European Datacenter Energy Strategy Director

Job Description

Develop and execute a multi-year European energy strategy aligned with datacenter expansion, sustainability commitments, and grid-interaction goals.

Responsibilities

• Anticipate energy market trends, grid constraints, and evolving regulatory frameworks to inform datacenter siting and capacity planning.
• Drive integrated strategies for energy resilience, thermal management optimization, and on-site flexibility technologies.
• Lead development of grid-interactive datacenter capabilities enabling participation in demand response programs, flexibility and balancing markets, frequency regulation, ancillary services, peak-shaving, and load-shifting initiatives.
• Work with engineering and operations teams to design and implement load-shedding, battery optimization, and flexible load management solutions.
• Evaluate feasibility and deployment pathways for on-site generation, long-duration storage, and emerging flexibility technologies.
• Serve as a key point of contact with European regulators, TSOs/DSOs, and permitting authorities; influence policy related to energy flexibility, datacenter grid integration, carbon accounting, and waste heat utilization.
• Manage grid interconnection strategy, capacity reservations, and compliance with EU and national regulations.
• Work closely with datacenter operations, construction, sustainability, finance, legal, investments/acquisitions, and public policy teams; communicate strategy, risks, performance, and opportunities to executive leadership and external partners.
• Lead a regional energy strategy team and manage external consultants.

What You’ll Need

• 10+ years of experience in energy strategy, energy systems, utilities, or large-scale infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of European electricity markets, transmission and distribution networks, and regulatory environments.
• Experience with demand response, flexibility markets, or grid-interactive buildings/industry.
• Proven experience engaging with regulators, TSOs/DSOs, and government entities.
• Demonstrated leadership in multi-country, cross-functional initiatives.

Preferred

• Experience in hyperscale datacenters or other mission-critical, high-energy-intensity sectors.
• Understanding of European climate policies, carbon accounting frameworks, and renewable certification mechanisms.
• Technical knowledge of datacenter electrical and cooling systems.
• Advanced degree in engineering, energy systems, economics, sustainability, or related fields.