About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is the UK’s fastest-growing data centre provider which owns, designs, builds and operates the country’s most efficient and flexible data centres.

In May 2023 we announced our plans to expand into continental Europe, with our first data centre due to open in Berlin in 2026, to be quickly followed by two full campuses and expansion into other countries in the pipeline.

Our purpose is to serve humanity by being an active, positive participant in the 4th industrial revolution. When we talk about our purpose, we refer to our customers’ customers; the child playing a computer game, the person watching their favourite movie, booking a medical appointment, a plane ticket, a hotel or doing their online banking; those things can’t be done if we don’t do our job.

Our mission is to consistently exceed the expectations of customers through innovative, high-quality solutions and services. We employ intelligent thinkers – people with positive attitudes, who add to the quality of our customer proposition and business.

We value individual endeavour and initiative and encourage teamwork and togetherness because collective experience and expertise are VIRTUS’ greatest strengths.

Job Summary

• The ideal candidate is a strong energy sector professional who combines outstanding executional skills with in-depth knowledge of the European energy markets
• The successful applicant will advise the business on best practice and formulate the long term buying strategy for VIRTUS for energy
• The successful candidate will work with the Head of ESG to deliver a sustainable power procurement strategy for the data centre portfolio that is aligned with VIRTUS’ ESG strategy and Net Zero Carbon by 2030 (purchase of REGOs/GOs/COOs, climate change agreements, PPAs etc for scope 1 and 2)
• A focus of the role is to provide strategic energy analysis and insight to the business on key industry trends which may affect the availability or pricing of power
• The appointee will be experienced in assessing and evaluating grid energy availability and alternative solutions for delivering energy supply resilience and long term capacity for the business in line with the agreed delivery pipeline targets

Duties and Responsibilities

The role includes but is not limited to the following:

• Working with the Live Sites Teams to forecast the business’ consumption of power – short, medium and long term and work with 3^rd party power consultants to deliver a 100% renewable power solution
• Prepare scope documents for power incl. PPA tenders and manage the tender process
• Prepare business cases for PSC, EXCO and board approval for new energy supplies to new and existing data centres
• Negotiate new connection agreements with utility companies and renewable asset developers and work with the legal team to deliver the associated contracts (ie Smartest, IDNOs and renewable developers)
• Undertake energy assessments of the portfolio properties and interpret the data and information to propose forecasting and energy management strategies
• Review current energy cost management strategies e.g. hedging, PPAs etc., to evaluate the most economically advantageous approach to managing the portfolio’s energy demand.
• Monitor and advise on relevant regional legislation and regulations and highlight the impacts of any changes that could affect the delivery of power or pricing
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and limit exposure to energy price fluctuations
• Manage energy data: records of energy suppliers, transportation and metering companies, and regulatory bodies; collate comparative data and yardstick figures for benchmarking purposes
• Derive new power products to complement current services/ offers provided to customers
• Working with the Technical Solutions Team, manage any annual customer power pricing changes and communicate to the customers

Person Specification

Qualifications:

• Exceptional energy industry credentials and experience of the energy supply markets

• Strong commercial understanding of implementing energy strategy(s) relative to business and shareholder expectations
• Degree level qualified
• Fluent in English, other languages beneficial
• Stakeholder Management and comfortable working with C-level Key Stakeholders across geographies
• Culturally aware and astute working in a diverse environment
• Deals effectively with ambiguity
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
•  Flexibility to travel

Experience:

Essential:

• Proven experience in a similar energy management role or consultancy with detailed understanding of the industry sector across an international property portfolio
• Experience with promoting sustainability in its broadest sense, environmental initiatives and carbon reductions within a corporate environment
• Engagement in macro level policy via industry bodies into UK and EU governments and have knowledge of the regulatory/statutory requirements and the best practice in environmental change
• Able to effectively build and execute robust plans and buying strategies for power procurement including grid supply contracts, power purchase agreements (physical and virtual) and private wire direct connections
• Have in-depth knowledge of energy management in multiple geographies UK and EMEA.
• Experience in implementing specialized tools and systems for monitoring the global energy picture e.g. spot prices & factors affecting supply
• Knowledge of the data centre sector, or related industries e.g. Telco, IT, Professional Services etc. would be ideal
• Demonstrable experience of working in a team environment with the ability to influence and motivate complex, matrix teams both virtually and directly
• Demonstrate excellent negotiation and communication skills, internally and externally with suppliers

In line with VIRTUS’ Vetting Policy, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.