Appointment details

National Energy System Operator (NESO) - Non-Executive Director (NED)

Summary

• Organisation: National Energy System Operator (NESO)
• Sponsor department: Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Energy
• Skills: Business, Major Projects, Transformation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 30 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £35000 per annum
• Length of term: 3 years.
• Application deadline: Midday on 9 February 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   22 January 2025

2. Application deadline

   Midday on 9 February 2025

3. Sifting date

   14 March 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   7 April 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The incoming Non-Executive Director (NED) will help in establishing the new NESO business and its Board.

The NED will help the business navigate heightened political, industry, and public scrutiny, including by managing increased risks and ensuring robust assurance over new processes and systems. The ability to handle complexity and ambiguity will be important given the fast-paced and changing environment. The NED must also have the ability to think and challenge strategically, whilst being comfortable exploring the critical details as and when appropriate.

This individual should build strong relationships with the Chair, fellow Non-Executive Directors, and Executive Directors, fostering a culture of transparency and effective communication.

Finally, the NED will be expected to support the organisation’s mission, values, and strategic direction, while ensuring that the organisation’s activities uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and accountability.

Board Composition The Board is composed of a dynamic mix and vibrant group of individuals, each bringing a wealth of experience and a commitment to excellence in governance and strategic oversight. Please see Appendix 1 for an overview of the current NESO Board of Directors.

Introduction from the Chair

We are at a pivotal point in ensuring Britain’s energy system is secure and affordable as well as forging the path to a sustainable future for everyone across the country. Unparalleled change is needed across the whole system to transition away from fossil fuels and deliver clean, green affordable energy for all.

Traditionally, Britain’s energy system has been split into two areas – gas and electricity – but to deliver this transformation there needs to be co-ordination across the whole energy system, with one single entity responsible for translating policy into immediate strategy. The Government has, therefore, established the National Energy System Operator (NESO) in October 2024 as a new, independent, government-owned body with responsibilities across both electricity and gas systems, to drive progress towards net zero whilst maintaining energy security and minimising costs for consumers. This is a core part of the Milestones for Mission-Led Government that are designed to be reached by the end of this Parliament, notably to ‘Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower’.

NESO has been founded on some of the existing roles and capabilities of the electricity system operator, previously owned by National Grid, and some roles and capabilities of the National Gas system operator. It has, therefore, involved a transfer of ownership and transformation to create the new organisation, which means managing a major piece of Critical National Infrastructure and taking a whole system approach across electricity, gas and other emerging markets (such as hydrogen, and carbon capture, usage and storage).

As we enhance the governance of this new body, we are seeking a new non-executive member to join the Board. This person will be a key player in driving the organisation’s overall mission, values, and strategic direction, and will specifically bring experience in engineering design, standards and governance to support NESO as it establishes itself at the heart of the UK’s energy system. If you are excited by this opportunity, and have the skills and experience we are seeking, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Dr Paul Golby CBE

Chair, National Energy System Operator

Additional introductions

Terms of Appointment

Share Ownership and Dealing, and Conflict of Interest

As NESO is now in public ownership, a pre-requisite upon joining NESO is that the NED is required to divest any shares, securities or other financial instruments (which are directly managed or invested by the candidate), within the energy sector within 1 year from starting employment with NESO.

The candidate is also required to declare any conflict of interest that would impact this appointment, perceived or otherwise.

NB: due to NESO’s importance as part of the UK’s strategic National infrastructure Security, security clearance will be required by the post holder.

Appointment description

Principal Accountabilities

The NED will have a number of key responsibilities:

• Strategic Oversight: Offer independent and informed perspectives on NESO operations, infusing the Board with external expertise and insights on governance, as well as boardroom best practices. Contribute to long-term business strategy, aligning with NESO’s mission amid significant change. Work closely with the Executive Committee to set strategic priorities, monitor industry trends, and adapt strategies to evolving market and regulatory landscapes. Emphasise innovation and sustainability in strategic planning.
• Engineering design, standards and governance: provide strategic and technical advice, at board level, to management and broader stakeholders on what actions are required for the current energy system to meet zero carbon by 2030 and net-zero for the whole country by 2050.
• Strategic Evaluation: Assess significant strategic initiatives, leveraging their unique expertise to input into Board decision-making. Ensure that board decisions are informed by diverse perspectives and rigorous analysis, while remaining aligned with long-term organisational goals.
• Management Support: Act as a sounding board for the CEO, CFO and other Executive Directors, offering insights on complex issues and strategic dilemmas. Facilitate open communication and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Performance Accountability: As part of the Board, hold management accountable for the NESO's financial and operational performance, ensuring the achievement of business plans and stakeholder interests. Regularly review performance metrics, financial reports, and operational updates to ensure that the organisation meets its strategic objectives. Provide constructive feedback and challenge management on performance and strategy execution.
• Governance and Compliance: Uphold the highest standards of governance and regulatory compliance, ensuring the NESO's strategies and operations align with legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Represent NESO to key stakeholders, including regulators, industry bodies, and government entities, as needed. Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, advocate for the organisation’s interests, and ensure that stakeholder perspectives are considered in board deliberations. Promote transparency and trust in all stakeholder interactions.

Organisation description

Overview of NESO

The UK’s 2023 Energy Act set the legislative framework for an independent system planner and operator to help accelerate Great Britain’s energy transition, leading to the establishment of the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Launched on 1st October, 2024, NESO is taking a whole system approach, looking across natural gas, electricity and other forms of energy to fulfil our primary and secondary duties as described in the Energy Act. We are engaging participants in all parts of the energy ecosystem to deliver the plans, markets and operations of the energy system of today and the future. These participants as NESO's customers and they include industry, communities, consumers and other stakeholder groups.

NESO is built on our previous experience as the Electricity System Operator (ESO). The ESO had extensive expertise in balancing electricity supply and demand 24/7, while making sure network operations and the markets were prepared for the future. The transition to NESO requires a significant expansion in our capabilities and we are transforming our organisation to meet this challenge.

NESO’s role in the energy system

NESO lies at the heart of the energy system as an independent, public corporation with responsibilities for planning and operations. This is the first time in Great Britain that one organisation is planning and operating the whole energy system.

Our impartiality and whole system perspective mean we can make recommendations that balance the needs of everyone across Great Britain, so that we all benefit from the growing number of options we have for cleaner, cheaper, more secure energy. We will enable solutions that are fair for all, so that – together – we can take collective action to make a lasting difference and inspire generations to come.

Forward plan

The transition from ESO to NESO is one of significant and complex change for the organisation. As we develop as an independent expert organisation at the centre of the UK’s energy system, NESO needs to be more broadly equipped, capable of providing advice and challenge across all strategic and operational issues, against the backdrop of a highly dynamic energy environment. The Board has an important role to support the organisation as it expands in its enhanced remit.

With both electricity and gas network planning now under one roof, NESO has an expanded remit, sitting at the heart of the government’s clean power mission. This is a pivotal moment to augment the board of directors, bringing in refreshed talent to support the organisation as it takes a holistic look not just across electricity and gas, but also hydrogen, renewable generation, storage and other emerging technologies such as carbon capture usage and storage.

With the Chair, Dr Paul Golby, in place there is now a need to further strengthen the Board with the core skills required as NESO embarks on the next chapter of its transformation.

Person specification

Essential criteria

The candidate will be independently minded, possess integrity, and build a respectful relationship with other Board members. They should have the capacity to analyse complex information and share best practices when appropriate.

To ensure a well-rounded Board, we seek candidates who possess the following qualifications and experiences:

• Relevant senior board experience: We expect candidates with a track record of shaping the strategic vision of an organisation and its development, ensuring high quality corporate governance, and setting positive organisational cultures.
• Strong Leadership: We value candidates with robust leadership experience, especially in complex and fast-paced organisations. Their strategic mindset and ability to navigate intricate business landscapes are crucial, while demonstrating the ability to challenge in an effective manner. Resilience to external scrutiny and political and/or institutional pressures will be needed.
• Engineering experience: the ideal candidate will demonstrate substantial and high-quality engineering leadership expertise, the ability to think on a systems basis and apply this knowledge across energy vectors. This may be from any of the engineering disciplines, but experience in electrical engineering in particular, will be highly relevant to NESO. The successful candidate will demonstrate a high degree of professional credibility in this field, likely gained through a Fellowship of a relevant body such as the Royal Academy of Engineering and / or Institution of Engineering and Technology.
• Sector experience: whilst the ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of the UK energy market, broader large-scale infrastructure experience may also be relevant, including defence, transport, nuclear and other industrial markets. NESO is also open to candidates coming from the engineering, procurement and construction sectors, where they bring appropriate sector knowledge from one of these markets.
• Independence: Candidates must maintain independence and have no conflicts of interest.
• Stature and Confidence: The successful candidate will command the respect and confidence of the NESO Board and leadership and other stakeholders, including government, regulators and the industry. • Independent Thinking: We seek individuals with sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and the capacity to encourage and constructively challenge under scrutiny. An open and straightforward communication style is vital.
• Ethical Standards: Commitment to the adherence of the Seven Principles of Public Life – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership

Application and selection process

How to apply

The recruitment process is being undertaken by Russell Reynolds Associates on behalf of NESO. Please submit your full application by email to responses@russellreynolds.com. Please quote the role title and assignment code 2501-007L in the subject heading of the email. All applications will be acknowledged. The closing date for applications is 12:00pm on Sunday 9th February 2025.

Your submission should include:

▪ A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

▪ A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

▪ A completed Diversity Monitoring Form. We strive to do the right thing and find a better way through listening to the needs of our customers and our employees. We offer inclusion and diversity training for all of our employees, with a view to building an inclusive working environment and offering the opportunity for development.

Please submit all documents so that the panel will have all the required information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Paul Golby, NESO Chair

Hannah Nixon, Independent Non-executive Director

Siobhán Duffy, Shareholder Representative Director

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below).

If you need further advice, please contact responses@russellreynolds.com

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘essential criteria', we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert. When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or ten years in any one post. 

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the Russel Reynolds public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at responses@russellreynolds.com. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Privacy policies for UK Government Investments and Department for Energy Security & Net Zero are attached at the bottom of this advert.

Russel Reynold's privacy statement is here.

Contact details

Please contact the Russel Reynolds public appointments team at responses@russellreynolds.com.

Attachments

• NESO - NEDs - Position Specification

• UK Government Investments Privacy Statement

• Department for Energy Security & Net Zero Privacy Statement