Data Center Development Manager

Black Hills Energy; Rapid City (SD); On-site; USD 106,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual discretionary bonuses

401(k) match

Tuition reimbursement

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Black Hills Energy is seeking a Data Center Development Manager to drive growth by supporting data center opportunities, engaging clients, and coordinating with cross-functional teams. You will help structure commercial arrangements and drive strategic initiatives that position the utility as a preferred partner.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in the energy sector with strong communication and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years in energy sector or related field.
• Experience in data center or utility industry preferred.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate commercial development activities for data center opportunities and executive-level support.
• Lead negotiations, customer engagements and strategic partner interactions.
• Develop data center customer agreements and related commercial arrangements.
• Manage contracts, proposals and presentations highlighting the utility's value.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to advance data center opportunities.
• Identify risks and communicate them to leadership.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Public Policy or related field

Job description

Location: Rapid City, SD, United States
Job ID: 36466
Date Posted: Sep 9, 2026
Position will close at 12:00am CT on Sep 24, 2026
Salary: $ 105750 to $ 174450 Annually

Black Hills Energy is people powered and purpose driven. Our team uses the power of energy to improve life for over one million customers in 800+ communities across the West and Midwest. We seek talented, caring people who embody our core values and contribute to a culture of inclusion and growth. As an organization, we believe the best part of working on our team is our commitment to making tomorrow better than today—for our customers, communities and each other.

Position Summary

The Data Center Development Manager plays a key role in supporting Black Hills Energy's strategic initiatives by supporting data center clients and future growth opportunities. This role develops and maintains customer and stakeholder relationships, analyzes market opportunities, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to evaluate, structure, and support these opportunities. This role helps position the company as a preferred utility partner by understanding customer needs, facilitating commercial discussions, and contributing to the successful development and implementation of growth strategies that enhance the company's competitive position.

Pay Range

$105,750 - $174,450 (This posting includes the full pay range for this position. Pay is based on a number of factors and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity.)

Reporting Relationship

VP of Strategic Growth

Location

Rapid City, SD; Cheyenne, WY; or Denver, CO

Relocation Assistance

Relocation assistance is available based on individual circumstances! Details to be shared during the offer process.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate commercial development activities for data center opportunities, including customer engagement, internal alignment, strategic planning, issue resolution, and executive-level decision support.
• Support the VP of Strategic Growth and Director of Data Centers with customer discussions, commercial negotiations, executive briefings, and strategic partner engagements.
• Assist in the development, review, tracking, and execution of data center customer agreements and related commercial arrangements.
• Manage the development, review, and execution of data center customer contracts and related commercial agreements, while supporting negotiations with prospective customers and contributing to the development of proposals and presentations that highlight the utility's services and value proposition.
• Lead cross-functional coordination among regulatory, engineering, transmission, generation, finance, legal, and operations teams to advance data center opportunities.
• Identify and communicate key commercial, financial, operational, legal, and regulatory risks that may affect scope, schedule, budget, execution, or approvals of data center growth opportunities.
• Develop materials, dashboards, meeting summaries, decision logs, action trackers, and recommendations that inform executive management.
• Support financial and business analysis related to pricing inputs, customer commitments, margin opportunities, risks and mitigants, cost allocation, ownership structures, financing alternatives, forecasts, and portfolio performance.
• Develop and maintain repeatable tools, templates, governance processes, and reporting frameworks to support scalable data center development.
• Provide regular updates to leadership on commercial development activity, customer progress, key risks, open decisions, milestones, and data center development opportunities.
• Serve as one of the spokesperson for the company by representing the company in its relationships with data center partners in the business and financial communities.
• Provide strategic guidance and support to business units and functional leaders throughout the project lifecycle.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of data center industry trends, large-load customer needs, utility service models, regulatory requirements, utility tariffs, and market developments.
• Monitor and analyze market trends to identify new opportunities and stay ahead of industry developments.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders, external advisors, strategic partners, and customer representatives to support commercial development and long-term customer strategy.
• Support development of internal commercial capability and future negotiation bench strength within the Strategic Growth organization.
• Other duties as assigned.

What Is Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Public Policy or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience primarily working in the energy sector in fields related to business development, finance, account management, project management, strategic planning, or commercial growth is required.
• Experience working in the utility industry or for a data center organization is required.
• Strong understanding of the data center industry and its operational needs, and knowledge of utility services and their application in data center operations.
• Effective at building and maintaining a network of industry contacts, strategic partners, customer contacts, and diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage complex projects by prioritizing critical paths, escalating risks and issues, engaging stakeholders, and driving problem-solving across workstreams.
• Has demonstrated identifying and evaluating business development opportunities for alignment with company goals and long-term strategy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively prepare executive materials, present recommendations, support customer discussions, and interact with internal and external stakeholders.
• Advanced understanding of basic business principles, including market dynamics, competitive positioning, and strategic alignment.
• Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to evaluate commercial opportunities, develop business cases, assess project economics and risk, and drive complex negotiations.
• Demonstrated strength in commercial analysis, negotiation support, cross-functional collaboration, and balanced decision making that aligns with strategic goals.
• Proven ability to quickly analyze issues, prepare comprehensive analysis, recommend solutions, and identify alternatives for solving complex business issues.
• Strong problem-solving abilities to address client needs and overcome challenges. Flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions and client requirements.
• This role will be required to travel up to 25% of the time.

What Is Desired

• Advanced ability to work with ambiguity, understand key issues, and structure analytical path forward.
• Familiar with industry regulations and standards affecting data center operations and utility services.
• Experience supporting customer negotiations, commercial transactions, strategic partnerships, executive-level communications, or board-level materials is desired.
• Knowledge of utility regulation, generation development, transmission planning, power purchase agreements, cost allocation, and large customer service structures is desired.

This description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, duties, and requirements for employees in this position. Job descriptions may and do change periodically. Where positions are covered by a collective bargaining unit agreement, the terms and conditions of the agreement will apply.

About our Company

We are a customer, growth and safety focused utility company that is dedicatedto our communities. We improve life with energy as an energy partner of choice.Our diverse culture fuelsunique perspectives, opening doors to new insightsand possibilities. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, we have over 3000 employees and serve 1.3million natural gas and electric utility customers across eight states (South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Arkansas).

Enjoy our Comprehensive Benefits Package!

Annual discretionary bonuses, 401(k) (6% company match and up to 9% company retirement contribution), tuition reimbursement, generous paid time off benefits, including paid holidays and parental leave, company paid life insurance and disability benefits (short and long term), critical illness, accident & group hospital insurance, pet insurance, an employee assistance program and well-being benefits, and competitive medical, dental and vision insurance.

Candidates must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check. If there is anything that may show up in these reports that may conflict with the position requirements, feel free to contact the Black Hills Energy recruiting team at [emailprotected].

Black Hills Energydoes not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Black Hills Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran. Read a statement from our CEO about our commitment. Read our Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity policy.

Thinking of Relocating?

Rapid City, South Dakota

You'll find that it is the ideal community to live, work and do business in. With hiking trails, the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park in your backyard, there are endless opportunities to enjoy nature.