Director, Power Development & Utility Interconnection

AI Infrastructure / Data Centers

United States | Multiple Markets | Travel Required

Grid Tal Confidential Talent Network

The Opportunity

Grid Tal is building a select network of senior power and energy leaders for current and upcoming opportunities across the rapidly growing AI infrastructure and data-center market.

We are specifically interested in professionals who understand one of the industry's most difficult challenges:

How to turn a proposed data-center site into hundreds of megawatts of reliable, deliverable power.

The people we work with sit at the intersection of utilities, transmission, generation, grid interconnection and large-scale data-center development.

Typical opportunities include Director and senior-level positions responsible for power development, utility development, grid interconnection, energy strategy and large-load infrastructure.

What You Would Own

Depending on the specific opportunity, responsibilities may include:

Lead utility and power-development strategy for hyperscale, AI/HPC and large-load infrastructure projects ranging from approximately 50 MW to multi-gigawatt campuses.

Build and manage relationships with investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, municipal utilities, transmission owners, ISO/RTO organizations, regulators, IPPs and engineering partners.

Evaluate utility service territories, available transmission capacity, interconnection feasibility, energization timelines and power-delivery alternatives during site selection and project development.

Lead large-load interconnection processes from initial application through feasibility, system impact and facilities studies, commercial agreements, construction and energization.

Navigate markets including ERCOT, PJM, MISO, SPP, CAISO and other utility or regional transmission territories.

Lead or support negotiation of electric service agreements, interconnection agreements, transmission agreements, construction agreements, CIAC arrangements, tariffs and other power-related commercial agreements.

Coordinate transmission lines, substations and high-voltage infrastructure from approximately 69kV through 500kV.

Identify schedule, cost, regulatory and technical risks that could delay power delivery and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Evaluate traditional grid supply alongside behind-the-meter and onsite power alternatives including natural gas generation, combined-cycle generation, BESS, renewables, microgrids and other emerging generation technologies.

Partner with development, site selection, engineering, construction, finance, legal, procurement and operations teams to align power strategy with overall project schedules and investment decisions.

Manage external consultants, owner's engineers, utilities and technical advisors.

Translate complex power-system, interconnection and utility issues into clear recommendations for executive leadership and investment teams.

Support power-related due diligence for new sites, acquisitions and infrastructure investment decisions.

Help develop repeatable processes, market intelligence and path-to-power strategies as portfolios scale.

The Background We Want to Meet

Strong candidates will typically bring approximately 7 to 15+ years of experience in one or more of the following environments:

Utilities, ISO/RTOs, transmission planning, power-system consulting, IPPs, power development, energy infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, powered-land development or other large-load infrastructure.

Experience directly inside the data-center industry is valuable, but not required.

We are particularly interested in people who have built deep utility, transmission or interconnection expertise and want to apply it to AI and digital infrastructure.

Relevant experience may include:

Large-load interconnection

Utility development

Transmission planning

Power development

Energy origination

Power procurement

Utility negotiations

Large-load tariffs

Substation development

High-voltage infrastructure

Onsite or behind-the-meter generation

Natural gas power generation

BESS and hybrid energy systems

Grid integration

Site-selection power diligence

Energy infrastructure development

Regulatory and utility strategy

Experience delivering power for projects greater than 50 MW is particularly relevant. Experience with projects exceeding 100 MW, hyperscale campuses or multi-gigawatt development programs is highly desirable.

Technical Experience

Depending on the role, particularly technical candidates may have experience with:

PSS/E, PSLF, Power World, PSCAD,…