Energy Systems & Innovation Manager

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Organisation: Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO)

Working Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 23rd January 2026

Interview Date(s): 2nd February 2026

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference?

Do you want a job where no two days are the same?

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Energy team for the role of Systems and Innovation Manager.

The Systems and Innovation Manager leads ESPO’s bill validation service, so relevant experience in this area is essential. The successful applicant will also manage a team of Contract Support Officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the ESPO electricity and gas frameworks. Strong customer service skills are therefore important, along with the ability to build effective relationships with stakeholders, oversee the smooth delivery of services and drive continuous improvement.

To apply for this post, you must have:

• Experience of energy bill validation using the Optima software package
• Knowledge of the electricity and gas markets (particularly billing and supply point administration)
• Experience of managing a team

We’d also expect you to share our commitment to our values and will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the interview process.

This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent English is an essential requirement for this role.

• Flexible working opportunities and access to employee benefits portal with car lease scheme.
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing to 33 after 5 years’ service), and a scheme to buy additional leave.
• Local Government Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution.
• Great office location next to Fosse Park, with free on-site parking and easy access to M1 and M69.

We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual’s personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of ESPO. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below. This may include requests for term‑time working, part-time hours, compressed hours, flexible start and finish times, home/remote working, etc.

ESPO is an inclusive organisation which is on a journey to embed and celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion at every level. We warmly welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, as having a diverse workforce with different perspectives and ideas is fundamental to our values and enriches the services we offer our customers. We particularly welcome applicants from Ethnically Diverse and LGBTQ+ communities and people with disabilities to create a balanced workforce and one that reflects the customers we serve.

Applicants with a disability who meet the criteria listed in the “About You” section above will be offered an interview under the Disability Confident Employer Scheme.

To apply for this job, please click ‘Apply Now’. You will need to upload a supporting statement as part of your application which explains how you meet the criteria listed in the “About You” section above. For more information, see the

How to Apply

section on our career site.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post, please contact our Employee Service Centre:

By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.

About ESPO We’re a unique organisation, owned by the public sector and sharing their values and ethos, but operating with a commercial edge. As a specialist procurement body, we pride ourselves on establishing procurement solutions that save money for the public sector. View our prospectus to find out more.

We have modern, open-plan offices with excellent transport links and a friendly workplace environment. We offer flexible working, a generous holiday entitlement, a contributory pension scheme, training (including professional CIPS qualification) and opportunities to develop your career.

ESPO is supported by a wide range of roles across many different disciplines including sales, marketing, IT, procurement, finance, operations (warehouse management and transport planning) and customer services. So whether you are interested in a public-facing role or playing your part behind the scenes, ESPO could be the place for you.

To learn more about working for ESPO, please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..