Replacing a Senior EC&I Engineer to protect Knowledge, Strengthen Succession Planning, and Support Net Zero Goals in Power Generation
⚡ The Challenge
Our client, a major operator within the flexible power generation sector, faced a significant risk to their operations with the retirement of a highly experienced Senior Engineer.
This departure created:
- A critical knowledge gap in managing complex power generation assets across gas peaking plants and landfill gas-to-energy sites.
- Loss of expertise in maintaining Caterpillar, Perkins, and Jenbacher engines, as well as managing intricate control and instrumentation systems.
- Heightened risk to uptime, asset performance, and compliance at a time when delivering reliable, low-carbon power was essential.
Replacing this level of technical oversight was vital—not only to protect day-to-day operations but also to ensure the continuity of knowledge, mentorship of junior engineers, and ongoing support of the business’s net-zero ambitions.
🛠️ Our Solution
Partnering through a retained search, we executed a targeted talent acquisition strategy, including:
- Mapping 221 potential candidates across the UK with specific expertise in reciprocating engines and advanced control systems.
- Conducting 6 structured interviews, ensuring each candidate could not only execute the technical brief but also offer leadership in knowledge transfer.
- Attracting talent by showcasing the business’s role in the UK’s energy transition, making this more than just a job—it was a chance to play a vital role in decarbonisation.
🎯 The Outcome
We successfully placed a Senior EC&I Engineer who:
- Brings over 30 years of hands-on electrical and controls experience, with deep expertise across multi-voltage AC/DC systems, Deep Sea, ComAp, and synchronisation controls.
- Has a proven track record in diagnosing complex faults, rewiring engines, and leading critical control panel upgrades.
- Works independently on high-stakes projects while supporting less-experienced engineers with technical training and guidance.
- Demonstrates adaptability, covering nationwide service regions and thriving in a dynamic field-based environment.
This strategic hire didn’t just fill a vacancy—it future-proofed the client’s operations, ensuring:
- Continued operational excellence.
- Protection of essential knowledge.
- A stable and highly skilled team ready to support growth.
🌍 Supporting the Client’s Sustainability Goals
In flexible power generation, sustainability is driven as much by operational excellence as it is by technology. By securing a hire of this calibre, the client reinforced its sustainability strategy through:
✅ Maximising Asset Efficiency
- Expert maintenance and optimisation of gas-powered engines ensures reduced emissions, lower fuel consumption, and extended asset life.
- A proactive approach to identifying system improvements directly supports carbon reduction.
✅ Preserving Critical Knowledge
- By replacing a retiring senior figure with an experienced professional, the client avoided operational downtime on low-carbon, flexible generation assets, which are essential in balancing renewables on the grid.
✅ Promoting Knowledge Transfer
- With the new hire’s mentoring skills, sustainable operational practices—such as predictive maintenance and minimising environmental impact—are passed on to the wider engineering team.
✅ Ensuring Grid Stability
- Through high-reliability support of flexible generation assets, the business maintains its crucial role in enabling more renewable energy on the grid—directly contributing to national net-zero targets.
🚀 How We Can Help You
If you’re navigating succession planning, facing the loss of key technical knowledge, or looking to strengthen your team in alignment with sustainability goals, we provide specialist solutions across CHP, BESS, peaking plants, and renewable energy sectors.
Book a call with Harriet:
https://calendly.com/renewconsultancy/free-30-minute-discovery-call-phone_call
