Control Room Manager O&M

Job Description

Is this your chance to join the team operating one of Scotland's largest offshore wind farms?

Inch Cape is a 1080MW offshore wind farm situated 15km from the Angus coast in the North Sea. The power it generates will be transmitted 85 kilometres to a new substation at Cockenzie, in East Lothian from where it will enter the national transmission system. Inch Cape is a more than £3 billion infrastructure project that will make a significant contribution to the UK's carbon emissions reduction targets. Once complete its 72 turbines will generate enough electricity to power almost half the homes in Scotland.

The O&M Control Room Manager is responsible for the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the 12/7 Offshore Windfarm Control Room, providing leadership to a team of Control Room Operators responsible for the Marine Coordination, Operational Control, and High Voltage (HV) network control.

The role ensures the safe coordination of offshore personnel, vessels, aviation movements and maintenance activities while maintaining operational control of the windfarm electrical network, ensuring compliance with the Electrical Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations (ESQCR), Distribution & Transmission Code requirements, Grid Code obligations, Safety Rules and company operating procedures.

The Control Room Manager is accountable for delivering a world-class operational control function that maximises generation availability while maintaining the highest standard of safety, operational discipline and regulatory compliance.

Location: Montrose, (5 days a week)

Responsibilities

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, develop and manage a 12/7 Control Room team operating on a shift rota.
• Foster a proactive safety culture built on operational discipline and continuous improvement.
• Manage recruitment, training, competency assessments and succession planning.
• Conduct performance reviews, coaching and professional development.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels to maintain continuous operational cover.
• Promote effective communication and collaboration across, Operations, Engineering and Marine Coordination teams.

Operational Control

Provide overall operational control of the offshore windfarm, including:

• Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs)
• Offshore Substation
• Export Cable System
• Inter-Array Network
• Onshore Substation interfaces
• SCADA systems
• Operational alarms and event management
• Plant switching schedules
• System restoration following faults
• Network contingency management
• Operational logging and reporting

Maintain real-time situational awareness to ensure safe and efficient operation of generating assets

High Voltage Network Control

Responsible for the operational control of the High Voltage electrical network, including:

• HV switching programmes
• Switching authorisations
• Isolation planning
• Earthing procedures
• Sanction-for-test and Permit-to-work processes
• Operational Safety Rules compliance
• Electrical Safety documentation
• Grid Operator communications
• Network restoration following outages
• Emergency switching operations

Ensure all switching activities comply with company Safety Rules and statutory legislation.

Marine Coordination

Provide management oversight of all marine coordination activities, including:

• Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) operations
• Service Operation Vessel (SOV) coordination (not currently in strategy)
• Jack-up vessel campaigns
• Heavy lift operations
• Helicopter coordination (not currently in strategy)
• Weather monitoring and forecasting
• Personnel tracking
• Safe transfer planning
• Emergency response coordination
• Port liaison

Ensure offshore logistics are planned and executed safely and efficiently.

Control Room Operations

Ensure the Control Room delivers:

• Continuous 12/7 operational coverage
• Effective alarm monitoring and response.
• Incident Escalation
• Operational communications
• Operational reporting
• Shift handovers
• Control Room housekeeping.
• Control of operational documentation
• Accurate operational logs.

Maintain high standards of operational discipline and compliance.

Emergency Response

Lead the Control Room response to operational emergencies including:

• Search and Rescue coordination
• Medical emergencies
• Marine incidents
• Electrical faults
• Fire incidents
• Severe weather events
• Major plant failures
• Grid disturbances
• Environmental incidents.

Act as Incident Coordinator until relieved in accordance with Emergency Response Procedures (ERP)

Health, Safety & Compliance

Ensure compliance with:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• Electricity, Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations (ESQCR)
• Offshore Installations and Works Regulations (where applicable)
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
• LOLER
• PUWER
• Working at Height Regulations
• Company Operational Safety Rules
• Grid Code requirements
• Renewable UK guidance
• MCA regulations relating to marine coordination
• Environmental legislation

Promote a strong reporting culture and ensure lessons learned are embedded into operational practices.

Incident & Performance Management

• Investigate operational incidents and near misses
• Lead operational Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Develop corrective and preventative actions
• Monitor Control Room performance
• Produce operational reports and KPIs
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives
• Participate in internal and external audits.

Stakeholder Management

Develop effective working relationships with:

• O&M Manager
• Engineering Manager
• Marine Coordination & Operational Control Team (MC & OC)
• HSE Manager
• Asset Manager
• National Grid ESO
• Distribution Network Operator (DNO)
• OEM representatives
• Vessel operators
• Emergency Services
• Coastguard
• Port Authorities
• Contractors and Service providers.

Skills

Leadership

• Team leadership
• Coaching and mentoring
• Performance management
• Decision-making under pressure

Operational Excellence

• Operational control
• Marine coordination
• Electrical network control
• SCADA operation
• Asset availability optimisation

Safety

• Safety leadership
• Risk management
• Incident command
• Emergency response
• Regulatory compliance

Technical

• High voltage operations
• Power systems control
• Marine logistics
• Switching operations
• Operational planning

Business

• Commercial awareness
• Stakeholder management
• Contractor management
• Continuous improvement
• Resource planning.

Knowledge

• Significant experience within offshore wind operations, electrical power systems or marine operations.
• Previous experience managing a 12/7 operational control room.
• Experience leading a shift-based operational team.
• Strong understanding of HV operational control and electrical safety rules.
• Experience managing marine coordination activities.
• Experience using SCADA and plant monitoring systems.
• Excellent incident management and decision-making skills.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities.

Qualifications

• Degree, HNC/HND, or equivalent higher qualification in Electrical Engineering, Marine Operations, Renewable Energy, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrable experience in offshore wind, utilities, conventional generation, marine energy, or comparable HV operating environments.
• Full UK Driving Licence

If you wish to make a big impact in renewables and being involved in this innovative project do not hesitate to apply.

More roles will be advertised soon, so feel free to reach out and share!