Senior Consultant – Smart Energy

Company Description

Talan (part of the Talan Group) is an expert provider of professional services. Our vison and mission is to take positive action in a complex world for the future good of people and the environment and to enlighten and enable our clients’ transformation in an increasingly complex world.

We are purpose-driven, working across multiple sectors, tackling social and environmental challenges, improving and simplify the way markets work, harnessing the power of digital transformation and ensuring data is protected and used ethically.

Talan provides a range of consultancy and outsourcing capabilities including programme management, market design and governance. We also have extensive and award-winning capabilities across cyber security, data privacy and digital transformation. We are IIP Gold accredited and Great Place to Work accredited.

The nature of what we do means we are very much a people business. The contribution every member of the team makes to our diverse range of experience, skills and personalities is valued. We invest heavily in learning and development to enable our people to develop skills and gain experience which will enhance career prospects for life. Many who started their careers with us have rapidly progressed to more senior positions.

No two days are the same, but we believe in a flexible approach to working which we know our employees value.

Job Description

The role

We are currently looking to recruit a capable and driven Senior Consultant to help grow our Smart Energy consulting practice.

Talan UK & Ireland’s Energy Consulting team works across the low carbon market – including Smart Energy, heat pumps, energy efficiency/retrofit, heat networks and hydrogen – helping clients to deliver significant growth opportunities that come from the energy transition. As part of the wider Talan Group, we also offer global technology and consulting expertise that accelerates transformation through innovation, technology and data.

We support our clients as they navigate immense changes facing the energy sector, including responding to evolving Government policies and targets, embracing the digital revolution and bringing new solutions to market. This important role will involve working with experts from across the company to develop and deploy Smart Energy service propositions and deliver best-in-class solutions through consulting assignments.

This senior consultant role will actively support business development, helping position, qualify, win and support the delivery of new opportunities for the business. The successful candidate will be expected to leverage their Smart Energy contacts and experience to network, build and manage client and stakeholder relationships and drive sales. Candidates wishing to apply for this role must have demonstrable consulting experience, outstanding self-management skills and an ability to build strong stakeholder relationships.

Smart Energy refers to the modernisation of the energy system through the integration of digital technologies, most notably smart meters, that enable more efficient, flexible, and consumer-responsive energy use. Smart meters are central to this transformation, replacing traditional analogue meters and automatically recording energy consumption in near real-time. Smart Energy also underpins the development of a more dynamic and decarbonised electricity grid by facilitating demand-side response for energy flexibility, enabling the integration of low-carbon technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps in balancing the grid, and supporting the country’s transition to a Net Zero energy system.

Responsibilities

Leading the development and delivery of a Smart Energy Consulting practice within Talan UK & Ireland, the role will be responsible for:

• Driving business development activities in the Smart Energy space.
• Actively supporting a wider team of consultants developing and delivering projects.
• Achieving year-on year growth of the number and value of consultancy sales through identifying and qualifying opportunities, drafting proposals and converting sales – including through upsell and repeat business.
• Upskilling and mentoring junior consultants within the Energy Consulting team. Expanding the team’s delivery and business development capabilities.
• Networking and building relationships with internal and external stakeholders in the energy industry to strengthen Talan’s position as a knowledge expert. This will include participating in industry engagements, events and industry working groups, developing and maintaining Talan’s presence across the Smart Energy sector and actively building and managing a Smart Energy network.
• Effectively operating in matrix management structure, including direct line management, development of junior team/project team members and supporting wider resourcing activities within the Business Unit.
• Managing resources, multi-disciplinary teams and interrelationships to achieve successful delivery of larger client projects and company strategies.
• Cross-selling other service propositions across Talan UK & Ireland and the Talan Group.

Qualifications

Requirements

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Experience and Knowledge

• At least 4 years’ experience working in a Smart Energy consulting setting with a strong understanding of smart metering and metering in general.
• Ability to lead business development via the solution selling sales process – from building relationships with clients, qualifying opportunities and developing and offering solutions to client problems, to developing bids and pitching.
• Experience in navigating the consulting delivery process – such as managing client expectations through delivery, applying project management, quality assurance and risk management techniques, reporting and forecasting principles and managing delivery in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Ability to mentor junior team members and upskill their technical and project management skills.
• Proven track-record of management consulting, comfortable with ambiguity and experienced in solving problems by applying tools and frameworks.
• An understanding of the GB commercial, regulatory and Smart Energy policy environment in which clients operate and experience of leveraging change within it.
• Experience in building and managing client and stakeholder relationships, including key internal and external stakeholders.
• Well connected within the Smart Energy space with an up-to-date network of contacts and partners.

Skills and Qualities

• Ability to build a pipeline of Smart Energy consulting opportunities and successfully grow revenue year on year.
• Strong commercial awareness including proposal development & business prospecting, alongside solid project management experience, identifying and managing risks to project delivery.
• Strong technical smart metering and connected device knowledge.
• Excellent networking skills with a broad range of existing Smart Energy relationships and contacts, and ability to network within Talan to understand wider team capabilities and value propositions. Ability to influence and engage adjacent sector and service teams to unlock partnership opportunities.
• Appreciation and understanding of managing client expectations towards delivery.
• Outstanding organisational and planning skills and attention to detail in high-pressure and tight deadline driven environments.
• Excellent written, verbal communication and relationship management skills.
• Ability to analyse opportunities, risks & issues in a dynamic environment.
• Flexibility and adaptability to regularly react to changing demands and needs of the industry.

Additional Information

WHAT WE OFFER
25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
Reward and recognition schemes
Flexible working
Private Bupa healthcare
Life Assurance (up to 4 times annual salary)
Matched pension contributions
Season Ticket Loan
Cycle to work scheme
Buy and Sell annual leave
Reimbursement of eye test and up to £50 towards glasses or contacts
Corporate gym rates
Employee Assistance Programme
Summer and Christmas parties, along with monthly Social@77