Strategic Power & Energy Director

KD Servco Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical

Holiday 25 days

Pension Salary Sacrifice

Parental Leave

Life Assurance

Mental health support

Volunteering days

EV Salary Sacrifice

Optical Benefit

Job summary

Kao Data is seeking a strategically minded Strategic Power & Energy Director to lead power strategy across development, customer growth and energy management for data centres in the UK. You will shape demand, engagement with regulators and utilities, and deliver scalable energy solutions to support rapid growth.

In this senior role, you will translate complex regulatory and commercial issues into actionable plans, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and drive major energy projects from

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Experience delivering power strategy and grid connections.
• Knowledge of UK electricity markets and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience with data centres or major infrastructure projects.
• Strong commercial and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead UK-first power strategy across existing campuses and expansion opportunities and development prioritisation.
• Manage grid connection applications and engage with DNOs/IDNOs/NESO and National Grid.
• Evaluate alternative power solutions and develop options appraisals covering cost, ESG impact and permitting.
• Provide Board-ready analysis and executive summaries; translate complex energy issues for stakeholders.
• Oversee energy procurement, billing processes and governance, improving accuracy and controls.

Skills

Power strategy

Grid connections

Energy infrastructure

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

Energy Systems

Job description

Join Kao Data as a Strategic Power and Energy Director - Drive Excellence in AI-Focused Data Centres! Kao Data leads the industry, pioneering the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With a hyperscale-inspired and industrial scale platform, we provide our customers with a secure, scalable, and sustainable home for their compute.

About the Role

We are seeking a commercially astute, strategically minded and technically credible Strategic Power & Energy Director to lead Kao Data’s power strategy across development, customer growth and operational energy management. In this strategic leadership role, you will identify, assess and drive the delivery of scalable power solutions for new and existing data centre campuses. Your remit will span a broad and evolving energy landscape, including grid connections, non-firm and firming strategies, private wire, onsite generation, energy-from-waste, battery storage, fuel cells and other transitional and low‑carbon power solutions. This is not a narrow technical delivery role. The successful candidate will act as the company’s senior power strategist, translating complex grid, regulatory, commercial and ESG issues into clear development decisions, customer propositions, Board recommendations and executable delivery plans. The role will work closely with Development, Customer Solutions, Commercial, Finance, Operations, ESG and external stakeholders including DNOs, IDNOs, NESO, Ofgem, utilities, landowners, power generators, consultants, customers and investors.

Key Responsibilities

Power Strategy & Development Pipeline

Lead Kao Data’s UK‑first power strategy across existing campuses, expansion opportunities and new site acquisitions. Act as the power lead in site screening, acquisition due diligence and development prioritisation. Assess whether power availability, timing, firmness, cost and scalability support the commercial case for each site.

Grid Connections, Non-Firm Power & Delivery

Lead strategy and engagement for DNO, IDNO, NESO and National Grid connection processes. Manage grid connection applications, modifications, queue management, delivery risk and dependency tracking. Partner with Engineering and Construction on substation, cable route, energisation and connection delivery.

Alternative Power, Onsite Generation & Energy Innovation

Evaluate alternative and transitional power solutions including private wire, renewables, energy-from-waste, fuel cells, gas-to-power, biomethane, hydrogen-readiness, batteries, SMRs and other emerging solutions. Develop options appraisals covering cost, deliverability, ESG impact, permitting, planning, DNO implications, customer appetite and reputational risk. Create decision frameworks for when Kao Data should treat alternative power as bridging, permanent, supplementary or non-viable.

Regulatory, Policy & Industry Engagement

Lead Kao Data’s power‑related response to Ofgem, NESO, DNO and wider policy consultations. Represent Kao Data in relevant industry working groups, including data centre, grid reform and energy infrastructure forums. Maintain senior‑level relationships with power market participants, consultants, utilities and policy stakeholders.

Operational Energy Procurement, Billing & Assurance

Own strategic oversight of energy procurement arrangements, customer pass‑through mechanisms and energy cost recovery. Review energy billing processes, metering data flows, customer contract interpretation and loss recovery. Work with Finance, Operations and Customer teams to improve accuracy, governance and commercial assurance of energy billing.

Sales, Financial & Investment Support

Develop power‑related business cases, financial inputs and risk‑adjusted options for development and customer opportunities. Support Board and investment papers with clear analysis of power timing, cost, risk, dependencies and value impact. Assist Sales and Development teams in structuring transactions where power availability is a key value driver.

Cross‑Functional Leadership & Communication

Act as the central interface between Development, Design & Construction, Customer Solutions, Sales, Finance, Operations, ESG and Marketing on energy matters. Convert complex technical issues into concise executive summaries, decision papers and stakeholder briefings. Provide senior‑level challenge and assurance before key customer, Board, shareholder or regulatory commitments are made.

What We’re Looking For:

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Systems, or related field; advanced qualifications desirable. Proven experience delivering power strategy, grid connections and energy infrastructure projects in data centres, utilities or major infrastructure developments. Deep knowledge of UK electricity markets, grid connection processes, regulatory frameworks and connection reform. Strong track record evaluating and delivering firm and non‑firm connections, alternative power solutions and major power infrastructure investments. Experience supporting site acquisition, due diligence, investment decisions and development projects where power is a critical value driver. Strong commercial and stakeholder management experience across utilities, regulators, consultants and strategic partners. Strategic, commercially minded and able to balance technical, financial and delivery considerations. Strong organisational, analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills. Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex issues into clear Board and executive recommendations. Highly effective stakeholder management, negotiation and influencing skills. Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and drive outcomes in a fast‑paced environment. Ability to convert power constraints into competitive advantage and development opportunities.

Why Kao Data?

Be part of an innovative and rapidly growing AI data centre leader. Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development. Work in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Engaging team events that strengthen workplace culture and connections.

• Private Medical – private health insurance including dental and optical cover.
• Holiday – 25 days annual leave plus UK Bank Holidays
• Pension – Salary Sacrifice Pension
• Parental Leave – Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave
• Life Assurance & Income Protection
• Mental health support - 24/7 access to mental health support via our employee assistance programme, and a trained team of Mental Health First Aiders
• Giving back – 2 Charity volunteering days a year.
• Electric Vehicle - Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Optical Benefit Access to Unum’s Help@Hand

Interested in joining one of the UK's most pioneering data centre operators and developers? A career at Kao Data offers the opportunity to join a rapidly growing company early within its evolution, and within an industry that is showing phenomenal global expansion. Our team is respected within the industry and is trusted to design, build and operate high performance data centres for some of the world’s most demanding clients.