Join MCS as an Independent Director to help shape the growth of the organisation dedicated to creating a more sustainable future.
MCS is the UK’s quality mark and consumer protection organisation for small-scale renewable energy technologies, including solar, battery storage and heat pumps. A purpose-led company, MCS sets and maintains standards, certifies installers and products, and provides consumer protection across the sector.
MCS is now seeking an Independent Director (NED) to join its Board at an important stage of growth and change. With the organisation’s role continuing to evolve across quality assurance, consumer protection, government relationships and the wider renewable energy market, this is an opportunity to help shape its next phase.
We are looking for an experienced leader, executive or NED who brings strategic judgement, curiosity and constructive challenge. Direct renewable energy experience would be valuable, but transferable expertise from regulated, commercial, consumer-facing or technology-led environments will also be considered.
Who we are
MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is the UK’s quality mark and consumer protection organisation for small-scale renewable energy technologies, including solar panels, battery storage and heat pumps. Founded in 2008, MCS sets and maintains standards, certifies installers, products and installations, and helps protect consumers throughout their renewable energy journey.
MCS is a profit-for-purpose organisation, with surplus reinvested into the sector to support its growth and improvement. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the MCS Charitable Foundation, which receives a proportion of annual profits to support its charitable objectives. Together, the organisations play an important role in building confidence in low-carbon energy and supporting the transition to a more sustainable future.
About the role
MCS is seeking an Independent Director to join its Board at an important stage in the company’s development. The successful candidate will bring independent judgement, strategic insight and constructive challenge, helping MCS navigate growth, innovation and significant change while maintaining its focus on quality and consumer protection.
Working alongside fellow Directors and the executive team, the role will involve:
- Providing strategic oversight and challenge on MCS’s future direction, growth and organisational development.
- Bringing relevant external insight across areas such as renewable energy, regulation, consumer protection, technology or commercial growth.
- Supporting effective governance, risk management and decision-making.
- Building trusted relationships with key stakeholders, including government, industry and consumer organisations.
- Contributing sufficient time and energy to engage meaningfully with the organisation beyond formal Board meetings.
This is an opportunity to help shape MCS’s next phase while contributing to confidence in the UK’s transition to low-carbon energy.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for an accomplished individual who will bring a thoughtful, independent and collaborative approach to the MCS Board. You will be comfortable operating in a changing environment, able to absorb complex information and bring an informed perspective without needing to have all the answers. Importantly, you will have the confidence to ask the right questions, challenge established thinking and engage constructively with different viewpoints.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Previous experience serving on a Board or senior committee within a commercial organisation.
- Significant experience of growing a brand that has cross-sector impact across public, charity and commercial.
- Someone who can bridge immediate priorities with long-term opportunities, and capable of strengthening MCS’s role as both a commercially successful certification body and a champion of consumer protection and public benefit.
- Strong strategic judgement and the ability to see both the bigger picture and the detail.
- A collaborative leadership style, with the credibility to build trusted relationships and challenge without creating unnecessary friction.
- Experience of working through organisational change, growth or uncertainty.
- An understanding of, or genuine interest in, the renewable energy sector and MCS’s role within it.
- A commitment to acting independently, with sound judgement and in the best interests of the company.
MCS is open to candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and particularly welcomes transferable experience from regulated, commercial or consumer-focused environments.
Time commitment
The anticipated time commitment is approximately six days per quarter on average, with the successful candidate expected to be willing and able to provide additional time as required.
The term is three years with the potential to be appointed for a second term.
This may include:
- Formal Board meetings and preparation.
- Calls and informal discussions with the executive team.
- Strategy sessions and away days.
- Specific areas of work or Board-led projects.
- External events and stakeholder engagement.
- Additional meetings where the Director’s specialist expertise is particularly relevant.
The successful candidate will be expected to engage sufficiently with MCS to make a meaningful contribution and to provide additional time where required by the needs of the organisation.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Anish Patel | anish@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07932 557505
Marie McQuade | marie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07903 442646
The MCS Charitable Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1165752) and in Scotland (No. SC054191).
About us
MCS is entering an important new chapter. Since becoming independent of Government in 2018, the organisation has grown significantly, tripling the number of certified businesses and increasing annual installations by more than 500%. There have now been more than 2.6 million MCS-certified installations across UK homes and small businesses, with 2026 expected to be the sixth consecutive record-breaking year for certified installations.
Alongside this growth, MCS’s role has continued to evolve. The organisation is increasingly recognised not only for setting and maintaining standards, but also for its role in consumer protection, quality assurance and building confidence in low-carbon energy. Its work spans certification, contractors, technology, government relationships and the wider renewable energy market.
MCS is now looking ahead to its next phase of development. The organisation needs to remain commercially viable and continue to grow, while maintaining its focus on standards, consumer protection and public benefit. This comes at a time of significant change, including the planned transition from its current CEO, evolving markets and changes in government policy.
The Board is focused on how MCS can continue to develop its proposition, strengthen its relationships with consumers, government and industry, and make the most of opportunities emerging from the transition to low-carbon energy.
The appointment of an Independent Director comes at a particularly important point in this journey. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute an external perspective, strengthen the Board’s collective expertise and help MCS navigate its next stage of growth and change.
MCS is committed to evolving and improving while retaining the positive culture it has established. It is seeking a Director who can help the organisation move forward with confidence: someone able to both challenge and champion MCS, providing independent scrutiny while acting as a trusted and constructive partner to the executive team.
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Declaration of Interest Form and the Role Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit the completed Declaration of Interest Form and a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position. Please indicate any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest that may be relevant to your appointment as an Independent Director of MCS Company.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: The MCS Service Company — Independent Director” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Anish Patel | anish@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07932 557505
Marie McQuade | marie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07903 442646
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Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 12th October 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: By 5 p.m. Tuesday 13th October 2026
Interviews: Tuesday 20th October 2026 (TBC)
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