Lead, Electrical Distribution Design

Encepta; Calgary; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian infrastructure design company is seeking a Lead, Electrical Distribution Design to enhance their utility pole design practice. This role involves technical leadership, project execution, and mentoring a team while ensuring high-quality designs and compliance with industry standards. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in utility design and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in utility pole design (with electrical focus).
• Solid knowledge of Western Canada utility design standards.
• Experience in a team lead, PM, or formal management role.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and support to a power-focused telecom design team.
• Review complex pole designs and ensure compliance with utility standards.
• Guide internal training and documentation of best practices.

Skills

Leadership

Technical Problem-Solving

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Background in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

SpidaCalc

QuickPole

Job description

Location: Preference for Calgary-based candidates, but open to anywhere in AB (or remote for the right person)

Start Date: Flexible - we’re looking to hire as soon as the right person is found

About Us
Encepta is a Canadian infrastructure design company that blends field data, smart workflows, and technical expertise to build better systems faster. We specialize in telecom and utility design, and we’re growing quickly across Western Canada. Our team is full of builders: people who like figuring things out and making things work. If that sounds like you, you’ll feel right at home here.

About the Role
We’re hiring a Lead, Electrical Distribution Design to help shape and scale our growing utility pole design practice. You’ll be the technical point person for a team working on overhead power designs across Alberta and BC, supporting projects in the telecom and utilities industries. With the support of senior leadership, you’ll shape team structure, raise technical competencies, and help evolve how we work as we expand across industries. This role blends project leadership with deep technical problem-solving: Your focus will be on technical quality, mentorship, guiding standards, supporting training, and actively jumping into complex design challenges when needed. You’re someone who knows the power utility world inside-out, thrives on process improvement, and has the leadership chops to take an already great team to the next level.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and support to a power-focused telecom design team (~10 people)
• Assess team capabilities and identify training or hiring needs to strengthen delivery capacity
• Review complex pole designs, troubleshoot technical issues, and ensure compliance with utility standards
• Support project execution by guiding the team through deadlines, deliverables, and technical accuracy
• Guide internal training and documentation of best practices and design standards
• Ensure delivery of high-quality pole designs aligned with client standards and deadlines
• Help identify tooling, process, or resourcing gaps that impact efficiency or quality and propose solutions
• Establish efficient workflows and contribute to process and systems improvements
• Act as a key technical escalation point and resource for your team
• Help us scale thoughtfully, bringing structure, leadership, and deep subject matter expertise
• Work closely with Business Development and Project Managers to scope new opportunities and refine project plans

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in utility pole design (with electrical focus)
• Background in engineering, powerline work, or utility construction
• Solid knowledge of Western Canada utility design standards
• Leadership experience in a team lead, PM, or formal management role
• Hands-on expertise with AutoCAD and tools like SpidaCalc, QuickPole
• Proactive, independent, and excited to build something better: you’re someone who can lead by example and troubleshoot both people and project issues
• Comfortable managing timelines, budgets, and client relationships
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders

Nice to Haves

• P.Eng or working toward it
• Experience with telecom pole design or cross-trained in both electrical utilities and telecommunications
• Knowledge of Eastern Canada utilities, Telecom design, or civil/wireless infrastructure
• Familiarity with PLSCADD, LIDAR data, pole survey workflows
• Exposure to permitting, regulatory compliance, or land access for utility design
• Prior consulting experience