Manager, Substation Operations & Maintenance Contracts

American Real Estate Partners LLC; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision coverage

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Job summary

American Real Estate Partners LLC (AREP) through PowerHouse Data Centers seeks a Manager, Substation Operations & Maintenance Contracts to oversee private substation O&M contracts for data center developments. You will ensure third-party vendors and internal teams deliver reliable, safe, and compliant services across multiple markets.

You will negotiate terms, monitor KPIs, manage schedules, and coordinate with tenants, EPCs, utility partners, and asset management to support a growing hyperscale

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, construction management, business, or related field, or equivalent significant experience.
• 5+ years direct experience in substation operations, transmission and distribution (T&D) projects, and high-voltage maintenance.
• Proven track record in vendor management and oversight of major EPC companies.
• Strong understanding of electric transmission/distribution systems and substation concepts.
• Deep knowledge of NERC, OSHA, ANSI/IEEE standards.
• Proficiency with SCADA systems, protective relays, and interpreting electrical diagrams.
• Familiarity with condition-based maintenance and predictive monitoring tools.
• Knowledge of utility agreements, tariffs, and power contracts.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and execute O&M contracts with vendors and subcontractors.
• Maintain compliance with tenant service level agreements.
• Lead coordination between tenants and O&M contractors for routine and emergency work.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for contractors to meet standards and safety regulations.
• Develop and maintain contract schedules and resolve critical path conflicts.
• Manage contracts through project lifecycles and enforce provisions.
• Build a network of substations O&M contractors across multiple markets.
• Develop safety and access protocols for substation sites and ensure compliance.
• Review substation one-lines to confirm tenant redundancy requirements.
• Conduct monthly inspections of active substation sites.

Skills

Vendor management

Substation operations

T&D knowledge

OSHA/ANSI/IEEE standards

SCADA & relays

Contract negotiation

Communication with stakeholders

Procore/Autodesk ConstructionCloud

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field

Advanced degree in engineering or business

Tools

SCADA systems

Procore

Autodesk Construction Cloud

DCIM platforms

Job description

Headquartered in the Greater Washington area, American Real Estate Partners (AREP) is a US-based leading institutional fund manager and real estate partner with over $13 billion deployed across key U.S. markets. Specializing in data center, residential, industrial, and office assets, AREP has acquired more than 34 million square feet of Class A real estate and currently manages over 25 million square feet.

PowerHouse Data Centers, a wholly owned division of AREP, is a developer and owner of next-generation data centers and provides technical real estate solutions for hyperscalers across the country. Backed by strategic joint venture partnerships, PowerHouse leverages its proven leadership and best-in-class technical expertise to deliver innovative real estate solutions.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Manager, Substation Operations & Maintenance Contracts, is responsible forthe full lifecycle management of private substation operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts supporting data center development projects. This position isdirectly responsiblefor ensuring third-party vendors and internal teams deliver services thatmaintainhigh-voltage asset reliability while strictly adhering to safety, financial, regulatory standards, and tenant SLAs. The incumbent will interact with utility partners, EPC contractors, operations vendors, asset management teams, and capitalpartnersas necessary.

TheManager, Substation Operations & Maintenance Contractsreports to theSVP, Infrastructure Operations & Development.

This role is based out of company headquarters with regular travel to project sites and utility partner locations. Travel requirements may expand as the portfolio grows.

PrimaryResponsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and execute Operations, Maintenance, and Emergency Response contracts with vendors and subcontractors to ensure favorable terms and clear service-level agreements.
• Maintain compliance with tenant service level agreements
• Lead coordination between tenants and O&M contractors/vendorsfor routine,maintenance, and emergency responsework
• Establish andmonitorKey Performance Indicators (KPIs) for contractors, ensuring they meet technical standards (ANSI, IEEE) and safety regulations (OSHA, NESC).
• Develop, coordinate, andmaintaincontract schedules; negotiate and resolve critical path conflicts related to vendor performance.
• Manage contracts and agreements and enforce provisions as necessary throughout theprojectlife cycle.
• Build andmaintaina qualified network of substation O&M contractors capable of supporting emergency response and routine maintenance across multiple markets.
• Develop safety and access protocols for all substationsites and developaction plans to ensure compliance
• Reviewall substation one-linespriorand during constructiontoconfirm tenantredundancy requirements are met.
• Conduct monthly inspections of all active substation sites.

Key Qualifications & Competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, construction management, business, ora relatedfield, or equivalent significant relevant working experience in lieu of degree.
• 5+ years of direct experience in substation operations, transmission and distribution (T&D) projects, and high-voltage maintenance.
• Proventrack recordin vendor management and oversight of major EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) companies.
• Strong understanding of electric transmission and distribution systems, substation concepts, and electric utility infrastructure.
• Deep knowledge of NERC standards, OSHA safety guidelines, and ANSI/IEEE technical specifications.
• Proficiencywith SCADA systems, protective relays, and the ability to interpret one-line electrical diagrams and schematics.
• Familiarity with condition-based maintenance and predictive monitoring tools for asset management.
• Knowledge of utility agreements, tariffs, and power contracts across multiple utility markets.
• Strong understanding of power redundancy principles and data center-specific electric utility requirements.
• Ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines and generate detail-oriented workproduct.
• Self-starter and team-player withabilitytoidentifyproblems and develop creative solutions in a fast-paced environment with limited supervision.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with senior management, technical consultants, utility stakeholders, and fellow employees.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite; cloud-based project management softwarea plus (Procore, Autodesk ConstructionCloud).

• Advanced degree in engineering, business, ora relatedfield.
• Project management (PMP) or relevant electrical certifications.
• Experience supporting hyperscale or colocation data center utility infrastructure.
• Specific experience with private substation ownership and O&M contract structures.
• Familiarity with DCIM platforms and substation asset management systems.
• Experience with battery energy storage systems (BESS) and renewable energy integration.

AREP offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your eligible family members, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), life and supplemental life insurance and short and long-term disability insurance. Our package includes Paid Time Off, Parental Leave, 401(k) plan with employer match, Employee Assistance Program and Employee Discount Program.

AREP is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, as well as any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

If you require special accommodation, please email [e-mail].

AREP does not accept unsolicited resumes or identifiable candidate information from third-party recruiters. Any unsolicited information will not be considered for engagement purposes.