Head of Technical Engineering

Head of Technical Engineering – SSEN Transmission

Base Location: Scottish locations – Perth, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness.

Salary: £101,000 – £151,400 + car/allowance + performance‑related bonus + a range of benefits to support your family, finances and wellbeing.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible.

The role

We’re looking for a talented engineering lead to join our Engineering leadership team as Head of Technical Engineering, playing a key role in shaping the future of our transmission network. You’ll guide and empower a talented team, foster collaboration, and champion innovative solutions that deliver safe, efficient designs and help us achieve Net Zero. You’ll work alongside our engineering leadership teams throughout the project development and delivery lifecycle, maturing technical solutions to the strategic and everyday challenges of our ambitious portfolio of Transmission Investment Programmes and Customer Connections projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of Lead Principal Engineers, overseeing our network of Project, Senior & Principal Engineers across our project teams, supervising all relevant engineering disciplines including HVDC Converters (Offshore Only), FACTS systems, substations, OHL, cable, civil, and protection & control disciplines.
• Develop the technical engineering team, managing recruitment, resource planning, and capability development to meet future business needs and ensure we maintain our technical excellence and breadth of engineering competence.
• Set the technical direction, embedding standardised designs and encouraging creative, forward‑thinking solutions that improve safety and efficiency.
• Coordinate designs and governance readiness, ensuring projects meet quality, cost, and programme goals while enabling timely delivery.
• Guide teams through complex challenges, offering expertise and building confidence to unlock opportunities for innovation and value engineering.
• Collaborate widely, representing SSEN Transmission in industry forums and building strong partnerships to influence standards and share best practice.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading and developing teams, focusing on coaching, mentoring, collaboration, and delivering positive change.
• Engineering Degree qualification, preferably with Chartered Engineer status (or equivalent) and demonstrable technical knowledge across transmission disciplines, combined with an understanding of regulatory requirements. Experience of construction and operations in the marine environment is preferable for the Offshore role.
• Experience working in large complex organisations, delivering significant £bn+ infrastructure investment programmes, prioritising safety, quality, while fostering innovation and economic efficiency from concept through to completion.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to simplify complex issues and bring people together to achieve shared goals.
• A strategic, solutions‑focused mindset, with a passion for innovation and commitment to helping the UK reach Net Zero.

About SSE

SSE has a bold ambition – to be a leading energy company in a net zero world. We're investing around £10 million a day in homegrown energy to help power a cleaner, more secure future.

SSEN Transmission owns and operates the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland. We transport energy from where it is generated to where it is needed, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply for the communities we serve. We’re upgrading the grid to deliver cleaner, homegrown energy for the future and building a network for net zero to create secure power for generations to come.

Benefits

Flexible benefits: discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships; wellbeing benefits such as a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service; interest‑free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme; generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Equality & Diversity

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact gemma.bell@sse.com or 01738 341043 to discuss how we can support you. We’re dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive.

How to Apply

Start your online application using the Apply Now box on this page. We only accept applications made online. We’ll be in touch after the closing date to let you know if we’ll be taking your application further. If you’re offered a role with SSE, you’ll need to complete a criminality check and a credit check before you start work.

Senior Level

• Director

Employment Type

• Full-time

Job Function

• Strategy/Planning, Science, and Engineering

Industries

• Utilities, Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy Semiconductor Manufacturing

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