Director of Modelling and Analysis

Job title: Director of Modelling and Analysis

Location: London,

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Salary Grade: Grade F (£92,500-£120,000)

About us

We are a climate analytics nonprofit established in 2021. We provide system modelling data, software and analysis to support energy transition planning and decision-making. We are funded by the Quadrature Climate Foundation, Google.org, Sequoia Climate Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and European Climate Foundation, among others. Our data, software and analysis is used by developers, financiers, planners and think tanks internationally.

At TransitionZero, we understand that diversity is an essential component of a successful team, whether that be diverse ways of thinking, personal or professional backgrounds and skills. We aim to be the most talented not-for-profit in our vertical, spearheading innovative data solutions through our culture of inclusivity and adaptability. Now we are looking for an experienced modeller and analyst to join our C-suite.

Our people are our greatest asset, and the diverse experience, skills and perspectives individuals bring to our organisation are the driving force of our success. We will consider all qualified applicants in the recruitment process as we welcome all the unique qualities and experiences that make you, you.

About the role

You will lead and own TransitionZero’s System Modelling and Market Analysis function as a key member of the C-suite. You will be responsible for the strategic direction, delivery, and evolution of our Capacity Expansion and Dispatch Modelling suite, which underpin our grants, bespoke projects, and analytical products.

Working across multidisciplinary teams, you will refine methodologies, improve assumptions, and integrate market dynamics to ensure modelling outputs align with company strategy and the product roadmap. You will drive impactful insights that inform both internal decision-making and external stakeholder engagement.

You will also be involved in business development efforts, securing grants and bespoke projects, and translating complex model outputs into clear, actionable insights for policymakers, investors, and strategic partners.

Responsibilities

Team development and management

• Lead and develop the modelling and analysis team responsible for delivering project-related and unrestricted grants.
• Refine, and ensure adherence to, our programmatic modelling workflow and modelling methodology standards, and associated processes.
• Foster a culture of ownership, excellence and innovation within the team, implementing systems to support upskilling and, where necessary, performance management.
• Automate repetitive tasks and enhance existing workflows to improve modelling accuracy and efficiency.

Modelling and analysis project director

• Develop unrestricted grants aligned with company goals, go-to-market strategies, and the product roadmap in collaboration with the C-suite.
• Oversee and manage modellers and analysts to ensure the delivery of restricted grants and bespoke projects on time and within scope in coordination with the COO.
• Collaborate with the CEO on business development to secure unrestricted grants and bespoke projects.
• Shape research questions and inputs by defining objectives, aligning deliverables, and creating rigorous models that yield actionable insights for decision-makers.
• Translate complex model outputs into actionable insights for decision-makers, including analysts in, or working with, government agencies, asset owners, operators & utilities, and banks & institutions.

Go-to-market and product strategy

• Develop, refine, and implement go-to-market strategies for analyst coverage countries, ensuring analysis products (explainers, insights and analysis) align with company goals and the product roadmap.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams, including data scientists, data engineers, software engineers, engineering modellers, system modellers and market analysts to align models with real-world conditions and objectives.
• In collaboration with the C-suite and product team, support the ongoing development and refinement of TransitionZero’s energy modelling software (Scenario Builder). Work alongside team members to enhance model accuracy, improve data assumptions and datasets, and integrate evolving market dynamics into scenarios and, eventually, simulations.

About you

You are a seasoned energy modelling and analysis expert — a known entity in the world of energy systems, with a proven track record of starting, growing, and leading system modelling and market analysis teams within a commercial setting. You are a highly resilient and resourceful self-starter who thrives in a start-up environment. As a culture carrier and role model, you are deeply committed to our mission of increasing the transparency and accessibility of energy system modelling and guided by our core values: ownership and diligence, collaboration and communication, resilience and adaptability, intelligence and humility, and ethics and loyalty. Your dedication to these principles drives our success and keeps us aligned with our mission. While we are a rapidly growing tech startup and a non-profit, a high level of adaptability and a willingness to approach challenges with creativity and curiosity are essential.

Skills and experience

Essential

• 15+ years of credible experience starting, growing and leading systems modelling and market analysis teams in energy trading, renewables development or energy industry forecasting/analytics/research.
• Expert in capacity expansion and production cost/unit dispatch modelling either commercial (e.g., PLEXOS, AURORA, Origin, SERVM, RESOLVE, GE MAPS, PROMOD, UPLAN, BID3, TIMES) or open source (e.g., PyPSA, OSeMOSYS, GenX).
• Excellent understanding of software best practices, such as Git, and familiarity with high-performance computing environments.
• Ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences, as well as manage deadlines, coordinate with teams, and handle multiple modeling and analysis tasks.
• An excellent communicator, capable of presenting compellingly to a room of senior external stakeholders.
• A highly resilient and resourceful self-starter who thrives in a start-up environment.

Beneficial

• Experience operating in Asian and, in particular, Southeast Asian markets, is desirable.
• STEM degree with preference given to degrees in energy systems and related fields.

Salary and benefits

• Enhanced pension scheme (5% employer contribution)
• 25 days annual leave (excluding UK public holidays) and an additional day off on your birthday
• 20 days annual allowance to work from anywhere in the world
• Hybrid working and core working hours model
• Allowance to set up your home office
• Annual budget and dedicated leave time for relevant training courses
• Enhanced gender-neutral parental leave (4 months full paid)
• Private healthcare following successful completion of the probation period
• Yearly team offsite

Studies have shown that some people from marginalised or underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet all of the hiring guidelines or qualifications. Whoever you are, even if you don't meet all of the criteria, if you can demonstrate a variety of skills and experience relevant to this role, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire! At TransitionZero, we're looking for people who are genuinely passionate about what they do, and we welcome all people, regardless of their background.

If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to the application or hiring process that may better facilitate your participation, please contact our People Team (hiring@transitionzero.org) for an informal chat. We will make every effort to respond to your request for assistance as soon as possible.

As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate based on any protected attribute. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness to everyone.