Managing Director – Local Energy

Great British Energy (GBE) is a publicly owned energy company, created to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technologies and to ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers, communities and the energy workforce reap the benefits of a clean and secure energy system.

For more information on GBE, please click here: Great British Energy Live Assignments – FWB

GBE Local is central to our strategy. We believe that GB Energy can be a transformative actor in the world of local and community energy and our vision is to make hosting and owning a local energy scheme possible for every community across the country.

The Divisional MD will be the visionary entrepreneur who brings this vision to life. Our central idea is that by GB Energy acting to simplify and modularise the key technical and commercial aspects of Local and Community energy, we can act as a market maker, significantly increasing the uptake and driving us towards our ambitious target of unlocking 1000 projects by 2030.  GBE Local will act as a vehicle for scale, to enable decarbonisation, resilient energy supply and cost management – working closely with our partner ecosystem and playing an ‘integrator’ role. This will also include the administration of advisory, grants and concessional finance solutions across GBE Local’s ecosystem.

This role demands entrepreneurial leadership and deep sector expertise, combining customer-centric delivery with efficient financial structuring and the ability to act as an “intelligent buyer” to oversee the installation and integration of solutions, advocating for capital allocation through compelling, data-driven business cases that deliver measurable social, environmental and financial returns.

The MD will shape strategy, build capability (including regional hubs), and deliver complex, multi-stakeholder projects across 3 key areas:

1. Developing and implementing a range of commercial products or modules to Local customers, such as Local Authorities and other Public Sector bodies, acting as a vehicle for scale, to enable decarbonisation, resilient energy supply and cost management – working closely with the partner ecosystem and playing an ‘integrator’ role.
2. Develop and take to market a range of products that enable community ownership in a simplified way.
3. Turning the Local Power Plan into a scalable asset class that strengthens UK supply chains, increases community ownership and accelerates progress to net zero.

Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Set and execute a national GBE Local strategy aligned with GBE’s mission, Strategic Plan and the Local Power Plan covering development, investment/ownership, construction and operations of local clean energy assets, working with GBE’s Strategy team where required to ensure whole business alignment.
• Build a portfolio of commercial products or “standardised modules” for Local customers (across rooftop solar PV, BtM battery storage, flexibility services, clean heat and other proven local technologies), balancing risk, return and community impact.
• Define market entry and partnership strategies (including shared ownership with private developers), ensuring alignment with spatial and local area energy plans.

Capital Allocation & Investment Case Development

• Advocate for internal capital allocation by presenting robust investment cases (NPV, IRR, payback, risk-adjusted returns, affordability impacts, community benefit metrics).
• Design and deploy a suite of financial instruments (e.g., grants, repayable grants, debt, equity) to unlock barriers and accelerate delivery, working closely with DESNZ, UKIB, National Wealth Fund and other partners, including local authorities.
• In alignment and collaboration with other GBE MDs, establish disciplined stage gate governance (from origination to FID, construction and operations) with clear decision rights and portfolio reporting.

Customer Focused Delivery & Regional Hubs

• Build a digital-first, customer-centric delivery function that offers a range of commercial products and provides technical, commercial and project planning support to Local Authorities, Mayoral Combined Authorities and Community Energy Groups.
• Establish regional hubs to operate close to customers, develop local knowledge, and ensure consistent service standards nationwide.
• Drive operational excellence: standardised processes, templates and playbooks; predictable cycle times from concept to customer delivery; and measurable service quality.

Channel Management

• Build a framework for identifying, qualifying and performance managing a network of local delivery partners who act as GB Energy’s “boots on the ground” and provide quality delivery and customer excellence.
• Work closely with finance providers to ensure delivery partners provide assurance and bankability to project delivery and asset management.

Stakeholder Engagement & Policy Influence

• Lead senior engagement with Government ministers, devolved administrations, regulators, system operators, local government, community energy organisations and industry leaders.
• Work with GBE’s Policy & External Affairs function to influence policy and regulation that enable local generation, flexibility and community ownership, providing evidence based insights from delivery.

Collaboration

• Internally, act as a key leader within GBE’s project teams, coordinating with Offshore, Onshore and cross‑cutting Supply Chain functions to ensure pipeline coherence, procurement leverage and UK jobs.
• Externally, build trusted partnerships with public advisory bodies, finance institutions and private developers to create a joined up public offering in the local energy space.

Risk, Governance & Compliance

• In alignment with GBE-wide governance, oversee the implementation of enterprise-grade risk management frameworks spanning financial, operational, regulatory, planning and community risks for GBE Local.
• Ensure best practice HSE, quality assurance, information governance and cyber resilience across the Local portfolio and delivery operations.
• Oversee transparent reporting, assurance and audit readiness consistent with public sector standards.

People & Culture

• Develop and inspire a high performing, multidisciplinary team blending development, project finance, construction, operations, customer service and data/tech skills.
• Foster a culture of purpose, performance and inclusion with clear accountabilities, learning pathways and leadership succession plans.

Digital, Data & Performance

• Take a digital-first approach to designing the commercial products to be offered, including customer interfaces, product platforms and case-flow management applications.
• Champion data-driven decision-making pipeline analytics, investment dashboards, customer service metrics and benefits tracking (jobs, local ownership, affordability, carbon reduction).
• Set and monitor KPIs such as pipeline GW, number of projects reaching FID, £ capital leveraged, % community/shared ownership, cycle time to commission, customer satisfaction, risk adjusted returns.

Public Representation

• Serve as a visible spokesperson for GBE Local for media, conferences, investor and community forums, communicating progress, impact and lessons learned with clarity and credibility.

Essential Experience and Skills

• Local Energy Expertise: Extensive experience in the UK energy sector, including experience in senior leadership roles focused on distributed generation, community energy, or local energy systems. Proven track record of delivering small-to-medium scale renewable projects (e.g., solar PV, EV charging, BtM battery storage and clean heat).
• Regulatory and Markets knowledge: highly aware of regulatory frameworks, barriers and revenue streams within the local energy market, including ability to understand routes to revenue staking, flexibility markets and key commercial instruments such as PPA models.
• Customer Service Model Design: Demonstrated success in designing and implementing customer service models and scalable commercial projects. Experience in customer-centric businesses.
• Financial Structuring & Capital Competition: Deep understanding of project finance and investment structuring, including grants, repayable grants, debt and equity instruments. Ability to advocate for internal capital allocation by producing robust investment cases with clear IRR, NPV, and community benefit metrics.
• Stakeholder & Policy Engagement: Proven ability to engage credibly with Government ministers, devolved administrations, local authorities, community energy organisations, and private developers. Strong political acumen and experience influencing policy and regulatory frameworks.
• Operational Leadership: Experience in designing and leading customer-focused delivery functions, ideally including digital-first service models and regional hubs. Skilled in operational excellence, process standardisation, and performance management.
• Risk & Compliance: Expertise in implementing risk management frameworks across financial, regulatory, planning and community dimensions. Familiarity with UK planning processes, subsidy control, and public sector governance standards.
• People Leadership: Track record of building high-performing, multidisciplinary teams from scratch or through transformation. Ability to inspire and lead through ambiguity in a start-up or scale-up environment.

Desirable Skills:

• Portfolio Development & Delivery: Demonstrated success in building and scaling a portfolio of local energy assets, including origination, development, construction, and operational management. Experience in shared ownership models and partnerships with local authorities and community energy groups.
• Public Representation: Experience as a spokesperson at national or regional level—media interviews, conferences, and community forums—communicating complex energy and investment topics clearly and credibly.
• Policy and Regulatory Insight: Deep understanding of UK energy policy development, subsidy control, and regulatory frameworks governing local generation, flexibility markets, and community ownership.
• Digital and Data Leadership: Experience implementing digital-first service models, customer portals, and data-driven performance dashboards for operational excellence and stakeholder transparency.
• Supply Chain Development: Knowledge of UK supply chain dynamics for local energy technologies and experience in initiatives to strengthen domestic content and regional economic impact.
• Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Familiarity with flexibility services, local balancing, heat networks, and demand-side innovation to future-proof local energy strategies.
• Public Sector Governance: Understanding of government investment standards, assurance processes, and compliance requirements for grant distribution and procurement.

Qualifications:

• Degree (or equivalent experience) in engineering, energy, economics, finance, public policy or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualifications and/or professional accreditation (e.g., CEng, CFA, PMI/Prince2, APM) are advantageous.