Our Ability Jobs

About the role

Great Britain's electricity infrastructure is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come.

Be part of something big

If you’d like to work with a huge portfolio of nationally significant infrastructure projects, then one of our Planner roles might be for you. We have opportunities for those beginning their planning career through to experience Planners seeking a new, exciting challenge.

You’ll be facilitating the development and delivery of new infrastructure across Great Britain These projects are part of a multi-billion pound investment portfolio and will play a crucial role in the decarbonisation of the energy system by 2035, and reaching the country’s Net Zero target by 2050.

These projects are breaking new ground in terms of capability, investment and environmental impact. You’ll get to work with cutting-edge, emerging technologies, including HVDC converter stations, and first of their kind cable systems. You’ll aslo get the opportunity to work in collaborative partnerships across the supply chain.

You’ll be involved in developing programmes (schedules) and establishing performance measurement baselines to enable monitoring and evaluation of delivery performance, proposing and developing mitigation and recovery strategies, and progressing National Grid owned programme activities, from development through to project completion.

The role comes with the stability, security and work/life balance of working for National Grid. We have years of work ahead of us with significant opportunities for growth and development.

“This is a really exciting time to be working in this part of National Grid. We’ve never done this kind of work before, on this scale, using so many new and emerging technologies.”

Chris Goodman, PMO Lead, East Coast Offshore

About you

What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we’re looking for someone who:

• You are an excellent communicator. Colleagues find you open, honest, and easy to approach. You are happy to speak to whoever you need to to get the job done and know how to approach difficult conversations in a productive, professional manner.

• Advanced knowledge of Primavera P6 experience is essential, and preferably you have at least five years of it. Construction experience is essential and industry-specific construction experience would be even better.

• Experience in time location planning software such as Tilos is desirable.

• You have carried out client programme development for initial project phases. You have experience in delivering projects during construction and civils installation, preferably in a high voltage electricity environment.

• You have experience in collating progress and preparing monthly programme updates including provision of insights for any delivery variances.

• Experience in task planning and collaborative planning control boards is desirable.

• NEC / FIDIC contract experience is desirable but not essential.

• You don’t need a degree.

• You have the capability to assess change and carry out impact assessments.

• You have a driving licence that permits you to drive in the UK.

• You must be willing to travel and sometimes stay overnight – about once a week - and we offer flexible working in return. At this stage you will be mostly working from home, or if you prefer, at your nearest National Grid office. You will need to travel to our offices in Birmingham or Glasgow a few times a month. Once we enter the construction phase, you will be more site based.

We are in such an exciting phase, with so much work ahead of us that we will want to train and develop you as quickly and thoroughly as possible. If you don’t already have qualifications like APM project management or NEBOSH, for example, we will pay for you to take them.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At National Grid, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace for everyone. So if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.

What you'll do

• Providing development, tendering and construction planning expertise for construction projects.

• Implementing best practices for project controls, in line with our minimum standards.

• Developing and implementing efficient end-to-end processes to ensure successful delivery; safely, to time, and within budget. To include critical path and float analysis, earned value management techniques, and leading indicators for risk mitigation

• Working with investment development to establish timelines to produce quality assured and cost loaded, out-turned deliverable programmes for sanction.

• These programmes must meet the capital plan, year-on-year.

• Continuously reviewing and improving processes by raising innovative solutions to drive value and establish best practise planning and project controls.

• For more experienced applicants there will be opportunities to lead teams of other planners

• Working closely with joint venture and contract delivery partners as part of an integrated project development team.

• Working with project leads on programme planning from design through to completion. Keeping stakeholders updated, reporting progress and issues and communicating widely with construction, risk, commercial, finance, SHES and procurement teams.

• Providing the Project Manager with recommendations to assist in making timely decisions for corrective action to enable delivery of our projects on time.

• Supporting the Project Manager during delivery to certify that all subsequent contractor programmes are compliant to the contract.

What you'll get

A competitive salary, varying dependant on the level of role within the planning team;

• L6 - Junior Planner – From £45,521 - £55,000

• L7 – Planner – From £51,899 - £65,675

• L8 - Senior Planner – £58,929 - £74,916

• L8 – Portfolio Planner – From £58,929 - £74,916

Alongside your annual salary, you will be given an additional £3000 per year.

As well as your base salary, you will receive (https://jobs.nationalgrid.com/UK/content/Whats-in-it-for-you/?locale=en_GB) a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

You will also receive;

• A company car, when you travel over 10,000 miles a year for work.

• We have a reputation for promoting a healthy work/life balance. If you want to see more of your children, help care for relatives, or simply get to walk your dog in the evening, our flexible, hybrid working arrangements will support you.

• You’ll get 26 days annual leave plus statutory holidays. You’ll also have the option to buy or sell holiday days, and benefits such as 26 weeks fully paid parental or adoption leave, and back-up care service are standard.

• Our double-matched pension contribution scheme means your pension could be worth up to 18% of your salary.

• There is the option to buy discounted National Grid shares.

• Financial support for study relevant to your role is available.

• Our My Discounts scheme offers discounts on everything from the weekly shop to your annual summer holidays. You’ll find savings on cinema tickets and at a range of high street retailers, including Sainsburys, John Lewis, Currys, Argos and Marks and Spencer.

About us

National Grid Strategic Infrastructure has a key role to play in tackling climate change by accelerating our capacity to deliver clean electricity across the UK. We already operate the fastest decarbonising electricity grid in the world, with an ambition for zero carbon operation by 2025. And by 2035, we want to run 100% clean, green energy, all the time.

Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; we’re thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people.

Our investment in Strategic Infrastructure via the Great Grid Upgrade will mean more home grown power, greater energy security and a cleaner future.

Whatever your role, wherever you work with us, you’ll help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far-reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.

More Information

This role closes on 11th September at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Interviews will be held week commencing 23rd September.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

#LI-AT1

#LI-HYBRID