Graduate Associate Contract Officer, Electricity Transmission Customer Connections

National Grid is at the heart of the UK energy network keeping people connected and society moving. We develop, own and maintain the physical infrastructure, such as pylons and cables needed to move the electricity generated from windfarms and power sources around the country. Every time a phone is plugged in, or a switch is turned on, we’ve played a part, connecting you to the electricity you need - and we’re leading the transformation towards a greener future, dreaming bigger to bring a more affordable energy future to everyone.

But it’s our people that provide our true superpower. They drive and sustain our growth, their unique differences only making us stronger. But it’s no small feat – and we need the best to join us in our mission. So, join us and power the future of energy. 

This role is based within our Customer Connections Team. This is the department that connects customers — such as data centres, battery storage projects, offshore wind farms, transport networks and solar farms — to the electricity transmission network. 

It’s a collaborative effort, and at any one time there are between 300-400 people working within the department. Their expertise includes: construction, project management, commercial, analytical, account management, communications, power system engineering and feasibility engineering.

The connections process is key to delivering the capacity needed for an efficient and renewable transmission network and we need to deliver an increasing number of highly complex and exciting new projects. In this role you would play a crucial role in enabling us to do this.

You will support the Commercial Manager and Contract Officers in managing the contractual interface with Delivery Vehicle contractors. This may involve taking ownership of a small portfolio of contractors to enhance Contract Management capability. Your role will focus on providing a comprehensive contract management service, including regular interaction with contractors at a portfolio level. You will monitor contractor performance, ensure contract compliance, and drive continuous improvements based on agreed KPIs. Collaboration with contractors and National Grid is crucial to achieve the safe and cost-effective delivery of the capital plan.

Some of your accountabilities will be:

• Work with Quantity Surveyors to review and challenge project costs through benchmarking and cost assurance activities.
• Support management in ensuring adherence to commercial, contract, and financial processes, as well as contract compliance through effective contract management.
• Assist in developing cost reduction and improvement plans with contracting partners to exceed Revenues Incentives Innovation Outputs (RIIO) agreement targets.
• Contribute to the development of a reporting structure to capture contractor performance consistently across the contract function.
• Assure and benchmark costs of individual schemes, compensation events, and risk drawdowns, ensuring timely authorizations and effective control of risk allowances.

*Please be aware this would be your permanent role that you would go into after the Graduate Scheme has finished.

As you’ll be joining our 18-month graduate programme, you’ll have a tailored development pathway to support you as you develop a wide range of leadership, business, and technical skills. You’ll attend in-person and virtual development sessions throughout your programme to equip you with the essential skills required, as you begin your career at National Grid. We’re committed to the personal development of our colleagues so as well as the support from your line manager as you navigate your new role, you’ll also have access to 121 coaching and a mentor, from a previous cohort to help you transition from campus to corporate life. 

All graduates complete the core development programme to develop key skills such as how to make an impact, giving feedback and presentation skills.  Aligned to this role is our Commercial pathway, where you’ll further develop commerciality skills and gain important insight of engineering and electricity to increase your understanding of our business and industry. Dependent upon your role you may complete a formal qualification such as (Chartered Institute of Professional Development) CIPD.

We believe in the importance of getting as much on-the-job experience as possible and to do this, you will complete three 6-month placements, across the UK, designed to deepen your understanding of your speciality but to also broaden your knowledge of our business. At the end of your 18-month programme you’ll return to your initial placement area to kickstart your superpowered career.

You'll need to achieve a minimum 2:2 in any degree discipline. It doesn’t matter when you graduated or if you are currently working towards your qualification. We just need you to be eager to apply your knowledge in a real-world setting.
 
Due to the amount of travel to our site locations, you’ll need to have a valid full UK Driving License. Dependant on the mileage completed for business travel per year, you may be eligible for a company car (this would be this will be subject to BIK tax and if required there is no cash alternative). This means you will need to have a valid full UK Driving License prior to application. This will be verified at your assessment centre should you be successful. If there is minimal travel required, a company car will not be provided for the duration of your scheme.
 
You’ll need flexibility to travel within role and throughout your rotations as required.
 
To be eligible to apply for this role, candidates must be able to demonstrate that they will have the legal right to work in the UK for the duration of the graduate programme. If you do not currently have the right to work in the UK, or your visa is due to expire during the period of the graduate scheme, please indicate this in your application and we will consider your eligibility for visa sponsorship and whether it would be appropriate to take your application forward.

This role is based in Crossgate Leeds offering flexible hybrid working, where possible.

We are proud to offer a graduate starting salary of £34,895.
 
Not only will you receive a tailored development programme to progress a superpowered career at National Grid, we also offer some great rewards and benefits too: 

• £2,000 bonus, once joined and started on programme 
• 26 days holiday 
• £2,400 payment on successful completion of the programme 
• Up to £200 per month accommodation allowance as you move around the business, and additional annual leave for when you move between placements plus assistance with moving personal belongings
• Other benefits include pension and share-option schemes, Flexible Benefits, close mentorship and regular feedback & volunteering opportunities. 

We recruit on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close our vacancies once we have enough applications/based on volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as early as possible to ensure you obtain the place you want in the application process. 

You can only apply for one graduate opportunity during this recruitment cycle. We kindly ask that you review all our graduate opportunities and apply for the one that aligns closest with your aspirations and interests.

Assessment centres will be held between then end of January and mid March in Eakring.