Sr. Director, Digital Infrastructure Development
Houston, TX - USA
Job Summary
Talen is seeking a Senior Director Digital Infrastructure Development to lead the strategy execution and delivery readiness of powered land site development initiatives. This role will oversee end-to-end development of sites suited for data center customers through utility power strategy zoning permitting pre-construction and handoff into execution while aligning development decisions with customer requirements capital discipline and long-term portfolio value. This role serves as a key partner to commercial leadership in advancing customer engagements currently underway.
How Youll Power the Future
At Talen Energy your work directly supports safe reliable power this role youll move beyond daytoday contributions to drive meaningful change by:
- Lead Powered Land Strategy & Execution
- Develop and execute the strategy for powered land site identification acquisition support and readiness for data center development
- Oversee site development lifecycle including permitting infrastructure planning utility coordination and readiness timelines
- Develop utility and energy strategies for each project including transmission and distribution service substations interconnection backup power storage tariff strategy and clean energy pathways that support reliability cost and sustainability goals.
- Coordinate due diligence and development activities across engineering design environmental water legal tax finance and commercial teams to ensure each project is technically sound commercially competitive and executable on schedule.
- Build and maintain senior relationships with customers utilities developers landowners public agencies and community stakeholders to improve execution certainty
- Build and lead a high-performing team responsible for site development delivery
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Serve as the central point of alignment between development engineering operations transmission/interconnection environmental and regulatory teams so project scope schedule cost and technical requirements remain synchronized through notice to proceed
- Establish development processes governance reporting and decision frameworks that improve speed accountability and portfolio visibility across multiple concurrent projects and markets
- Coordinate with internal stakeholders to align development timelines with generation and infrastructure capabilities
- Foster a culture of safety ethical conduct disciplined risk management and constructive engagement with customers utilities regulators and local communities
- Commercial Support & Customer Engagement
- Support ongoing data center customer discussions led by business development team by providing technical development and site-readiness expertise
- Support or lead negotiations for power supply utility cost sharing economic development incentives tax abatements and other arrangements that improve project economics and time to market
- Translate customer requirements into viable site strategies and development plans
- Participate in customer meetings proposals and negotiations as a subject matter expert
- Pipeline Development & Market Positioning
- Build a scalable pipeline of powered land opportunities aligned to market demand and strategic priorities
- Evaluate market trends competitive positioning and customer requirements to inform site strategy
- Risk Management & Execution Discipline
- Identify and mitigate development regulatory and execution risks
- Ensure projects are delivered on schedule within scope and aligned with business objectives
- Own development budgets milestone plans risk registers underwriting inputs and stage-gate approvals; present opportunity recommendations risks and mitigation plans to executive leadership
What You Have
Minimum Requirements
- 12 years of progressive experience in data center digital infrastructure power infrastructure large-scale industrial energy or mission-critical project development with at least 5 years leading complex cross-functional programs or teams
- Demonstrated success developing large multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects involving site control permitting utility power delivery commercial negotiations and transition into construction or operations
- Deep experience working with electric utilities transmission or distribution interconnections substations or other medium- and high-voltage infrastructure and power-related commercial or regulatory matters
- Strong commercial judgment with experience in project underwriting contract negotiation capital budgeting risk management and executive-level decision support
- Willing to travel as needed (25%-50%) to evaluate sites meet stakeholders and oversee projects
- Bachelors degree in engineering construction management real estate business finance or a related field; advanced degree preferred
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct experience in one or more of the following environments: hyperscalers colocation providers digital infrastructure developers utility-affiliated infrastructure platforms power developers EPC firms or energy-intensive industrial development
- Familiarity with data center design and delivery considerations such as phased campus development customer deployment requirements redundancy expectations commissioning readiness and operational reliability standards
- Experience engaging with public utility commissions state and local economic development entities environmental and land-use permitting authorities and community stakeholders
- Knowledge of energy markets renewable energy solutions and grid interconnection.
- Familiarity with GIS tools and site evaluation technologies.
- Experience working across multiple geographic regions and regulatory environments.
- Strong operator who can drive execution in ambiguous fast-growth environments with multiple internal and external dependencies
- Credible external representative with the judgment and presence to negotiate with utilities customers developers regulators consultants and senior executives
- Excellent communicator who can distill complex technical regulatory and commercial issues into clear recommendations for executive stakeholders
Why Talen Energy
Power the Future
Talen Energy is one of the largest competitive energy and power generation companies in North America. We operate power plants that use diverse fuel sources in the most attractive wholesale power markets and sell energy
to wholesale and retail customers in selected competitive markets. Our passion for excellence grows value through safe and efficient operations. We have an inclusive diverse respectful and collaborative workplace and a strong commitment to innovation teamwork and integrity. We generate energy for a brighter tomorrow.
Collaboration
Our passion for excellence grows value through safe and efficient operations. We have an inclusive diverse respectful and collaborative workplace.
Talen Energy offers an exceptional benefits program to its employees. Benefits include comprehensive health dental vision prescription plans life insurance and disability addition employees are eligible to participate in Talen Energys 401(k) plan. Talen Energy also provides competitive vacation and sick time to its employees.
We are committed to providing a safe drug and alcohol-free workplace. Consistent with applicable law and any collective bargaining agreements positions may be subject to pre-employment random post-accident and reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing.
Talen Energy is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer dedicated to diversity and the strength it brings to the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color age sex religion national origin veteran status sexual orientation genetic information gender identity disability perceived disability or any other protected characteristic as may be defined by applicable law.
If you need assistance with the application process please email us at
Please note that roles supporting Talen Energys nuclear facilities are subject to rigorous background investigation and security clearance requirements consistent with federal regulatory standards.
Note to Search Firms and Recruitment Agencies
Talen Energy is committed to fostering direct engagement with prospective candidates and managing our recruitment activities internally. From time to time Talen Energy and its companies partner with select executive search firms and recruitment agencies under formal written agreements aligned to specific business needs.
Talen Energy does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from search firms or agencies without a current fully executed agreement authorized by an appropriate company representative. Any candidate information submitted in the absence of such an agreement will be considered the property of Talen Energy and neither Talen Energy nor its subsidiaries will be obligated to pay any fees or compensation related to those submissions.
Note:You will have an opportunity to add attachments to your application. Please use this opportunity toupload your resume cover letter and any relevant documents .
Required Experience:
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About Company
Talen Energy is a leading independent power producer and infrastructure company focused on safe, reliable power generation while delivering the most value per megawatt of energy we produce.