Senior Principal - Utilities - UK

At Q5, we partner with several of the world’s leading energy and utilities organisations to solve complex challenges – whether it's navigating transformation, unlocking growth, or optimising performance. Our Energy, Utilities and Natural Resources practice works with C-suite clients across a broad range of businesses, from Global Supermajors, national scale utilities, small independents and high-growth PE backed businesses

We’re looking for a Senior Principal (Engagement Manager) with experience across the Utilities sector, who brings intellectual curiosity, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire and lead teams. If you thrive in ambiguity, enjoy tackling complex problems, and are eager to make a real impact on the industry, we’d love to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

1. Consulting & Delivery

You’ll lead teams and client engagements that drive outstanding results for our clients.

• Own the end-to-end delivery of multiple engagements, from scoping and mobilisation to execution and wrap-up.
• Lead project teams, ensuring clarity of roles, effective collaboration, and structured problem-solving.
• Build strong client relationships, acting as the go-to advisor for senior stakeholders and influencing key decisions – operating confidently and comfortably at senior levels.
• Manage project scope, risks, and commercials, keeping delivery on track while maintaining high standards.
• Drive structured problem-solving, leveraging frameworks, data insights, and industry knowledge to address client challenges.
• Deliver compelling presentations and facilitate high-impact workshops, shaping decision-making at the highest level.
• Adapt consulting methodologies to suit each client’s context – balancing best practice with pragmatic solutions.
• Navigate complex stakeholder environments, managing competing priorities, internal client politics and organisational dynamics with finesse.
• Coach and develop team members, ensuring both individual growth and collective team performance.

2. Business Development & Thought Leadership

You’ll shape the future of our Utilities, Natural Resources and energy practice, with a specific focus on the Utilities industry.

• Expand your professional network and help establish Q5 as a trusted advisor in the Energy & Utilities industry, securing and expanding key client relationships.
• Proactively seek out and develop opportunities through both your personal network and leveraging Q5’s extended network.
• Lead and contribute to proposals, shaping compelling narratives that win work.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, translating emerging challenges into solutions for our clients.

3. People & Practice Leadership

You’ll mentor, develop, and inspire the next generation of consultants.

• Adopt responsibility for developing and mentoring junior consultants, actively supporting the growth and development of their careers.
• Drive thought leadership within the practice, developing new methodologies and insights.
• Shape Q5’s approach to Energy and Utilities consulting, ensuring we stay ahead of the curve.
• Contribute to our internal ecosystem—whether it’s leading training, developing intellectual property, or enhancing our ways of working.

·       You will use your deep understanding of the Utilities industry to help shape and support the strategy for the Energy, Utilities and Natural Resources practice, identifying areas of opportunity for growth.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in management consulting with a particular focus in the Utilities industry
• A track record of leading projects and teams within a consulting environment.

·       Demonstrable experience in Organisation Design, Organisational Strategy, Organisational Performance, Transformation, and/or People-related Change.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills—comfortable engaging with senior executives, “leading the room” and challenging thinking when needed.
• Exceptional presentation creation and delivery ability – able to structure and deliver engaging workshops with senior leaders.
• Detailed understanding of industry practices, dynamics, and operating environments.
• Analytical problem-solving skills – able to cut through complexity, connect dots, and translate data into actionable insights.
• Intellectual curiosity, be able to learn as you go, and problem solve challenges you come across.
• The ability to navigate ambiguity and think on your feet.
• A consultative mindset – knowing when to follow structured methodologies and when to tailor approaches.
• A collaborative, low-ego style – you thrive in teams and enjoy mentoring others.

Use of AI

We recognise that AI can be a useful tool when preparing your application, and you're welcome to use it appropriately. However, anything you submit should genuinely reflect your own experience, thinking and capabilities.

For some assessments, we may ask you not to use AI where we want to understand your individual thinking, judgement or communication. If this applies, we'll always make this clear in advance.

Our aim is to create a fair and transparent recruitment process that allows us to get to know the real you.

You can find out more about our approach to AI and recruitment on our Careers page.

Benefits

Finance

• Performance Related Bonus
• Contributory Pension Plan
• Life Assurance and Income Protection
• New Starter Loan

Health & Wellbeing

• Private Medical Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to Digital GP and Wellbeing Apps
• Internal Wellbeing Programme

Family & Lifestyle

• Electric Car and Cycle to Work Schemes
• Enhanced Parental Leave
• Subsidised eye tests and support with the cost prescribed glasses for DSE use