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 Senior Director of Power Strategy & Solutions will be a key leader in driving our energy strategy across all European markets. This role will be responsible for developing and implementing innovative power solutions to ensure operational efficiency, sustainability, and reliability of our data centre facilities. The ideal candidate will possess a blend of business and technology expertise, with a proven ability to earn the trust of customers at the CxO/VP level, and a strategic mindset to support business objectives and customer needs.

Duties and Responsibilities

The role includes but is not limited to the following:

• Strategic Leadership: Define and execute the power strategy for all European data centre operations, aligning with corporate goals and market demands. Develop and implement a strategic market development plan in line with VIRTUS Energy – Power & Utilities industry strategic direction.
• Long-Term Energy Strategy: Drive long-term energy strategy and innovation projects aimed at securing sustainable growth for cloud and AI infrastructure.
• Expert Panel Management: Manage a panel of energy experts and consultants to delve deep into various technological, regulatory, and commercial trends that have the potential to disrupt energy markets in the coming decades.
• Thought Leadership Development: Develop thought leadership and recommendations for VIRTUS to influence, prepare, and lead market changes that will enable the sustainable digital revolution.
• End-to-End Project Development: Advise on the end-to-end power project development process, including design, regulatory licensing, site permitting, and construction management.
• Clean Energy Strategy: Support the Head of ESG in the development and execution of a clean energy strategy for VIRTUS data centres across Europe, ensuring alignment with corporate sustainability goals.
• Power Generation Solutions: Deliver power generation solutions in Europe, working collaboratively with partners to innovate and optimize energy solutions.
• Due Diligence: Drive due diligence on specific power projects and provide recommendations to leadership on power solutions that meet VIRTUS' business needs.
• Project Execution Roadmap: Own the end-to-end project development and execution roadmap for clean energy projects, working alongside key partners to ensure successful implementation.
• Collaboration with Commercial Team: Work closely with the commercial team to design and develop commercial arrangements, including rate structures and tariffs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with key internal stakeholders, such as design and engineering, ESG, sales, procurement, legal, and finance, to ensure comprehensive and successful project execution.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build relationships with senior leaders and other stakeholders in energy, power, and utilities companies, as well as regulatory bodies such as the Department of Energy (DOE). Engage with a select group of customers and strategic industry partners and identify key partnerships and joint venture potentials in the energy market.
• Industry Engagement: Attend and speak at industry events, planning and managing team engagements at industry, customer, and internal events.
• Technical Requirements Understanding: Understand the technical requirements of customers and work closely with business development and sales teams to guide the direction of our services and product offerings.
• Participate in Strategic Planning: Participate in strategic planning and support the creation of annual strategy narratives. Present business reviews to the senior management team regarding progress and roadblocks to expanding our reach in the industry.
• Ownership and Scrappiness: Demonstrate a keen sense of ownership and scrappiness while driving initiatives across teams.

What success looks like in 12 months:

• Established Energy Strategy: Successfully defined and implemented a comprehensive power strategy for all European data centres in operation and in development, aligning the strategy with corporate goals and positioning VIRTUS as a leader in sustainable energy practices.
• Innovative Power Solutions: Developed at least three innovative power generation solutions and projects that improve operational efficiency and sustainability, showcasing VIRTUS's commitment to clean energy.
• Strategic Partnerships: Cultivated strong relationships with key industry partners, utilities, and regulatory bodies, facilitating partnerships that enhance VIRTUS's competitive edge and increase market presence.
• Effective Expert Panel Management: Successfully managed a panel of energy experts and consultants, leveraging their insights to inform strategy and identify emerging trends that can disrupt energy markets, positioning VIRTUS for proactive adaptation.
• Thought Leadership: Created impactful thought leadership content that influences market discourse around energy strategy and sustainability, enhancing VIRTUS's reputation as an industry innovator.
• Clean Energy Initiatives: Supported the Head of ESG in rolling out clean energy initiatives across all data centres, achieving measurable sustainability goals that align with corporate ESG targets.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Developed a robust framework for regulatory compliance and risk management for power projects, ensuring all developments meet legal and environmental standards, minimizing potential delays.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Fostered strong collaboration across departments, leading to a unified approach to power strategy that integrates engineering, sales, commercial development, and regulatory compliance.
• Influential Industry Engagement: Actively participated in industry events as a featured speaker, enhancing professional and public visibility, and securing VIRTUS's position as a key player in the energy sector discussions.
• Performance Metrics and Reporting: Established clear performance metrics for power strategy initiatives, enabling regular reporting and analysis to senior management, ensuring alignment with business goals and demonstrating progress.

Person Specification

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Management, or a related field; a Master’s degree or MBA is preferred.

Experience:

Essential:

• 10+ years of experience in power strategy, energy management, or relevant roles within the data centre or energy sector.
• Fluent in English, in addition fluent in Spanish, Italian, German and/or French preferred
• Proven experience in the end-to-end power project development process, including design, regulatory licensing, site permitting, and construction management.
• Strong ability to define the development process for energy plants while collaborating with utilities, power developers, and federal agencies, particularly the DOE.
• Experience in IT business development, Line of Business engagements, sales, and Go to Market strategies, with demonstrated ability to earn customer trust at the CxO/VP level.
• Ability to build and convey compelling value propositions and work cross-organizationally to build consensus.
• Proven experience in building relationships with senior leaders and engaging in industry events, identifying potential partnerships, and driving collaborative initiatives.
• Deep understanding of the nuances involved in designing, financing, and developing energy power plant projects, including permitting and regulatory licensing.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Results-oriented with a strong focus on sustainability and operational excellence.
• Plus, any other reasonable requests made by your line manager.

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