Civils Policy Engineer

Job Introduction

We are looking for a highly experienced and motivated Civil Engineer to join the Engineering Policy Team at National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED).

Reporting to the Engineering Policy Manager, this pivotal role will lead the the development and governance of Civil Engineering policies and standards across the business.

As the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Civil Engineering you'll provide authoritative technical leadership, strategic direction, and expert consultancy. Your technical expertise and commercial insight will help shape design standards, approve deviations, support Major Projects and tenders, and ensure that all engineering activities align with company policy, regulatory requirements, and best practice.

While our preferred locations are Tipton, Castle Donington or Bristol we welcome applicants from across our licence areas of West Midlands, East Midlands, South West and Wales.

As part of our hybrid working approach this role offers a mix of office and home working with approximately 2 days a week in the office, with flexibility as required for business needs.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the Civil Engineering standards of the UK's largest electricity distribution network. At NGED, we offer hybrid working arrangements that support a healthy balance between office and home working. You'll be part of a culture that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous professional development — with dedicated support for your ongoing growth, including chartership progression and further learning opportunities.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead and own the development, maintenance and review of NGED's Civil Engineering policies, standards and specifications, ensuring they reflect current legislation, innovation and best practice.
• Represent NGED nationally and internationally, engaging with regulators, government bodies and professional institutions to shape industry policy and standards.
• Provide authoritative Civil Engineering advice across the business — supporting design, construction, maintenance and asset management teams to deliver safe, efficient and cost-effective solutions.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of other company engineering policies and asset management strategies.
• Provide expert technical advice and support to internal teams on Civil Engineering design, construction, maintenance, and asset management.
• Champion continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance safety, sustainability, and lifetime asset performance through new techniques, technologies and materials.
• Support procurement and innovation activities, offering technical guidance in global tendering and R&D processes.
• Lead the technical response to external consultations, ensuring NGED's position is clearly represented in national discussions.
• Contribute to asset strategy and risk management, applying your Civil Engineering expertise to optimise network performance and resilience. Ensuring Civil Engineering risks and dependencies are fully considered.
• Offer technical leadership, mentoring and supporting colleagues to build capability and promote engineering excellence across the organisation.
• Maintain personal and professional competence through continuing professional development, ensuring NGED's policies remain technically sound and forward-looking.

The Ideal Candidate

• A Batchelor's or Master's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent civil engineering experience.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) MICE status with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) or equivalent, or openness to actively work towards chartership.
• Proven experience in civil or structural engineering, ideally within the utilities, energy, or infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrable ability to influence and lead technical and strategic discussions across multiple levels of an organisation and with external bodies.
• A strong record of driving continuous improvement in safety, efficiency, and environmental performance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly and persuasively to varied audiences.
• Experience in policy or standards development, or technical governance within an engineering organisation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate technical options against commercial and operational priorities.
• Experience in asset management or risk modelling is desirable.
• A valid driving licence

National Grid Electricity Distribution is committed to safeguarding the interests of the Company, colleagues and customers. This role is subject to a satisfactory Barring Service, (DBS) check, depending on the role different levels of screening and vetting are required. Some roles require a triannual check. #LI-SC1 #LI-HYBRID

About The Company

Joining the UK's leading electricity distribution business means plenty of career opportunities and well-deserved recognition. We reward hard work and encourage ambition. So, as well as a competitive salary, you will also benefit from:

• 26 days paid leave plus 8 bank holidays, up to 28 days with continuous service
• Company car
• Competitive contributory pension scheme (we double match your contributions up to a maximum of 12%)
• Annual Share Save plan
• Contributory private healthcare scheme for you and your family
• Support via our Employee Assistance Programme, including musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services
• Free on-site parking at all our main sites

Things you need to know

As an equal opportunities employer who is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we celebrate individual difference and are actively bringing in more employees from diverse backgrounds to build on our inclusive culture. We anonymise all applications in our recruitment system so we can eliminate unconscious bias and be a workplace that reflects the community we serve. Hiring managers only have access to necessary information at interview stage. If you require additional support to complete your online application, please email

Recruitment correspondence is usually sent by email, please check your email account including spam/junk folders regularly after the closing date.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should sufficient numbers of suitable applications be received, so it would be best to apply as soon as you can.

About Us

We're National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses.

National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues – who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.