Employability Specialist - ESO

Great Britain's electricity system is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come.

Reporting to the Early Careers Manager, the Employability Specialist is responsible for the development of our employability strategy & programme delivery. EmployAbility forms part of our Early Careers offering, which aligns to our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging strategy, by providing an inclusive and supportive working environment for individuals who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

We are committed to building and developing an inclusive culture with a workforce that reflects the communities that we serve; we aspire to become a Disability Confident Leader in our community and industry. The NESO is at the heart of the energy transition and to deliver on our ambitions we need diversity in our thinking.,

• Developing and delivering our EmployAbility Supported Internship programme which supports students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who are aged 17-24, with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Ensure the programme meets the requirements of the Supported Internship Quality Assurance Framework.


• Developing and delivering our EmployAbility Supported Employment Programme for individuals of any age who have a learning disability, and/or autism, are neurodiverse and/or disabled.


• Developing and delivering our SEN (special educational needs) Work Experience programme.


• Leading the process to accredit (and ongoing re-accreditation process) to recognise NESO as a Disability Confident Leader.


• Developing and leading our SEN schools and colleges engagement strategy to promote our internship and employment programmes. Work closely with the Early Careers Engagement specialist for alignment of engagement & outreach work.


• Working with the business to deliver all pastoral care to those on programme and manage any concerns / wellbeing issues. Working with the education provider to capture, support & resolve safeguarding concerns.


• Working with key stakeholders within the business to identify programme placements/roles needed which are suitable for individual learners.


• Creating and leading a network of Site Leads who are volunteers supporting our interns within the business.


• Depending on the business model; Lead a team of two internal embedded Job Coaches whose role is to support individual learners in the workplace and ensure learner needs and accommodations are met and delivered by the business. Or advise and support the Senior Site lead to manage the job coaches from a 3rd party.


• Providing support to the Early Careers Recruiter at careers fairs and inputting into the design and facilitation of our accessible assessment centres.


• Acting as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the design, implementation, and subsequent ongoing enhancements of the NESOs early careers employability programmes. Scan the external market for best practice to continuously review our programmes.


• Providing support, guidance and training to people leaders and placement managers (E.g. Disability awareness training)


• Advising the Recruitment Team by acting as a subject matter expert on how to remove barriers to work via flexible entry routes. Support the creation of an inclusive recruitment and onboarding process that supports neurodiversity, learning disabilities and disabilities in the workplace.
  
  What we do isn't just important - it's essential. That's why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we're looking for someone who has:


• Experience of working in in similar role, within the Utilities or a similar industry.


• Excellent stakeholder and influencing skills.


• Experience of networking and working with external organisations/government bodies.


• Knowledge of EmployAbility schemes, employment issues related to disability, and associated legislation.


• Understanding and experience of the Public Sector Equality Duty would be advantageous.


• Empathetic and inclusive to individual learner needs and disabilities.


• Excellent communication skills.
  
  At National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), we're aiming to operate a zero-carbon electricity system for Great Britain by 2025. This means using wind, solar and hydropower - without relying on any carbon-based generators to balance the grid.


Becoming the Future System Operator
In Summer of 2024, the ESO will transition to becoming the National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator will be the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain's electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, will be at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users' need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation will be set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As the ESO are today, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won't just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain - you'll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

A competitive salary between £45,000 - £50,000pa- dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on company performance, 26 days annual leave as standard and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.