Director of Consulting Services

KEMA-Powertest; Knoxville (TN); Remote; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & dental insurance

Vision benefits

Life & disability insurance

Paid holidays & vacation

401k with match

Job summary

CESI SpA is seeking a Director of Consulting Services to lead its US consulting business, focusing on investor-owned utilities, ISOs, and RTOs. The role emphasizes growth, client relationship development, and high-level program delivery across the energy sector.

The ideal candidate will bring a decade of advisory experience, deep electric power expertise, and a proven ability to coordinate cross-functional teams while engaging with senior stakeholders at utilities, regulators, and industry

Qualifications

• Ten years of paid consulting or advisory engagements with electric utilities, ISOs, or developers, in scoping or engagement management.
• Extensive network with US electric utilities, ISOs, RTOs, developers, and vendors at decision-maker level.
• Demonstrated depth in one technical area (DERMS, interconnection analysis, grid modernization, or related fields) with working knowledge of others.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; post-graduate degree preferred.
• Productivity and data-analysis software proficiency (Office 365, Teams).

Responsibilities

• Drive organic growth, order intake, and profitability for the unit.
• Proactively secure new business and coordinate teams of consultants.
• Manage contracts, proposals, and administrative aspects of engagements.
• Provide market and pipeline reporting to executive leadership.
• Represent the Company at state associations, ISO/RTO processes, and industry conferences.
• Collaborate across CESI Group affiliates when scope extends beyond the United States.
• Lead and oversee feasibility studies, program design, and delivery of complex projects.

Skills

Technical consulting

US utilities network

Area depth: DERMS

Area depth: interconnection analysis

Area depth: grid modernization

Area depth: transmission & distro

AI in utilities

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Post-graduate degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

United States of America, Knoxville 620 Mabry Hood Rd., Ste 102, Energy, Engineering / Design Engineering

Work location:

Work location: United States of America , Knoxville

Sector:

Sector: Energy

Role:

Date of last update:

Date of last update: 22/10/2026 Expiry date: 31/12/2999

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Director of Consulting Services

Basic function and purpose

Under executive management direction, the Directorof Consulting is responsible for developing the United States consultancy business of the Company, with focus on investor-owned utility, independent system operator, and regional transmission organization clients, together with the cooperative, municipal, and public power segment and Renewables and BESS developers as well as EPCs. The position carries responsibility for organic growth and for the profit and loss of the assigned unit. It also carries responsibility for operations and program areas including special projects, budget analysis, contract administration, and other specialized functions, and requires the preparation of reports intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations, as well as the coordination of assigned activities with other departments and divisions.

The ideal candidate has previously established strong relationships with major participants in the industry, including large utilities, ISOs and RTOs, developers, and independent vendors, and is able to act as a representative of the Company by remaining conversant with the services and skills offered across all departments of the organization.

Geographic focus

Candidates are required to reside within one of the three target regions and to hold established client relationships within that region. The position is home-based and remote working is supported within the United States. Relocation assistance is not provided, as the value of the appointment lies in the professional network already established in the territory.

Region Priority Market rationale and principal accounts

Texas First ERCOT interconnection queue and the large load and data center pipeline. Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, together with an extensive cooperative and municipal segment.

Northeast Second Con Edison, National Grid, Eversource, and NYPA, together with the NYISO and ISO-NE stakeholder processes.

Midwest Third MISO footprint utilities, interconnection queue activity, and the cooperative and municipal segment across the region.

The following three requirements are mandatory. All other provisions of this document are preferences.

1. Technical consulting experience

A minimum of ten years delivering paid consulting or advisory engagements to electric utilities, ISOs, RTOs, or developers, in a scoping, technical lead, or engagement management capacity. The candidate must be able to describe engagements they personally scoped, priced, and stood behind technically. Candidates whose entire career has been internal to a single organization, without a period of external client delivery, do not satisfy this requirement.

2. Established relationships with United States electric utilities

The candidate must possess a substantial network of key contacts within the electric power industry, with focus on utilities, ISOs and RTOs, developers, vendors, and municipalities, at the level that awards consulting work. Relevant counterparts include vice presidents of engineering, directors of distribution and transmission planning, grid modernization program managers, and their equivalents at ISOs, RTOs, cooperatives, and municipal utilities. The candidate is expected to identify the accounts and to describe the most recent engagement sold into each.

3. Demonstrated depth in at least one technical area

The following list is stated in the alternative. A candidate is required to demonstrate depth in one area only, together with a working command of the remainder.

• Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) at utility scale.
• Interconnection analysis and planning for a United States ISO or RTO, an electric utility, or a consulting firm. Application experience in at least one ISO or RTO is required, with ERCOT and MISO preferred.
• Grid modernization program design and delivery, including distribution automation, ADMS, and utility enterprise architecture.
• Transmission and distribution engineering services, including power system modeling and power market analysis.
• AI feasibility and implementation in electric utilities

Demonstrated depth in a single area, supported by an established network, is preferred over broad familiarity across all four.

Experience

A minimum of ten years of increasingly responsible administrative, engineering, and analytical experience in the North American electric power industry, including but not limited to the following areas:

• Grid modernization.
• Interconnection studies and queue management.
• Power system modeling.
• Power markets.
• Transmission and distribution engineering services.
• Cybersecurity of electrical infrastructure.

The following experience is valued but not required:

• Real-time utility OT systems.
• Utility standards such as IEEE 1547, IEEE 2030.5, OpenADR, SEP 2.0, and IEC 61968 CIM.
• Cloud technologies and data analytics platforms.
• Delivery to or origination within the cooperative, municipal, and public power segment.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in electrical engineering preferred.
• A post-graduate degree is preferable.
• Demonstrated proficiency in productivity and data analysis software, including Microsoft Office platforms, O365, and Teams.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Significant and verifiable business development, management, and technical sales experience.
• Extensive technical and market knowledge of the North American electric power industry.
• Extensive knowledge of methods and engineering economic analysis.
• Extensive knowledge of electric utility operations and of applicable state and federal regulation, including FERC and NERC requirements.
• Fluent knowledge of broad business management functions including strategy, budgeting, and resource allocation, coupled with consulting engineering experience.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to interface effectively with clients, peers, and subordinates, and to work constructively within a team environment.
• Project management ability sufficient to schedule and supervise feasibility studies, coordinate the work of others, analyze engineering work, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and to meet deadlines consistently.
• Problem solving and continuous improvement skills.
• Willingness to accept a leadership role, internally and externally, in collaborating on strategic initiatives and growth opportunities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, together with presentation skills sufficient to address clients, peers, subordinates, and management.
• Demonstrated ability to read, comprehend, analyze, and interpret energy industry and regulatory reports, filings, orders, journals, periodicals, and electronic news services.
• Advanced methods and techniques of statistical analysis, data collection, research, and report preparation.
• Understanding of the operational characteristics, services, and activities of a utility program.
• Ability to perform complex, difficult, and specialized professional analytical and administrative duties in support of assigned programs and functions, exercising independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Ability to research and analyze complex problems and to prepare recommendations on a variety of issues.
• Ability to research, analyze, and evaluate programs, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to collect, evaluate, and interpret complex information and data through organizational studies and analyses.
• Ability to interpret financial and technical information for a variety of audiences.
• Ability to prepare correspondence and memoranda independently.
• Ability to adapt to changing technologies and to learn the functionality of new systems.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work flow, and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Duties and responsibilities

• Responsible for overall organic growth, order intake, and profit and loss for the assigned unit.
• Proactively prospects and develops new business, and executes strategic and tactical sales plans by selling the Company’s portfolio of consulting solutions through the hiring and coordination of a team of internal and external consultants.
• Provides assistance in resolving operational and administrative issues, identifies issues and conducts research to establish alternative solutions, and makes and assists in the implementation of recommendations.
• Coordinates, implements, and monitors special projects within the assigned area of responsibility, performs complex research and analysis of new programs, services, policies, and procedures, and prepares and presents reports.
• Plans, coordinates, and evaluates activities associated with assigned contracts, participates in the research and evaluation of proposed contractual obligations and agreements, assists in contract negotiation and administration, and monitors compliance with applicable contractual agreements.
• Provides highly responsible assistance to executive-level management staff, including market and pipeline reporting.
• Represents the Company within the assigned territory at state associations, ISO and RTO stakeholder processes, and industry conferences.
• Coordinates and collaborates with departments, divisions, and outside agencies, including public and private organizations and industry bodies, and serves as a resource to them.
• Coordinates with CESI Group affiliates where scope extends beyond the United States or into laboratory testing and certification.
• Performs related duties as required.

Compensation

Base salary. A base salary determined by market value and experience, determined by record and by the substantiated size of the portfolio the candidate can bring.

Variable compensation. An uncapped profit share on originated and completed work. The incumbent receives a share of cash collected on engagements they originate, on every project clearing an annual margin threshold measured across the portfolio as a whole rather than project by project. There is no ceiling, no discretionary element, and no retrospective adjustment. At a mature portfolio the variable component represents a six-figure payment in addition to base salary.

The portfolio is expected to reach approximately $2.5 million per annum at maturity, with an anticipated ramp of approximately 30 percent of target in the first year, 75 percent in the second year, and full portfolio in the third. A complete portfolio is not expected within the first twelve months.

In addition EnerNex offers a full suite of benefits including:

• Full paid medical and dental insurance on a high-deductible plan that starts on the first day of the first full month of employment
• Vision, well care, behavioral health and prescription drug plans
• Life insurance at the rate of 1.5 times salary
• Short term disability insurance
• Long term disability insuranceAccidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Workman’s compensation
• 8 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays
• 4 weeks paid vacation/sick leave
• Company paid society membership dues
• Company paid professional license fees
• Company sponsored 401k plan with 4% match

Candidates presently employed by a utility, ISO, RTO, or developer remain within scope where their background includes a substantive period of external consulting delivery. The requirement is demonstrated consulting experience, not a current consulting employer.

Priority is to be given to candidates whose client relationships sit within the target regions identified above. Recruiting partners are asked to identify, prior to submission, any client relationship that may present a conflict for EnerNex or for CESI Group affiliates.

• Target commencement date for the first appointment : on or before January 2027.
• Reporting line: President and CEO.
• Work authorization and sponsorship position: US citizens and permanent residents only.
• The company will consider remote working from the 3 geographic locations listed (United States only)

Basic Function: Conducting engineering studies on utility power systems. Education: Electrical Engineering degree from an accredited ABET university with emphasis on power systems. Required Skills: - Six months of experience conducting simulations and analytical studies of electric power systems inc