Head of PMO - Heat Networks

Climate17 is pleased to be working with a rapidly growing developer of low-carbon heat networks on the appointment of a Head of Programme Management.

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of the programme management function within a business scaling a significant portfolio of low-carbon infrastructure projects across the UK.

With multiple projects progressing through development, investment approval and construction, the business is entering an important stage of growth. The Head of Programme Management will play a pivotal role in bringing greater visibility, control and commercial discipline across the portfolio - working directly with senior leadership and having a genuine influence on how projects are prioritised and delivered.

This is not a traditional PMO support role. You will own the master programme, challenge assumptions, identify constraints before they become problems and provide the senior leadership team with the insight required to make critical investment and delivery decisions.

About the Company

Our client is a rapidly growing developer of low-carbon heat networks, focused on accelerating the transition away from fossil-fuel heating and supporting the UK's wider net-zero ambitions.

The business develops and delivers large-scale heat network infrastructure across the UK, providing a scalable route to decarbonising heat in towns and cities.

Having grown rapidly from an early-stage business into a significant development platform, the organisation has a substantial portfolio of heat network projects progressing through development, investment approval and construction, with ambitious plans for continued growth over the coming years.

The business is backed by institutional investment and supported by a highly experienced leadership team with significant experience across the heat network, energy and infrastructure sectors.

About the Role

The organisation is restructuring to accelerate delivery of its heat network portfolio, with multiple projects progressing through different stages from pre-financial close through to construction.

The Head of Programme Management will become the central point of control across the portfolio, creating a single source of truth on programme status, resourcing, risk and commercial progress.

You will work closely with Development Managers and functional leads while partnering directly with the Chief Development Officer and senior leadership team.

The role offers significant autonomy and the opportunity to shape the PMO function as the organisation continues to scale.

Portfolio Programme Management

• Own and maintain the integrated master programme across all projects.
• Track technical, commercial, financial and legal workstreams to provide clear visibility of interdependencies, critical path and portfolio-level sequencing.
• Work directly with Development Managers to ensure project-level programmes are accurate, current and meaningfully integrated into the wider portfolio view.

Resource Planning

• Maintain a live view of resource demand across all active projects and development stages.
• Identify resource gaps, conflicts and emerging constraints.
• Work with functional leads to resolve issues and escalate to the Chief Development Officer where decisions around prioritisation, external resource or programme adjustments are required.

Stage Gate, Approvals & Funding Sequencing

• Own the stage-gate process from feasibility through to financial close.
• Lead the preparation, sequencing and submission of funding approvals and investment papers.
• Manage the interaction between commercial development requirements and public-sector funding timelines.
• Identify potential funding or programme conflicts early and develop practical sequencing solutions.

Commercial Awareness

• Understand the commercial logic of individual projects and the wider portfolio.
• Sense-check plans, challenge assumptions and provide informed input into sequencing decisions.
• Consider working capital implications, milestone-linked funding requirements and prioritisation trade-offs across the portfolio.

Risk & Reporting

• Maintain the portfolio risk register and ensure risks, mitigations and escalations remain current.
• Produce concise programme reporting for the Chief Development Officer and Senior Leadership Team.
• Focus reporting on what requires a decision, where the risks sit and what needs to happen next, rather than simply providing status updates.

Governance & Standards

• Establish and maintain consistent project management standards, templates and tools across the Development team.
• Ensure processes remain fit for purpose as the portfolio scales.
• Continuously improve programme governance and reporting where required.

What You'll Need

• Proven programme management experience across complex, multi-workstream infrastructure or energy projects, ideally from feasibility through to financial close.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to understand project financials, funding structures and business cases.
• Experience owning stage-gate or investment approval processes within a developer, infrastructure or energy business.
• Strong integrated programme planning experience, using Microsoft Project or an equivalent platform.
• Experience building and maintaining cross-project master programmes rather than managing individual project schedules alone.
• Ability to balance commercial development requirements with external compliance, funding or regulatory timelines.
• Strong communication skills, with the confidence to present programme status, risks and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical ability and sound judgement, with the confidence to challenge optimistic reporting and identify when a programme is genuinely at risk.
• A proactive, self-directed approach and the ability to build and shape a function rather than simply operate within an established framework.

Desirable

• Formal project/programme management qualification such as PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent.
• Experience within district heating, heat networks, utilities or low-carbon infrastructure development.
• Familiarity with public-sector grant funding mechanisms and associated spend conditions, reporting obligations and compliance requirements.
• Experience working within a rapidly scaling developer or infrastructure business.

Additional Information

The organisation operates with a combination of head-office, remote and site-based roles, with employees located across the UK.

For this position, occasional travel will be required to meet with customers, stakeholders and colleagues.

All applicants must be eligible to legally work in the UK.

How to Apply

If you are an experienced programme leader looking for the opportunity to own a portfolio-level function, influence senior decision-making and play a key role in delivering the UK's transition to low-carbon heat, I would be very interested in speaking with you.

For a confidential discussion about the opportunity, please contact Neeraj at Climate17:

Neeraj: neeraj@climate17.com

Climate17 is committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences and are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible and fair to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments or additional support during the recruitment process, please let us know.