United Kingdom · Operations · Lead (8-12 years)

Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

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One email: what AI is changing in this job, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

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  • Experience bandLead (8-12 years)
  • Direct reports3-8 reports
  • Reports toEnergy & Sustainability Manager
  • UK framework levelUsually a manager, or the deepest specialist in a team

Also advertised as Energy Optimisation Lead · Senior M&V Specialist · Operations Energy Architect · Principal Energy Analyst

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

IWFM Level 5 Certificate in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 5 Diploma in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 5 Award in Facilities Management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
ProQual Level 3 Award in Energy Management: An Introduction ProQual Awarding Body · Level 3 · covers 2 of 10 standards
IWFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management Practice Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · Level 4 · covers 2 of 10 standards
iCQ Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management iCan Qualifications Limited · Level 4 · covers 2 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Energy and utilities management and the impact on facilities management IWFM Level 5 Certificate in Facilities Management
Energy Management: An Introduction ProQual Level 3 Award in Energy Management: An Introduction
Carry out energy management of facilities IWFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management Practice
Energy and utilities management iCQ Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Energy and utilities management and the impact on facilities management Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Energy Management: An Introduction ProQual Awarding Body · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 3
  3. Carry out energy management of facilities Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 4
  4. Energy and utilities management iCan Qualifications Limited · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 4
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Advanced Predictive Energy Modelling with AI
  • Carbon Accounting & Decarbonisation Pathways
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

3What this role really is

This role leads energy strategy across operations, solving efficiency problems and cutting waste at every site.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Building Management Systems (BMS/BAS) - e.g., Siemens Desigo, Johnson Controls Metasys, Schneider EcoStruxure, Tridium Niagara Framework Expert

Configuring complex control sequences, optimising setpoints, troubleshooting system behaviour, and leading integration projects between different BMS platforms and enterprise systems.

Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS) - e.g., eSight Energy, EnergyCAP, Accruent vxObserve, C3.ai, Verdigris Expert

Architecting the enterprise EMIS strategy, evaluating and selecting new platforms, building advanced custom dashboards, and performing deep regression analysis to identify savings opportunities across the portfolio.

Data Analysis & Visualization - e.g., Excel (Power Query, VBA), Power BI, Tableau, Python (pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib) Expert

Driving data governance for all energy-related data, integrating energy data into financial planning tools like Anaplan, and building sophisticated, interactive dashboards for executive reporting and operational insights.

Utility Bill Management Platforms - e.g., UtilityModule Advanced

Auditing historical billing data for errors and recovery opportunities, managing automated data feeds, and negotiating contracts with utility management vendors to ensure optimal service and cost.

ERP / CMMS - e.g., SAP PM, Oracle eAM, SAP S/4HANA Advanced

Integrating energy project ROI tracking into the corporate ERP for executive visibility, extracting detailed asset data for energy project business cases, and creating work orders based on advanced energy analysis.

Project & Collaboration Tools - e.g., MS Project, Asana, Jira, MS Teams, Confluence Advanced

Managing a portfolio of energy projects using enterprise PM tools, leading project review meetings, presenting updates to senior leadership in platforms like Confluence, and coordinating complex tasks across multiple teams.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Project Methodology & Technical Approach Follows established procedures; escalates deviations to supervisor. Selects appropriate standard methodology for routine projects; consults manager on complex variations. Designs and adapts methodologies for complex projects; consults Director on novel approaches.
Budget Allocation (Project Specific) No authority; requests funds through supervisor. Recommends expenditure up to £5K for project materials/services; requires manager approval. Approves expenditure up to £25K for project components; recommends larger amounts to Director.
Team Hiring & Performance No involvement. Provides informal feedback to new joiners. Mentors 0-2 junior team members; provides input on their performance reviews.
Stakeholder Communication & Conflict Resolution Communicates project status to immediate team; escalates conflicts to supervisor. Communicates directly with cross-functional peers on project updates; seeks manager guidance on conflicts. Leads communication with project stakeholders; independently resolves most technical conflicts; consults Director on inter-departmental disputes.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Project Realisation Rate
The percentage of projected energy savings actually achieved and verified for all projects you manage.
Target · ≥90% of projected savings

If a project was forecast to save £100,000 annually, you'd be aiming for at least £90,000 in actual, measured savings after a year.

Portfolio Average Payback Period
The average time it takes for the capital investment in your managed energy projects to be recouped through energy savings.
Target · Under 3 years (portfolio average)

You'd manage a portfolio of projects where, on average, the initial investment for upgrades like LED lighting or BMS optimisation pays for itself in less than three years.

Energy Use Intensity (EUI) Reduction
The year-over-year percentage reduction in energy consumption per unit of operational output (e.g., kWh/m², kWh/product produced) for your assigned sites or portfolio.
Target · 3-5% year-over-year reduction

If a factory uses 100 kWh per widget produced this year, you'd aim for 95-97 kWh per widget next year, even with increased production.

Team Development & Mentorship
The progress and growth of your direct reports, measured by their ability to take on more complex tasks and formal progression.
Target · At least one mentored analyst promoted or taking on lead responsibilities within 18 months.

You'd help an Energy Management Specialist develop their skills to the point where they're ready to lead their own smaller projects or take on a Senior Specialist role.

Budget Adherence for Projects
Keeping your energy projects within their allocated capital and operational budgets.
Target · Within ±5% of approved budget

If a project has an approved budget of £150,000, you'd ensure it's completed for no more than £157,500 and no less than £142,500, showing good planning and execution.

Strategic Influence & Collaboration
Your ability to influence key stakeholders, get buy-in for your initiatives, and work effectively across different departments to achieve energy goals.
  • You're regularly invited to strategic planning meetings for Operations or Facilities. Other department heads proactively seek your input on projects with energy implications. You successfully navigate political landscapes to get critical projects approved and implemented. Feedback from peer leads consistently highlights your collaborative approach.
Technical Expertise & Problem Solving
Your reputation as the go-to expert for complex energy problems, and your ability to diagnose and solve issues that others can't.
  • You're the person everyone calls when a site has a persistent, unexplained energy spike. You consistently identify root causes for energy waste that were previously overlooked. You're able to articulate complex technical concepts in a way that non-technical audiences understand and act upon. You successfully implement novel solutions to long-standing problems.
Documentation & Knowledge Sharing
The quality and accessibility of the technical documentation you create and your contribution to building the team's collective knowledge.
  • Your project documentation is clear, comprehensive, and easy for others to follow. You regularly contribute to our internal knowledge base with best practices, lessons learned, and technical guides. Junior team members consistently refer to your documentation for guidance. You lead training sessions for the team on new methodologies or technologies.
Proactive Risk Management
Your ability to anticipate potential energy-related risks (e.g., regulatory changes, equipment failure, utility price volatility) and put plans in place to mitigate them.
  • You present well-researched options for hedging against rising energy costs. You identify potential compliance gaps before they become issues. You develop contingency plans for critical energy infrastructure. Your proposals often include a clear risk assessment and mitigation strategy.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Solving Complex Puzzles

You'll spend your days dissecting intricate energy data, identifying obscure correlations, and designing elegant solutions to problems that have stumped others for years. It's about the thrill of cracking a tough nut.

Unravelling why a particular site's baseload mysteriously spikes every Tuesday at 2 AM, eventually tracing it back to an unoptimised batch process.

Driving Tangible Impact

You'll see your work directly translate into significant cost savings, reduced carbon emissions, and more efficient operations. Your efforts aren't just theoretical; they have real-world consequences.

Successfully implementing a new controls strategy that cuts a factory's HVAC energy use by 15%, saving £150K annually.

Mentoring & Building Capability

You'll get a real kick out of guiding junior team members, helping them grow their technical skills and problem-solving abilities. You're building the next generation of energy experts.

Coaching a specialist through their first complex M&V report, ensuring they understand the nuances and can confidently present their findings.

What frustrates people
  • The IT Gatekeepers: Honestly, you'll spend more time filling out forms to get firewall exceptions for a new power meter than you do actually analysing its data. It's a bureaucratic maze sometimes.
  • The 'Comfort is King' Override: You'll see your carefully crafted HVAC schedules, designed to save £100K a year, get overridden by a facility manager because one person in accounting felt a draft. It's infuriating, but it happens.
  • Garbage In, Garbage Out: Receiving a utility bill data dump in a PDF format that's riddled with errors, forcing you to spend 40% of your time cleaning data instead of finding savings. It's tedious, but essential.
  • The Budget Black Hole: Presenting a project with a guaranteed 18-month payback that gets rejected because 'it's not in this year's capital plan'. You'll need to learn to re-pitch, re-scope, or just move on.
  • The 'Energy Police' Stigma: Constantly fighting the perception that you're just there to tell people to turn off the lights, rather than being a strategic partner driving profitability. It's about changing mindsets.
  • The Split Incentive Dilemma: In leased properties, knowing exactly how to save thousands in energy, but being powerless because the landlord won't pay for upgrades and the tenant doesn't own the equipment. It's a common, frustrating hurdle.
What this role does not give you
  • A perfectly predictable day-to-day routine – expect curveballs, often.
  • Guaranteed implementation of every single one of your brilliant ideas.
  • A role where you only deal with technical problems; human and organisational challenges are just as big.
  • A quiet, isolated desk job; you'll be out on sites, talking to people, and getting your hands dirty.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts our operational expenditure, carbon reduction targets, and overall business resilience. You're shaping how we consume energy, which means you're influencing our profitability and our reputation as a responsible business. Your decisions will have a direct, measurable effect on our financial performance and our environmental footprint.

Inside the business
  • VP of Operations
  • Head of Facilities Management
  • Finance Leadership (CFO, Financial Controllers)
  • Procurement Team
  • IT Infrastructure Team
  • Health & Safety Department
Outside the business
  • Utility Providers
  • Energy Management System Vendors
  • External Energy Consultants
  • Regulatory Bodies (e.g., Ofgem, Environment Agency)
  • Equipment Suppliers (e.g., HVAC, BMS)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Demonstrable experience leading complex energy projects from conception to completion, with a track record of verified savings.
  • Deep expertise in at least two major Building Management Systems (BMS) platforms, including advanced programming and troubleshooting.
  • Proven ability to conduct Level 2 and Level 3 energy audits and develop detailed engineering recommendations.
  • Advanced proficiency in data analysis and visualisation tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Python) for energy data.
  • Strong understanding of financial modelling (NPV, IRR, payback) for energy projects and experience presenting business cases to senior management.
  • Experience mentoring and guiding junior technical staff, fostering their development.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

IoT Integration & Data Orchestration

Important within 12-18 months. As more devices become 'smart' – from individual sensors to entire pieces of equipment – the ability to seamlessly integrate these into our EMIS and data platforms will be crucial. It's about getting all our data talking to each other.

MQTT & REST APIs · Cloud Data Lakes & Warehouses · Data Governance for IoT · Edge Analytics

  • This quarter: Research common IoT platforms and data integration strategies relevant to industrial and building environments.
  • Next quarter: Work with our IT team to understand our current IoT infrastructure and data ingestion pipelines.
  • Month 6-9: Pilot a small IoT project to integrate new sensor data into our EMIS or a data analysis platform.
  • Month 9-12: Develop a strategy for scaling IoT data integration across a larger portion of our portfolio.

Quick win: Identify one manual data collection point in our operations that could be automated with a simple, off-the-shelf IoT sensor. Start there.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend industry conferences (e.g., Energy Live Expo, EMEX) to stay abreast of new technologies and best practices.
  • Participate in professional organisations like the Energy Institute or the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).
  • Contribute to industry forums or publications, sharing your expertise and insights.
  • Undertake continuous learning through online courses or workshops on advanced topics like AI in energy, decarbonisation strategies, or specific BMS programming languages.
  • Actively mentor junior professionals, as teaching is often the best way to solidify your own understanding.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Advanced Predictive Energy Modelling with AI

Critical within 12 months. We're moving beyond reactive analysis to proactive optimisation. The grid is becoming more dynamic, and our operations need to respond in real-time. AI-driven models can predict consumption, identify optimal operating points, and even forecast equipment failures before they happen.

  • Machine Learning for Time Series Data
  • Digital Twins for Facilities
  • Reinforcement Learning for Controls
  • Edge Computing for Real-time Analytics

Carbon Accounting & Decarbonisation Pathways

Critical within 12-18 months. Our organisation, like many others, is facing increasing pressure to not just reduce energy, but to decarbonise. This means understanding Scope 1, 2, and increasingly Scope 3 emissions, and developing clear, actionable roadmaps to net-zero. It's no longer just about kWh; it's about tonnes of CO2e.

  • GHG Protocol (Scope 1, 2, 3)
  • Science-Based Targets (SBTi)
  • Renewable Energy Procurement Strategies
  • Embodied Carbon in Building Materials

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Measurement & Verification (M&V) - IPMVP
  • Energy Auditing (ASHRAE Standards)
  • Utility Rate Structure Analysis
  • ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems
  • Building Commissioning (Cx & RCx)
  • Demand Side Management (DSM)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Senior Energy Management Specialist (Internal Promotion)

    3-5 years as a Senior Specialist

    Skills to master

    • Leading end-to-end projects, mentoring junior colleagues, making technical recommendations, and presenting to mid-level management. You'll need to show you can handle complexity and influence others.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led 5+ medium-to-large energy projects with verified savings.
    • Consistently received positive feedback on mentorship and technical guidance of junior staff.
    • Proactively identified and proposed new energy-saving initiatives beyond assigned tasks.
    • Demonstrated strong communication skills with cross-functional leads and external vendors.
  2. 2

    Lead M&V Engineer / Controls Specialist (External Hire)

    8-12 years in a dedicated M&V or controls engineering role, often from a consultancy or large industrial firm.

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in M&V protocols (IPMVP), advanced BMS programming, and data analytics for energy systems. You'll need to show you can apply this at a strategic level.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed M&V for multi-million-pound energy performance contracts.
    • Designed and implemented complex control strategies for large-scale HVAC or industrial systems.
    • Expert proficiency in at least two major BMS platforms.
    • Experience presenting technical findings and recommendations to clients or senior internal stakeholders.
  3. 3

    Energy Consultant (External Hire)

    8-12 years in an energy consultancy, advising diverse clients on energy strategy and project implementation.

    Skills to master

    • Broad exposure to various energy technologies and strategies, strong client management, and business case development skills. You'll need to adapt your external consulting mindset to our internal operational context.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Led multiple energy audits and developed comprehensive energy master plans for clients.
    • Successfully managed client relationships and delivered projects on time and budget.
    • Demonstrated ability to identify new business opportunities and build compelling proposals.
    • Strong understanding of diverse industry sectors and their unique energy challenges.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to director roles overseeing energy and operations, or chief engineer roles setting technical standards across an organisation.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Energy and utilities management and the impact on facilities management, worked against Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist.

Energy and utilities management and the impact on facilities management Level 5

Applied to your work in Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist

This unit aims to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of energy and utilities management principles, enabling them to develop and implement effective policies. Learners will be able to manage and measure energy and utilities efficiency within a facilities management context, contributing to organisational goals.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist
  • Measurement & Verification (M&V) - IPMVP
  • Energy Auditing (ASHRAE Standards)
  • Utility Rate Structure Analysis
  • ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems
  • Building Commissioning (Cx & RCx)
  • Demand Side Management (DSM)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. This is a step up into direct people management and broader strategic ownership. You'll move from leading programmes to directing the entire energy function.

    • Portfolio-wide Energy Strategy Development
    • Vendor Contract Negotiation (Strategic Level)
    • Sustainability Reporting & Governance
    • Risk Management (Enterprise Level)
  2. Principal Energy Architect (L5 - Individual Contributor Track)

    3-5 years in the Lead role

    This pathway deepens your technical expertise, making you the ultimate authority on complex energy systems and solutions, without the direct people management responsibilities.

    • Digital Twin & AI/ML for Energy Systems
    • Advanced Grid Integration & Microgrid Design
    • Deep Decarbonisation Pathway Modelling
    • Complex Data Science for Energy Analytics
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Imagine having more time for strategic thinking, complex problem-solving, and actually getting out to sites, instead of getting bogged down in repetitive tasks. That's exactly what AI can offer you in this role.

We're not just talking about buzzwords; we're talking about practical, real-world applications of AI that will genuinely supercharge your productivity. As a Lead Energy Engineer, you'll be at the forefront of using these tools to transform how we manage energy.

Automated Utility Bill Processing

Use AI-powered Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to automatically pull line-item details from thousands of PDF utility bills. This means spotting errors and populating our EMIS in minutes, not days. You'll spend less time on manual data entry and more on actual analysis.

AI-Powered Anomaly Detection

Deploy machine learning models on high-frequency meter and BMS data to proactively identify equipment performance drift and consumption patterns. These are things that are often invisible to the human eye, but AI can flag them instantly, shifting your focus from reactive 'find the problem' to proactive investigation.

Regulatory & Rebate Intelligence

Imagine an AI agent continuously scanning utility commission websites, government databases, and news feeds for new rebates, tariffs, or regulations that impact our facilities. This replaces hours of manual research with a daily 15-minute briefing, ensuring you never miss a critical incentive or regulatory change.

Accelerated Business Case Generation

Feed technical project data (like equipment cost, projected kWh savings, current tariff) into a Generative AI tool. It can instantly draft a persuasive business case narrative for a non-technical audience, cutting the time to create a finance-ready proposal from hours down to minutes. More time to refine the numbers, less time writing prose.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist?

Common routes in include Senior Energy Management Specialist (Internal Promotion) (3-5 years as a Senior Specialist), Lead M&V Engineer / Controls Specialist (External Hire) (8-12 years in a dedicated M&V or controls engineering role, often from a consultancy or large industrial firm.) and Energy Consultant (External Hire) (8-12 years in an energy consultancy, advising diverse clients on energy strategy and project implementation.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist progress to?

This role can lead on to Energy & Sustainability Manager (3-5 years in the Lead role) and Principal Energy Architect (3-5 years in the Lead role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Lead Energy Engineer / Principal Strategist?

Increasingly, Advanced Predictive Energy Modelling with AI and Carbon Accounting & Decarbonisation Pathways. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 5

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

More jobs in operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

The skills here transfer to energy consulting, utility companies, technology vendors working on energy solutions, and sustainability leadership roles in other large organisations. Expertise in operational efficiency and measurable impact carries across sectors.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.