Director - Power Systems and Grid Transformation

Systemiq Ltd.; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Systemiq Ltd. is seeking a Director for Power Systems & Grid Transformation in Amsterdam. The role requires deep expertise in power systems, particularly in grids and market design, to help clients overcome challenges in the energy transition. Candidates should have 10 to 15+ years in strategy consulting or energy advisory, with strong stakeholder management skills. The commitment to sustainability and experience with utilities and regulatory environments are essential. This is a full-time position with a focus on impactful strategic advisory.

Qualifications

• Around 10 to 15+ years' experience in strategy consulting or energy advisory.
• Deep experience in power systems, including transmission and distribution.
• Ability to translate technical issues into strategic decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead work on power system transformation and grid constraints.
• Advise clients on strategic choices for accelerating decarbonisation.
• Translate technical challenges into clear recommendations for decision-makers.

Skills

Power system transformation

Grid constraints

Utility transformation

Market design

Renewables integration

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Job description

Overview

Company Description: Systemiq is the system change company, working to accelerate the transition to a net-zero, nature-positive and more inclusive economy. As a certified B Corp, we partner with business, finance, policymakers and civil society to transform five interconnected systems: energy, nature and food, materials and circularity, sustainable finance, and urban transformation. We bring together strategy, policy, market design and capital mobilisation to deliver tangible results in the real economy. Founded in 2016, Systemiq has grown to a global team of more than 300 people across Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, the Netherlands, the UK and the US, united by a singular focus on sustainability.

Role

Role title: Director, Power Systems & Grid Transformation

Location: Amsterdam (preferred), or London

Reports to: Eveline Speelman, Global Energy Platform Lead

Role type: Full-time

Role Overview

Systemiq is seeking a Director with deep expertise in power system transformation, with a particular focus on grids, system planning, flexibility, market design, utility transformation, and the integration of renewables at scale. This role will help clients address key bottlenecks in the energy transition: grid constraints, connection queues, system adequacy, flexibility markets, transmission and distribution investment, regulatory reform, and the changing role of utilities and system operators. This is not a generalist energy transition role. We are looking for a senior strategy leader who understands how power systems actually work technically, commercially, and institutionally, and who can help clients unlock the grid, market, and system integration challenges now slowing the transition.

What you will do

• Lead work on power system transformation, including grid constraints, transmission and distribution investment, system planning, flexibility, renewables integration, and utility transformation.
• Advise clients on the strategic, regulatory, commercial, and institutional choices needed to accelerate power system decarbonisation.
• Translate technical power system challenges into clear strategic recommendations for senior decision-makers.
• Identify the practical barriers slowing power system transformation and shape interventions to overcome them.

Key Responsibilities

• Power Systems & Grid Transformation
  • Lead work on power system transformation, including grid constraints, transmission and distribution investment, system planning, flexibility, renewables integration, and utility transformation.
• Strategic Advisory
  • Lead high-impact strategy engagements with corporates, governments, investors, utilities, system operators, and other energy system actors.
  • Structure and solve complex, ambiguous problems and translate them into actionable recommendations.
  • Advise senior stakeholders, including C-suite leaders and policymakers, on transition pathways, investment priorities, and market-shaping decisions.
• Systems Change & Platform Leadership
  • Shape and drive system-level interventions beyond individual projects, including coalitions, market-shaping initiatives, and public-private collaboration.
  • Identify structural bottlenecks across policy, infrastructure, regulation, market design, and capital allocation.
  • Work across sectors and stakeholders to unlock system-wide impact beyond project-level outcomes.
  • Contribute to Systemiq's broader Energy platform strategy and thought leadership.
• Origination & Growth
  • Identify, shape, and win new work across power systems, grids, utilities, flexibility, and energy transition topics.
  • Build trusted relationships with senior clients, partners, and external stakeholders.
  • Contribute to scaling Systemiq's Energy platform globally.
• Team Leadership
  • Lead and mentor high-performing teams.
  • Coach and develop team members, building capability in power systems, analytical problem solving, and systems-level thinking.
  • Contribute to a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven culture.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a high-calibre, strategy-led leader with deep power systems expertise and the ability to operate at the intersection of strategy, policy, regulation, infrastructure, and real-economy delivery.

Essential Experience

• Deep experience in power systems, ideally including transmission and distribution grids, system operation, power market design, flexibility, renewables integration, storage, demand response, or utility strategy
• Around 10 to 15+ years' experience in strategy consulting or energy advisory
• Experience working with or advising utilities, TSOs, DSOs, regulators, energy ministries, market operators, developers, infrastructure investors, or major energy users
• Strong understanding of how grid constraints, interconnection, flexibility, storage, demand response, market reform, and regulation affect decarbonisation pathways
• Ability to translate technical power system issues into strategic choices for senior decision-makers
• Proven track record leading strategy engagements, complex programmes, and senior client relationships
• Demonstrated ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders, including C-suite leaders, policymakers, regulators, and investors
• Experience combining advisory work with real-world implementation is strongly valued

Core Capabilities

• Exceptional problem structuring and analytical rigour
• Strong commercial judgement and experience in origination and growth
• Ability to move between high-level strategy and practical implementation
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Systems thinker focused on practical, scalable, real-world outcomes
• Ability to lead complex work across multiple stakeholders, sectors, and geographies

Desirable Experience

• Experience in international energy systems, infrastructure investment, large-scale transition programmes, or power market reform
• Experience with digital, AI, or advanced analytical tools that improve insight generation, modelling, or delivery efficiency
• Experience building new areas of work, propositions, or client relationships

Mindset

• Entrepreneurial and opportunity-driven
• Comfortable with ambiguity and building new areas of work
• Collaborative, low ego, and mission-driven
• Pragmatic, intellectually rigorous, and focused on real-world impact

Why This Role Matters

Power systems are now one of the central constraints in the energy transition. Renewables, electrification, storage, flexibility, industrial decarbonisation, and clean technology deployment all depend on power systems evolving faster than they are today. This role sits at the centre of that challenge. It will help clients and partners address the grid, market, regulatory, and institutional barriers that determine whether economy-wide decarbonisation can happen at the pace required.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Systemiq, we absolutely believe diverse perspectives are essential to driving system change. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where people feel respected, supported and able to do their best work. Data policy information is available within our policy documents.