Head of Resource Optimisation

Do you want to help power your career and be part of an evolving energy industry?

The energy industry is advancing with investment in smart technology innovation and Northern Powergrid, as the company responsible for powering everyday life for 8 million customers across 3.9 million homes and businesses in the Northeast, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is at the forefront of delivering a power network that meets the region’s needs, now and in the future.

We are establishing a new Resource Optimisation function as part of a wider organisational restructure, creating a pivotal leadership opportunity within Programme Delivery. As Head of Resource Optimisation, you will have a unique opportunity to build and shape this critical function at the centre of our operations. You will play a key role in improving how we optimise the scheduling and utilisation of Industrial and Technical resource to efficiently deliver programmes of work and achieve our strategic objectives while leading a team and influencing at the highest levels of the organisation.

This is a high-impact leadership role, with the opportunity to build a completely new function and influence performance, efficiency, and customer outcomes across the business.

Competitive salary between £85,000 - £95,000

•Enrolment into our pension scheme

•15% Bonus

•25 days holiday plus bank holidays

•Transport provision

We’re excited to hear from candidates with a passion for our company and the industry and a desire to succeed.

Key Responsibilities

•Develop and lead the new Resource Optimisation function, setting the strategic direction, operating model, and roadmap

•Build and lead a high-performing team of resource schedulers, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

•Develop and embed resource planning, forecasting, and optimisation frameworks across operational activities

•Act as the key interface between Programme Delivery and Regional Operations, aligning priorities, resolving conflicts, and enabling effective decision-making

•Ensure effective allocation and utilisation of Industrial and Technical resources, balancing planned and 24/7 reactive demand across the business

•Interface with, and support the development of capacity models, scenario planning, and resource forecasts to support short, medium, and long-term planning

•Support the provision of data-driven insight across resource performance, productivity, and constraints, enabling proactive management of risks and opportunities

•Take the lead on implementing and continuously improve scheduling tools, data, and processes to enhance visibility, efficiency, and responsiveness

•Support the delivery of programmes of work by ensuring resource availability aligns with delivery plans and milestones

•Drive consistency and standardisation in resource management practices, metrics, and governance

•Engage senior stakeholders across the business to influence decision-making and ensure alignment with strategic objectives

Key Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Ability to define and deliver a new function, setting direction and driving organisational change

• Resource Planning & Optimisation Expertise: Strong understanding of workforce planning, scheduling, and capacity management in complex environments

• Commercial & Operational Awareness: Ability to balance cost, performance, and customer outcomes across competing demands

• Stakeholder Influence: Proven ability to operate at senior levels, influencing across multiple directorates

• Analytical & Data-Driven Thinking: Strong capability to use data to inform decisions, identify trends, and drive improvement

• Change & Transformation: Experience of leading change, embedding new processes, and improving organisational capability

• People Leadership: Ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing teams

• Communication: Clear and confident communicator, able to translate complex challenges into actionable insight

Essential Qualifications & Attributes

•Ideally educated to degree level or higher in a relevant discipline.

•Significant experience in resource planning, workforce utilisation optimisation, or operational planning within a complex organisation.

•Proven track record of leading teams and delivering performance through others.

•Experience working across multiple functions or directorates, managing competing priorities.

•Strong analytical capability, with experience using data to support decision-making.

•Experience of developing and implementing planning or scheduling frameworks, tools, or processes.

Desirable Qualifications & Attributes

•Experience in the energy, utilities, infrastructure, or asset-intensive sectors, with understanding of regulated environments.

•Knowledge of advanced workforce optimisation tools and digital scheduling systems (e.g. SAP, Click, Oracle, or equivalent platforms).

•Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies, with evidence of measurable efficiency gains.

•Experience working in 24/7 operational environments, balancing planned work with reactive demand

•Track record of influencing executive-level decision-making through insight, analysis, and strategic recommendations.

•Experience of driving standardisation and governance frameworks across geographically dispersed teams.