performance & Standards Lead opportunities available across Northern Powergrid. Do you want to help shape how one of the UK's most important infrastructure businesses performs and delivers? At Northern Powergrid, we're on a journey to strengthen how we plan, perform and deliver across the business. To help us get there, we're creating a number of new Performance & Standards Lead roles that will play a key part in driving performance, quality and execution across our organisation.
These are high-profile positions sitting at the heart of our directorates, working directly with Executive Directors and leadership teams. The role combines elements of a Chief of Staff, Strategy Lead, Performance Partner and Delivery Excellence Lead, providing a unique opportunity for someone who enjoys turning ambition into action and helping senior leaders deliver at their best. The roles will help our leadership teams translate strategy into delivery, drive performance, coordinate priorities and ensure the business delivers against its commitments. This role offers exposure to the most important strategic and operational challenges facing Northern Powergrid. Opportunities are available across a number of different areas of the business. While each role will support different priorities, all will act as a trusted partner to a member of our Executive team, helping drive execution, challenge performance, coordinate key initiatives and embed consistently high standards.
In addition to a rewarding career, you'll enjoy:
- Salary: Competitive, with flexibility based on experience and skills
- Enrolment onto our double matched pension scheme
- 25 days holiday (rising with service)
- Bonus potential between 15/20%
What you'll be doing:
You’ll become a trusted partner to senior leaders, helping them navigate complexity, sharpen decision-making and ensure the directorate is focused on what matters most. You will:
- Support Executive Directors and leadership teams to prioritise effectively and make informed decisions.
- Ensure quality across executive reports, papers and presentations so they're clear, insightful and decision ready.
- Drive consistent standards, governance and ways of working across your directorate.
- Bring structure and focus to programmes and projects, ensuring delivery stays on track and aligned to business priorities.
- Turn data, information and competing priorities into meaningful recommendations and actionable insight.
- Act as a critical friend, providing challenge, perspective and support when it matters most.
What success looks like:
In these roles you'll be helping to:
- Improve the quality and impact of executive-level outputs
- Enable faster and more effective decision-making
- Strengthen governance, performance routines and standards
- Increase confidence in the delivery of key programmes and priorities
- Become a trusted advisor to senior leaders across the business
What we're looking for:
We're interested in people who can combine strategic thinking with practical delivery. You’ll likely have experience:
- Working closely with senior stakeholders and leadership teams
- Delivering high-quality outputs in fast-paced environments
- Managing complex, cross-functional priorities
- Influencing and challenging with confidence and credibility
You might currently be working in:
- Management Consulting
- Transformation or Strategy
- PMO or Programme Leadership
- Business Performance or Analytics
- A senior operational or leadership role with broad organisational exposure
The qualities that will make you stand out:
We're looking for people who are:
- Naturally curious and solutions-focused
- Comfortable operating in a dynamic, changing environment
- Highly organised and detail-oriented
- Trusted by others and known for getting things done
- Able to balance challenge with collaboration and influence
Why Northern Powergrid?
This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of a business that powers millions of homes and businesses every day. You'll work alongside senior leaders, influence key decisions and play a visible role in delivering transformative change across Northern Powergrid. If you thrive on solving complex challenges, improving performance and making a real impact, we'd love to hear from you. Successful candidates can be based from either our Newcastle or Sunderland offices and will work directly with Executive Directors and leadership teams to drive performance, standards and organisational effectiveness.
Performance & Standards Lead in Sunderland employer: Northern Powergrid
Northern Powergrid is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Castleford or Shiremoor, where employees can thrive while contributing to the electricity network that powers millions of homes and businesses. With a competitive salary, annual bonuses, and a strong focus on employee development, we foster a culture of innovation and collaboration, empowering our analysts to turn complex data into actionable insights that drive performance improvements. Join us to be part of a team that values your contributions and supports your professional growth in a meaningful industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Performance & Standards Lead in Sunderland
✨Get Involved in Industry Events
Jumping into industry events or leadership conferences can really help boost your visibility. Not only will you meet potential employers, but you’ll also get the chance to connect with other leaders in corporate management. Look for local or even virtual events that focus on leadership—every connection counts!
✨Engage in Professional Networks
Join professional management associations relevant to your career goals. These networks often host workshops, panels, and networking events that can put you in front of hiring managers. Plus, they can give you the scoop on upcoming roles, such as the full-time positions with companies like Northern Powergrid.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
When reaching out to potential employers, particularly for leadership roles, demonstrate your leadership capabilities with real examples. Share stories from your previous positions that illustrate how you handled challenges and drove results. This will help you stand out when you apply to places like Northern Powergrid.
✨Tailor Your LinkedIn Presence
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is specifically tailored to corporate leadership. Highlight achievements, showcase relevant content and engage with posts in management groups. This not only builds your credibility but keeps you on the radar of companies looking for candidates like you as they post full-time opportunities.
We think you need these skills to ace Performance & Standards Lead in Sunderland
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Leadership Skills:In the corporate leadership and management field, it's essential to highlight your leadership experience. Use your CV to flesh out examples of how you've led teams to success or managed significant projects. We want to see specific instances where your actions made a tangible difference in your previous roles!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers talk, especially in management! When detailing your achievements in your CV or cover letter, don’t just say you improved team performance. Instead, say you boosted productivity by 30% over six months through effective strategy implementation. This makes your application pop and shows us what you can bring to Northern Powergrid.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to narrate your professional journey. We’re looking for motivation and a clear understanding of what corporate leadership means to you. Dive into your aspirations and how they align with the values and vision of Northern Powergrid. Make it personal – we want to get to know you!
Tailor Your CV for Management Roles:Ensure your CV reflects the management skills that are essential for this role. Focus on competencies like strategic planning, team building, and problem-solving. Use a clean layout, and don’t forget to align your experiences with those keywords mentioned in the job listing. This will help you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Northern Powergrid
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
You’ll want to thoroughly convey your unique approach to leadership. During the interview with Northern Powergrid, be ready to share real-life examples of how you've inspired and motivated teams in the past. Think about specific achievements that illustrate your strategic thinking and your ability to drive results.
✨Brush Up on Management Theories
Expect some technical questions related to management theories and practices. Brush up on concepts like transformational leadership, servant leadership, or situational leadership. Be prepared to discuss how you would apply these theories to the role at Northern Powergrid, especially in the specific context of the challenges they’re currently facing.
✨Craft Your Vision for the Company
Since this is a full-time leadership role, spending time thinking about your vision for Northern Powergrid could really set you apart. Consider potential strategies for growth and how you would lead teams towards achieving them. This shows not just enthusiasm, but also strategic foresight that they’ll likely be looking for in a candidate.
✨Emphasise Team Dynamics and Culture
In corporate leadership, team dynamics and organisational culture are everything. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered a positive work environment in previous roles. Bring up examples of how you've managed diverse teams effectively—this will resonate well at Northern Powergrid as they’re likely seeking a candidate who can enhance their workplace culture.
