Lead Engineer (System Development)

Job Title: Lead Engineer (System Development)

Location: Glasgow, ScottishPower HQ

Salary + benefits: From £63,200 to £79,000 + benefits

Help us create a better future, quicker

As a Lead Engineer (System Development) in our Transmission Network team, you will represent SP Transmission (SPT) in the national system planning processes that shape Great Britain's energy future. You will shape our input to the Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) and the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). You will also establish the internal processes that keep SPEN fully engaged and well represented in these external processes.

Your work will help us identify, develop and assess future projects in good time, so we can deliver our role in the UK's drive to reach Net Zero by 2050. You will work with colleagues across SPEN, the National Energy System Operator (NESO), other Transmission Owners and Ofgem. You will also help develop engineering proposals for submission to Ofgem, making sure they are accurate, clear and compliant with regulation.

What you'll be doing

You will develop and implement internal policies and processes, in line with best practice, so that SPEN engages effectively with GB planning processes and meets its legal and licence requirements.

You will work closely with the Network Planning, Strategic Investment, Regulation and Major Projects teams. In partnership with these teams, you will turn the outputs of the CSNP, SSEP and related planning processes into deliverable investment plans. You will act as SPEN's point of contact for strategic engagement and coordination across these whole-system planning processes, and you will bring commercial and technical innovation into our policies and plans to maximise value while managing risk.

You will also:

• Join industry working groups and joint projects with partners across the sector
• Prepare, review and help deliver industry and licence documentation, including the SSEP, CSNP and Business Plans
• Produce and coordinate detailed engineering proposals for Ofgem, with clear evidence, modelling and engineering rationale
• Make sure every proposal meets our internal governance standards
• Maintain thorough documentation and audit trails for regulatory submissions
• Coordinate input from colleagues at all levels of the business, meeting licence deadlines and regulatory timescales
• Raise awareness of SPEN's position on wider network planning among key industry groups and stakeholders
• Put safety, quality and environmental excellence at the centre of everything you do
• This role has no direct reports. You will achieve results through influence, working with senior colleagues across SPEN and the wider industry.

What you'll bring

You will hold a degree and have significant experience in transmission network planning, development, operation or regulatory strategy. This includes applying NETS SQSS and Grid Code requirements. You will have a firm grasp of GB network design standards and codes, and of how the transmission network operates.

You will also have:

• Working knowledge of System Operator Transmission Owner Code (STC) processes and procedures at the NESO interface, including those that feed into the wider system planning documents
• Expert knowledge and significant experience of the regulatory, technical and commercial frameworks that affect SPEN
• Experience of setting and implementing strategies, policies and plans
• Experience of regulatory submissions and/or price controls
• Working knowledge of the electrical characteristics of power system equipment, such as transmission overhead lines, cables, and shunt and series reactive compensation
• Working knowledge of advanced data processing and evidence-based methods, legal and licence obligations, industry codes and standards, and financial policies and procedures
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical matters clearly to non-technical audiences
• Experience of managing and influencing internal and external stakeholders at a senior level
• Strong planning and organisation skills, and the flexibility to adjust priorities as business needs change
• A track record of excellent customer service
• Awareness of SPEN, ScottishPower and Iberdrola strategic aims, and of international developments in power system design
• You should be willing to travel occasionally for site visits, workshops or stakeholder meetings. This is not mandatory.

What's in it for you

As well as an attractive salary which is reviewed annually, you can also enjoy a number of other benefits. With our pension scheme, we'll double match your contribution up to a company contribution of 10%.

At ScottishPower, we believe it's the little things we do in life that make a big difference. From helping you look after your family's wellbeing, save for your future and take personal steps for climate action -- our benefits are designed to help you do just that - so that you have everything you need to take care of your world -- today and tomorrow. That's why our benefits include:

• 36 days annual leave
• Holiday Purchase - perfect your work/life balance with extra annual leave
• Equity Plans
• Payroll Giving and Charity Matched Funding
• Technology Vouchers - save more and spread the cost of your technology purchases
• Electric Vehicle Schemes - to help you transition to green/clean driving
• Cycle to Work scheme and Public Transport Season Ticket Loans
• Healthcare benefit options including: Dental Insurance, Private Medical Insurance, Health Cash Plan and annual Health Assessments
• Life Assurance (4x salary)
• Access to Savesmart financial wellbeing assistance
• Plus shopping, leisure, restaurant and gym discounts, and unique employee deals on travel insurance and more

Why SP Energy Networks

SP Energy Networks is part of the Iberdrola Group, one of the world's largest integrated utility companies and a world leader in wind energy. We keep electricity flowing to homes and businesses through Central and Southern Scotland, North Wales and in the North West of England. We operate over 4000km of cables and lines that make up the transmission network, linking infrastructure like wind farms to the electricity system. It's a role that puts us right at the heart of Scotland's goal to be Net Zero by 2044. And we're taking it very seriously. We're investing >£5.5 billion into our transmission network, directly enabling the rapid growth needed in renewable energy. With diverse opportunities across our businesses and a focus on investing in our own internal talent, ScottishPower can offer people real career opportunities that meet personal and professional goals, in a global organisation.

Inclusion, diversity, and a social purpose are at the heart of everything we do. Alongside our values, they make us a stronger, more sustainable business with direct links to the communities we serve. It takes all kinds of people to build a large-scale business like ours, so whatever your background, you'll fit right in.

We aim to provide reasonable adjustments and assistance in our recruiting processes for candidates with disabilities, long term conditions, mental health conditions, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related help. If you need assistance, please reach out to [email protected].

Mobility

Please note that any applicant who is not a citizen of the country of the vacancy will be subject to compliance with the applicable immigration requirements to legally work in that country. If/when required, the Company will support the employee with the necessary Immigration requirements.

IMPORTANT 

Advert will close at 23:59 GMT the day before Job Posting End Date below

November-24-2026