At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategy and product development for a groundbreaking AI platform in power grid management.
- Company: Join Squid, a pioneering tech company transforming the energy sector.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, and a dynamic work environment in central London.
- Other info: High-ownership role with significant impact on company direction and product innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the future of energy infrastructure while working closely with top industry leaders.
- Qualifications: Experience in strategy consulting or product leadership; strong analytical and execution skills required.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 200000 £ per year.
AI and data centres are booming, electrification is accelerating, and trillions in generation, storage, and connection projects are queued - but the real bottleneck is the grid.
Grid planning and operations are becoming a national-scale systems problem: complex network models, messy legacy data, strict governance, overloaded teams, and high-stakes decisions that affect real infrastructure.
Squid is building the agentic modelling platform for power grids: a versioned, auditable source of truth where network models, data, changes, assumptions, and decisions can be tracked - and where humans and AI agents can safely work together.
We unify legacy planning models, operational data, and grid workflows into software that helps teams run checks, compare models, explain changes, validate assumptions, and move faster without losing engineering rigour.
Based in London, Squid is backed by premier investors like Y Combinator and partners with industry leaders including National Grid and Northern Powergrid.
About the role
- Pay Range
- £75k-£200k (salary + equity), based in
London, UK.
We are hiring a Head of Strategy & Product to own how Squid decides where to play, what to build and how to commercialise it.
You will work closely with the CEO and CTO to convert market and customer evidence into clear company, product and commercial choices.
The role spans customer and workflow focus, product strategy, discovery, value propositions, pricing, pilot design, roadmap development and selected longer-term opportunities.
This is not a purely advisory strategy role. You will be directly accountable for turning analysis into shipped products, customer outcomes and commercial results.
This is a high-ownership role based in our central London office, with the opportunity to shape Squid’s company strategy and product direction from an early stage.
- What you’ll do
- Define and refine Squid’s initial ideal customer profile, buyer, champion, user and first repeatable workflow.
- Evaluate market structure, competition, international sequencing and adjacent opportunities.
- Turn analysis into explicit choices about what Squid should do now, next and not now.
- Build a continuous customer discovery programme and conduct interviews with utility executives, domain experts and users.
- Synthesise evidence across accounts and distinguish repeatable demand from bespoke customer requests.
- Frame hypotheses, experiments and evidence thresholds that allow Squid to continue, change or stop a bet.
- Own product strategy and roadmap with the CTO, including outcomes, sequencing and measures of value.
- Decide what belongs in the core platform, a reusable workflow, an integration, implementation work or the backlog.
- Ensure strategic deployments strengthen reusable product assets and Squid’s shared modelling and governance layer.
- Define value propositions and quantified business cases for priority customers and buyers.
- Design paid pilots, success criteria, packaging, pricing and conversion paths.
- Shape proposals, demonstrations and sales narratives, and support the CEO on strategic deals and expansion.
- Test new product and market opportunities through bounded experiments before significant engineering investment.
Qualifications
You do not need to meet every requirement. We are looking for someone who combines rigorous strategic thinking with direct product and commercial execution.
You may be a strong fit if you have
- Experience in strategy consulting followed by product or venture building, zero-to-one enterprise product leadership, or founding and operating a technical company.
- A record of turning ambiguous customer and market questions into clear product and commercial decisions.
- Direct experience personally shipping, launching or commercialising a product.
- Strong understanding of enterprise buyers, procurement processes and the difference between user interest and available budget.
- Confidence working with pricing, business cases, market analysis and product metrics.
- Technical fluency sufficient to work closely with engineers and sophisticated domain users.
- Clear, structured writing and the judgement to challenge assumptions without slowing execution.
- A willingness to remain involved in implementation rather than operating only as an adviser.
- Experience in utilities, infrastructure or regulated enterprise software would be valuable, but is not required.
- About Squid (www. squid. energy)
AI and data centres are booming, electrification is accelerating, and trillions in generation, storage, and connection projects are queued - but the real bottleneck is the grid.
Grid planning and operations are becoming a national-scale systems problem: complex network models, messy legacy data, strict governance, overloaded teams, and high-stakes decisions that affect real infrastructure.
Squid is building the agentic modelling platform for power grids: a versioned, auditable source of truth where network models, data, changes, assumptions, and decisions can be tracked - and where humans and AI agents can safely work together.
We unify legacy planning models, operational data, and grid workflows into software that helps teams run checks, compare models, explain changes, validate assumptions, and move faster without losing engineering rigour.
Based in London, Squid is backed by premier investors like Y Combinator and partners with industry leaders including National Grid and Northern Powergrid.
The pay range for this role is
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Head of Strategy & Product employer: Squid
Squid offers an exceptional work environment for AI-Driven Grid Software Engineers, providing a unique opportunity to be among the first engineers in London and directly collaborate with founders. With a strong focus on innovation, employees enjoy a culture that encourages ownership, creativity, and professional growth, all while working in the vibrant heart of central London, which enhances both personal and professional experiences.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Strategy & Product
✨Dive Into Corporate Strategy Communities
Get yourself involved in online communities or forums focused on corporate strategy. Places like LinkedIn groups or specific Slack channels can hook you up with industry insights, trends, and many potential job leads. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts or ask questions; it’ll boost your visibility!
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Events
Keep an eye out for corporate strategy conferences or networking events in your area (or online!). These gatherings are gold mines for meeting hiring managers and making impactful connections. Plus, having a few good conversations can lead to job referrals at companies like Squid!
✨Showcase Your Strategy Skills
Create content that showcases your knowledge of corporate strategy—think reports, blogs, or even video discussions. Sharing these on platforms like LinkedIn or Medium can demonstrate your expertise and make you stand out to employers looking for fresh talent.
✨Apply Directly Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply for the Head of Strategy & Product position at Squid via our website! This shows your genuine interest, and who knows, you might just land that interview in a matter of days. Keep your application focused on how you can add value to their strategy team.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Strategy & Product
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Strategic Thinking:When crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight your strategic analysis skills. Focus on past experiences where you've effectively assessed market trends or made impactful recommendations. Evidence-based achievements, like improving processes or contributing to significant projects, will help us see your potential for driving corporate strategy at Squid.
Tailor Your Narrative:Don’t just send us a generic application! Personalise your cover letter by connecting your experiences and aspirations to Squid’s mission and goals. We love seeing candidates who genuinely understand what we do; share how your vision aligns with ours and what you can bring to the table.
Highlight Relevant Academic Credentials:In your CV, make sure to showcase your academic background, especially if you have qualifications in business, economics, or analytics. We appreciate candidates who can back up their skills with relevant degrees or certifications, so don’t be shy about flaunting those achievements!
Utilise Professional Language:While we want you to be yourself, remember that corporate strategy roles demand a level of professionalism in communication. Use clear and concise language in your application materials, ensuring that your ideas come across as well-structured and sophisticated. It’s all about making a great impression right from the written application stage!
How to prepare for a job interview at Squid
✨Master the Numbers
Corporate strategy often involves data analysis and financial forecasting. Brush up on your quantitative skills, and be prepared to handle case studies or numerical problems during the interview. We might get questions about how to approach market trends or assess the performance of a hypothetical company — so practice these scenarios!
✨Know Your Frameworks
Familiarity with strategic frameworks like SWOT, PESTLE, or Porter’s Five Forces can set you apart. We should be ready to discuss how we’d apply these tools to real-world business situations — maybe even relating them to Squid. This shows we’re not just theory-happy but can articulate our practical application.
✨Engage in Strategic Conversations
In a full-time role like this, it’s crucial to show that we're engaged and informed about current trends in the industry. Keep up with major news and prepare to discuss how recent developments could impact strategic decisions at Squid. This will demonstrate our passion and proactive approach to the field.
✨Showcase Relevant Experience
Whether through internships or projects, we should highlight any experience that relates to corporate strategy. Have specific examples ready to talk about how we’ve contributed to strategic growth or improvements. It's about showcasing our unique journey and how it will bring value to Squid.
