Head of PMO

Head of PMO - HVDC Projects

Location: Edinburgh Park Office - with flexible hybrid working and occasional travel throughout the UK.

Salary: from £76,800 - £96,000 per annum plus up to 30% annual bonus, £450pcm car allowance and family healthcare

Full-time | Permanent

Closing Date: 7th September 2026

Create a better future, quicker!

At SP Energy Networks, we're delivering one of the UK's most ambitious infrastructure programmes, investing over £12 billion in Scotland's transmission network by 2031 to support the transition to a low-carbon future.

We're seeking an experienced Head of PMO to shape and lead the Project Management Office (PMO) across our growing HVDC portfolio, including nationally significant projects such as Eastern Green Link 1, Eastern Green Link 4 and Western Link 2. These projects are critical to strengthening energy security, enabling renewable generation at scale and accelerating the UK's journey to Net Zero.

This is a rare opportunity to build and develop a best-in-class PMO function supporting some of the country's most significant energy infrastructure projects. You'll lead across a portfolio of complex, multi-billion pound programmes while establishing the people, processes, governance and systems that will drive successful delivery for years to come.

Working closely with senior leaders, Joint Venture partners and delivery teams, you'll influence how major projects are governed and delivered, creating a lasting impact on the future of the UK's energy network.

If you're passionate about major projects, transformational leadership and building high performing teams, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Be Doing

As Head of PMO , you'll lead the PMO function across the HVDC portfolio, including direct oversight of PMO delivery for Western Link 2, while helping shape a best-in-class capability across all HVDC projects.

You’ll manage a growing team of PMO and Project Controls professionals across multiple UK locations, driving governance, reporting, planning and performance management while developing capability and supporting future portfolio growth.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading, developing and expanding the HVDC PMO team, including recruitment, capability building and performance management.
• Playing a key role in the development and evolution of the PMO function, establishing best-practice standards, processes and governance frameworks across the portfolio.
• Creating a consistent approach to project controls, enabling collaboration, scalability and shared learning across major projects.
• Working closely with Joint Venture partners, contractors and internal stakeholders to ensure effective PMO capability throughout the project lifecycle.
• Overseeing planning and scheduling, governance, reporting, risk management, change control and document management activities.
• Driving the adoption of digital tools and data-led decision making, including Power BI, Primavera P6, CEMAR and other project controls systems.
• Supporting executive reporting, regulatory submissions and portfolio performance reviews.
• Championing continuous improvement, innovation and lessons learned to enhance delivery performance across the HVDC programme.
• Establishing and embedding governance and assurance frameworks that support successful project delivery while driving consistency across the portfolio.
• Influencing the future development of project controls, PMO capability and digital transformation across HVDC projects.

What You'll Bring

We're looking for an experienced PMO and project controls leader with a proven track record of delivering major infrastructure programmes. You'll be a strategic leader who can influence outcomes, solve complex challenges and drive continuous improvement, while helping to build and shape a high-performing PMO function across a growing portfolio of nationally significant projects.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience leading PMO, project controls or programme management functions within large-scale infrastructure, engineering, construction, energy or EPC environments.
• Proven success in building, developing and leading high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of governance, project controls, reporting, risk, change management and project assurance.
• Experience working within NEC4 and/or FIDIC contract environments on major capital projects.
• A recognised project management qualification (APM, PRINCE2 or equivalent) or substantial relevant experience.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of contractual processes and project delivery best practice.
• Experience using project controls and digital tools such as Power BI, Primavera P6, CEMAR, BIM, ACC or similar.
• Excellent communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to provide clear insights and navigate complex challenges.
• A collaborative leadership style, resilience