Energy & Utilities Recruitment Agency

RIIO is Ofgem's price control framework for Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs, applied to the monopoly UK electricity and gas networks. RIIO-T3 is the third price control for the electricity Transmission Owners (National Grid Electricity Transmission in England and Wales, SP Transmission in southern Scotland, SSEN Transmission in northern Scotland). RIIO-ED3 is the third price control for the electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). RIIO-GD3 is the gas distribution network equivalent. T3 and ED3 reset investment and delivery expectations for the 2026 to 2031 regulatory period, driving significant network hiring for planning, connections, substation and asset-management roles.

NESO is the National Energy System Operator, established on 1 October 2024 as an independent public corporation taking over the system operator functions previously held by National Grid ESO. NESO is responsible for real-time electricity system operation, whole-system planning across electricity and gas, and market development for the UK. NESO is distinct from National Grid's Electricity Transmission business, which continues to own and operate the high-voltage network in England and Wales. NESO hiring is focused on trading and control room operation, whole-system planning, market design and network connections.

Contracts for Difference (CfD) is the UK's primary support mechanism for low-carbon electricity generation. CfD contracts are awarded through competitive Allocation Rounds (AR), with projects bidding strike prices and being awarded contracts by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC). AR4, AR5, AR6 and subsequent Allocation Rounds have driven UK offshore wind, floating offshore wind, onshore wind and solar pipeline. The CfD Supply Chain Plan is a separate obligation on larger projects, requiring a UK supply-chain strategy. Allocation Round experience, CfD structuring and Supply Chain Plan authorship are named competence areas on senior renewables commercial briefs.

Sizewell C is the UK nuclear new build project in Suffolk, being developed by Sizewell C Co and EDF Energy. The UK Government took a direct equity stake and invested through the Nuclear Restoration Services pipeline, with major civils and nuclear island delivery led by tier-one delivery partners. Rolls-Royce SMR is the UK-originated Small Modular Reactor programme, which in 2025 was selected by Great British Nuclear (now Great British Energy Nuclear) to deliver UK SMRs. Both are mobilising at scale, with Sizewell C already in active delivery and Rolls-Royce SMR in design and site-selection phase. Nuclear new build hiring is a named driver of senior UK engineering, commercial and commissioning demand.

HyNet and the East Coast Cluster are the two UK Track-1 CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) clusters selected by DESNZ for initial deployment. HyNet covers North West England and North Wales, led by a consortium including Eni, Progressive Energy, Cadent and others. The East Coast Cluster covers Teesside and Humberside, led by Equinor, BP and TotalEnergies. Both are progressing blue hydrogen production and industrial CCS, and are driving UK hiring for CCS and hydrogen process engineers, project managers, commercial structuring specialists and delivery-partner civils and M&E teams.

TO stands for Transmission Owner and DNO for Distribution Network Operator. TOs own and operate the UK high-voltage electricity transmission network (typically 275kV and 400kV in England and Wales, 275kV and 132kV in Scotland). National Grid Electricity Transmission is the TO for England and Wales, SP Transmission for southern Scotland, and SSEN Transmission for northern Scotland. DNOs own and operate the lower-voltage distribution networks that deliver electricity to homes and businesses: UK Power Networks (London, East and South East), SSEN (central southern and northern Scotland), SPEN (Merseyside, North Wales and southern Scotland), Northern Powergrid (North East and Yorkshire), National Grid Electricity Distribution (Midlands, South West and Wales) and Electricity North West.

Yes, across all six UK energy and utilities sub-sectors. Water and AMP8 (plus SR27 in Scotland). Power transmission and distribution networks under RIIO-T3 / ED3 / GD3. Renewables and BESS across offshore wind, onshore wind, utility-scale solar and battery storage. Oil and gas transition and CCS (HyNet, East Coast Cluster, hydrogen). Nuclear new build, decommissioning and SMR programmes. Markets, trading and regulatory. Each sub-sector has distinct candidate pools and our screening is sub-sector-led.

Broad 2026 market ranges. Water Process Engineer 45 to 65 thousand, Senior 60 to 85. Water NEC4 Commercial Manager 70 to 100. HV Substation Engineer 50 to 75. DNO Asset Manager 65 to 95. Head of Asset Strategy 90 to 140. Offshore Wind Package Manager 70 to 105. Senior Offshore Wind Developer 100 to 150. Solar and BESS Project Manager 55 to 85. CCS / Hydrogen Process Engineer 65 to 95. Nuclear New Build Project Manager 70 to 105, Senior 100 to 140. SMR Programme Lead 120 to 180 plus. Nuclear Decommissioning PM 60 to 90. Power Trader 60 to 130 base plus significant bonus. Origination Lead 90 to 160 plus bonus. Head of Trading / Head of Origination 150 to 300 plus. London, Aberdeen and Warrington-cluster premiums apply. Specialist sub-sector (offshore wind, nuclear new build, SMR, hydrogen) commonly commands a premium inside these ranges.

Yes, all three channels. Regulated utilities (water companies under Ofwat, DNOs and TOs under Ofgem, gas networks). Unregulated market (generators, renewables developers, independent power producers, hydrogen project vehicles, CCS clusters, trading houses, origination desks). The tier-one UK civils and multi-disciplinary consultancy delivery partners (Jacobs included) working under AMP8, RIIO, CfD and nuclear new build frameworks. Candidates move between these channels frequently on senior roles, and we manage those moves.

Yes. Our desk briefs power and gas traders (utilities in-house and trading houses), origination and PPA structuring specialists, NESO whole-system planning engineers, Ofgem and Ofwat policy and regulatory advisers, CfD contract managers, REMA market reform consultants and Low Carbon Contracts Company contract managers. Trading and origination candidates typically have significant bonus and incentive components to total compensation, and our briefs capture that.

Yes, across all three. Permanent placements are the majority volume. Contract cover is common on AMP8 mobilisation, CfD Allocation Round submission windows, CCS FEED study surges, nuclear new build commissioning and network project delivery peaks. Interim Programme Director, Head of Asset Strategy and Commercial Director placements are used on post-framework-win team integration, senior cover pending permanent hire and new-team stand-up on CCS, hydrogen, BESS and SMR programmes.