Operations Director - AC Transmission

Building a sustainable tomorrow

The AC Operations Director (Energy Networks England & Wales) is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the Business Unit Director for Energy Networks England & Wales. This role sits on the Energy Networks England & Wales Senior Leadership Team and plays a pivotal part in shaping and delivering the strategic direction of the business, supporting BAM UK & Ireland's divisional and segment purpose, vision, and objectives.

The position will lead the operational delivery of all AC Transmission and Substation projects across England and Wales, ensuring safe, sustainable, and profitable performance while driving growth through strong client relationships, strategic alignment, and operational excellence.

Working closely with the Regional Directors and Business Development teams, you will provide senior leadership and strategic direction across the business unit, achieving our safety, sustainability, operational, and financial goals through effective management of people, projects, supply chain partners, and clients, in line with our divisional strategy.

You will focus on driving predictable profitability, operational discipline, and growth, ensuring the business continues to build strong partnerships with National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) and other strategic clients, whilst delivering critical infrastructure that supports the UK's energy transition and network resilience objectives.

As a visible and inclusive leader, you will foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement, embedding BAM's values, strengthening collaboration across the business, and ensuring we continue to be recognised for excellence in safety, engineering, commissioning, and project delivery.

Your team

• Ideally, candidates will be based in the Southeast region, with convenient access to London.

Making Possible

As AC Operations Director (Energy Networks England & Wales), you will be responsible for:

• Developing and executing the business unit strategy and budget to optimise operational performance, profitability, and project delivery across England and Wales.
• Leading the operational delivery of a portfolio of AC transmission infrastructure projects, including AIS and GIS substations, overhead line works, cable systems, network reinforcement, protection and control systems, and associated civil engineering works.
• Providing strategic leadership for all National Grid transmission projects, ensuring successful delivery against safety, quality, programme, and commercial objectives.
• Maintaining extensive knowledge of National Grid Electricity Transmission standards, specifications, governance requirements, outage planning processes, and commissioning procedures.
• Building and maintaining executive-level relationships with National Grid, key stakeholders, supply chain partners, and industry bodies to support growth and long-term strategic partnerships.
• Ensuring efficient integration between business development, pre-construction, engineering, procurement, and operational delivery teams.
• Driving operational excellence through robust project controls, risk management, governance, and performance management frameworks.
• Leading the successful management of transmission outages, energisation activities, and complex commissioning programmes, ensuring compliance with all client and regulatory requirements.
• Promoting innovation, digital delivery, modern construction techniques, and sustainable solutions across the transmission and substation portfolio.
• Supporting the wider divisional transformation agenda and ensuring alignment with BAM's strategic objectives and sustainability commitments.
• Developing a high-performing leadership team capable of delivering complex transmission infrastructure programmes at scale.
• Providing visible leadership in health, safety, environment, and wellbeing performance, ensuring a relentless focus on Zero Harm principles.
• Acting as a role model for BAM's values and leadership behaviours, creating an environment where individuals are empowered to perform at their best.
• Supporting work-winning activities and strategic bids, providing operational insight and leadership to secure future opportunities across the National Grid and wider electricity transmission sector.

What do you bring to the role?

• Candidates must demonstrate significant experience in the delivery of National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) projects and possess a comprehensive understanding of the UK Electricity Transmission sector, including regulatory frameworks, outage management, commissioning, energisation, and delivery of 132kV, 275kV and 400kV AC transmission infrastructure.
• A proven senior leader with extensive experience delivering major electricity transmission and substation projects within the UK energy sector.
• Significant operational leadership experience managing National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) frameworks, programmes, or major infrastructure projects.
• Deep technical understanding of AC transmission systems, including:
• 132kV, 275kV and 400kV substations
• AIS and GIS technologies
• Protection and control systems
• Overhead line infrastructure
• Underground cable systems
• Commissioning and energisation activities
• Network outage planning and delivery
• Strong knowledge of National Grid technical specifications, policies, engineering standards and governance requirements.
• Demonstrable success in leading large multidisciplinary teams and complex project portfolios within highly regulated environments.
• Strong commercial and contractual acumen with experience delivering sustainable and profitable business performance.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with executive-level client stakeholders and strategic partners.
• Extensive experience of NEC contract management, risk mitigation, claims avoidance, and commercial governance.
• Track record of driving operational excellence, continuous improvement, and business transformation initiatives.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and influencing skills with the ability to engage at Board, client, and operational levels.
• Degree qualified (Engineering, Construction, Commercial or related discipline) or equivalent professional qualification.
• Chartered Engineer, Chartered Construction Manager, or equivalent professional status would be advantageous.
• Demonstrates authentic leadership aligned with the BAM Leadership Framework and embodies BAM's values in everything they do.

Key Success Measures

• Safe delivery of all projects with industry-leading health and safety performance.
• Achievement of operational and financial targets across the England & Wales AC portfolio.
• Successful delivery of National Grid framework commitments and strategic objectives.
• Strong client satisfaction and repeat business performance.
• Margin improvement and predictable project outcomes.
• Development and retention of high-performing teams.
• Successful work winning and growth of the England & Wales transmission business.
• Delivery of BAM's sustainability and social value commitments.

What's in it for you?

• Competitive salary
• Performance-related bonus
• Company car/car allowance
• A wide range of family-friendly policies
• 8% matched pension contributions
• Private healthcare
• Life assurance
• 26 days holiday plus bank holidays
• 2 wellbeing days
• 1 volunteering day
• Personal and professional development opportunities
• Access to industry-leading energy transition and transmission infrastructure programmes

About BAM

Building a sustainable tomorrow. That's our mission and our promise at BAM. It's how we engineer vital infrastructure and construct high-quality buildings as one of the largest construction companies in Europe.

We strive to create an environment where everybody feels welcome and valued. We're on an exciting journey to employ the best talent to join us regardless of social background, race, colour, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability or other characteristics.

The application process

For more information about the vacancy and our projects, please contact Jonathan Schulte, Recruitment Manager, BAM UK & Ireland (Infrastructure), m: 07717 227890 / Email: jonathan.schulte@bam.com

BAM is committed to ensuring a fully inclusive recruitment and onboarding process, so if at anytime you feel you may need any reasonable adjustments, do not hesitate to speak with one of our team, and we will do our best to support you.