Electrical Technical Director - Mission Critical Data Centres

GHD; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

GHD is seeking an experienced Electrical Technical Director to join our Global Data Centre Design Team in the UAE. This senior leadership role focuses on the design, technical direction, and delivery of hyperscale, AI, and mission-critical data centre facilities.

You will provide technical leadership across complex projects, mentor senior engineers, and collaborate with clients, utilities and OEMs to ensure resilient, safe, and energy-efficient solutions while shaping standards for our global

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Building Services Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer status preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant engineering experience in mission critical/data centre environments.
• Proven lead on hyperscale, colocation, enterprise and AI data centre facilities.
• Extensive knowledge of data centre electrical infrastructure and resilience.
• Experience leading international, distributed delivery projects.
• Familiarity with ETAP/SKM and BIM/digital engineering.
• Strong client management, BD, and project pursuit experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across mission critical and data centre projects globally.
• Define electrical strategies for hyperscale, AI-driven developments.
• Lead development/review of electrical power architectures and resilience strategies.
• Mentor senior engineers and promote technical excellence.
• Interface with clients, utilities, OEMs, and contractors as trusted advisor.
• Lead workshops, feasibility studies, and due diligence for new opportunities.
• Ensure designs meet performance, safety, energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
• Support business development and grow the data centre practice.

Skills

Electrical design

Data centre

Technical leadership

Project governance

BIM/Digital engineering

Power systems analysis

Client engagement

Mentoring

Energy efficiency

Grid interconnection

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering

Chartered Engineer status (CEng, PE, RPEQ, or equivalent)

Tools

ETAP

SKM

BIM

EPMS

Power System Modelling

Job description

Job Description:

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Electrical Technical Director to join our Global Data Centre Design Team (Mission Critical), based in our UAE offices. This is a senior leadership role for a highly accomplished engineer with extensive experience in the design, technical leadership, and delivery of hyperscale, AI, and mission-critical data centre facilities.

You will provide technical leadership across a portfolio of complex data centre projects, guiding multidisciplinary teams through all stages of delivery while shaping the future direction of electrical engineering within our global data centre practice.

This role offers the opportunity to influence some of the worlds most advanced AI and hyperscale data centre developments. You will act as a trusted advisor to clients, support business development initiatives, help secure new opportunities, drive innovation, and ensure the consistent delivery of technically excellent, resilient, sustainable, and commercially successful solutions.

In addition to project leadership, you will play a key role in developing engineering capability across the business, mentoring senior engineers, promoting technical excellence, and contributing to the growth of our rapidly expanding mission critical sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and governance across multiple mission critical and data centre projects globally.
• Define and oversee electrical engineering strategies for hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI-driven data centre developments.
• Lead the development and review of resilient electrical power architectures, including utility connections, HV/MV/LV distribution systems, transformers, switchgear, UPS systems, standby generation, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and critical power distribution.
• Develop and review electrical resilience and redundancy strategies, including N+1, N+N, 2N, distributed redundant (4N3 ..etc), and concurrently maintainable architectures.
• Provide technical leadership for high-density AI and GPU infrastructure, including high-capacity power distribution, rack-level power requirements, busway systems, and the integration of electrical infrastructure with liquid-cooled technology.
• Lead and review electrical system studies, including load flow, short-circuit, protection coordination and selectivity, arc-flash, harmonic analysis, power quality, grounding/earthing, and transient or dynamic studies where required.
• Drive technical excellence through peer reviews, design assurance processes, and the development of engineering standards, best practices, and quality procedures.
• Act as the senior technical authority for electrical engineering matters, providing guidance and support to project teams throughout all project phases.
• Support the development, adaptation, and optimisation of global standard reference designs, modular data centre solutions, and bespoke engineering approaches.
• Interface directly with clients, utilities, operators, contractors, technology providers, OEMs, and other stakeholders, acting as a trusted technical advisor and subject matter expert.
• Lead technical workshops, value engineering exercises, feasibility studies, master planning activities, utility and power strategy assessments, and technical due diligence assignments.
• Ensure designs achieve the required performance, resilience, maintainability, safety, energy efficiency, sustainability, and operational objectives.
• Provide technical leadership for the integration of utility supplies, standby generators, UPS systems, BESS, renewable energy, microgrids, and other emerging power solutions.
• Support project teams in developing protection, controls, automation, monitoring, and electrical power management strategies, including interfaces with BMS, EPMS, SCADA, and other data centre control systems.
• Support commissioning strategies, integrated systems testing, failure-mode testing, and operational readiness activities for critical electrical infrastructure.
• Support project delivery teams in managing technical risks, programme requirements, budgets, and quality objectives.
• Maintain strong client relationships and proactively identify opportunities for repeat business and long-term partnerships.
• Support business development activities, client engagement, and strategic growth initiatives across the Mission Critical sector.
• Take an active role in winning new work, including identifying and developing opportunities, building client relationships, positioning GHD for future commissions, and converting opportunities into secured projects.
• Lead and support pursuits, proposals, bids, interviews, and technical presentations to help secure new project opportunities.
• Collaborate with regional and global leadership teams to develop and execute growth strategies for the Data Centres and Mission Critical business.
• Monitor emerging technologies, market trends, and client requirements to ensure GHD remains at the forefront of data centre electrical engineering.
• Mentor and develop Lead Engineers and other team members, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering or Building Services Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer status (CEng, PE, RPEQ, or equivalent) preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant engineering experience, including significant experience within mission critical and data centre environments.
• Proven track record leading the design and delivery of hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI-focused data centre facilities.
• Extensive knowledge of data centre electrical infrastructure, including utility connections, HV/MV/LV distribution, transformers, switchgear, UPS systems, standby generation, BESS, PDUs, busway systems, and critical power distribution.
• Strong understanding of electrical resilience and redundancy philosophies, including N+1, N+N, 2N, distributed redundant, concurrent maintainability, fault tolerance, and elimination of single points of failure.
• Strong understanding of mechanical-electrical integration, controls and EPMS systems, commissioning, integrated systems testing, and operational readiness.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across international projects and geographically distributed delivery environments.
• Demonstrated experience undertaking technical reviews, design assurance, engineering governance, and quality management activities.
• Familiarity with electrical modelling and analysis software such as ETAP, SKM, or equivalent, as well as digital engineering and BIM delivery processes.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience supporting business development, client management, and project pursuits.
• Demonstrated track record of contributing to and winning new work within the data centre and mission critical sector, including client engagement, opportunity development, proposals, and competitive pursuits.
• Experience with hyperscale and AI data centre cooling strategies is highly desirable.
• Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) certification is highly desirable.
• Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.

Why Join Us?

• Lead the technical delivery of globally significant hyperscale and AI data centre projects.
• Shape the future of next-generation critical power infrastructure and mission critical electrical system.
• Influence global standards, reference designs, and engineering best practices across a growing international business.
• Play a key role in expanding a market-leading Data Centre and Mission Critical practice.
• Collaborate with industry-leading technical specialists in a highly innovative and multidisciplinary environment.
• Drive innovation in critical power architecture, high-density AI infrastructure, energy storage, microgrids, resilience, sustainability, and emerging power technologies.
• Access global career opportunities while contributing to projects that set new benchmarks for performance and reliability.
• Join a team that values technical excellence, client partnership, collaboration, innovation, and commercial success.