Sr. Director, Digital Infrastructure Development

Talen Energy; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, vision plans

401(k) plan eligibility

Competitive vacation and sick time

Job summary

Talen Energy is seeking a Senior Director for Digital Infrastructure Development to lead the strategy and execution of powered land site initiatives in Houston, Texas. In this role, you will coordinate site development, ensuring alignment with customer needs and strategic goals.

Ideal candidates should have over 12 years in project development, including 5 years in leadership of cross-functional teams, and a Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Benefits include comprehensive health plans and a commitment to a safe workplace.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in data center or digital infrastructure.
• Demonstrated success in developing large infrastructure projects.
• Strong commercial judgment with experience in project underwriting.

Responsibilities

• Lead Powered Land Strategy & Execution for data centers.
• Oversee site development lifecycle including permitting and planning.
• Foster relationships with stakeholders to improve execution certainty.

Skills

Project development

Commercial judgment

Risk management

Team leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, real estate, business, finance, or a related field

Job description

Senior Director, Digital Infrastructure Development

Talen is seeking a Senior Director, Digital Infrastructure Development to lead the strategy, execution, and delivery readiness of powered land site development initiatives. This role will oversee end-to-end development of sites suited for data center customers through utility power strategy, zoning, permitting, pre‑construction, and handoff into execution while aligning development decisions with customer requirements, capital discipline, and long‑term portfolio value. This role serves as a key partner to commercial leadership in advancing customer engagements currently underway.

How You’ll Power the Future

At Talen Energy, your work directly supports safe, reliable power generation.

Responsibilities

• Lead Powered Land Strategy & Execution – Develop and execute the strategy for powered land site identification, acquisition support, and readiness for data center development.
• Oversee site development lifecycle, including permitting, infrastructure planning, utility coordination, and readiness timelines.
• Develop utility and energy strategies for each project, including transmission and distribution service, substations, interconnection, backup power, storage, tariff strategy, and clean energy pathways that support reliability, cost, and sustainability goals.
• Coordinate due diligence and development activities across engineering, design, environmental, water, legal, tax, finance, and commercial teams to ensure each project is technically sound, commercially competitive, and executable on schedule.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with customers, utilities, developers, landowners, public agencies, and community stakeholders to improve execution certainty.
• Build and lead a high‑performing team responsible for site development delivery.
• Serve as the central point of alignment between development, engineering, operations, transmission/interconnection, environmental, and regulatory teams so project scope, schedule, cost, and technical requirements remain synchronized through notice to proceed.
• Establish development processes, governance, reporting, and decision frameworks that improve speed, accountability, and portfolio visibility across multiple concurrent projects and markets.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to align development timelines with generation and infrastructure capabilities.
• Foster a culture of safety, ethical conduct, disciplined risk management, and constructive engagement with customers, utilities, regulators, and local communities.
• Support or lead ongoing data center customer discussions led by business development team by providing technical, development, and site‑readiness expertise.
• Support or lead negotiations for power supply, utility cost sharing, economic development incentives, tax abatements, and other arrangements that improve project economics and time to market.
• Translate customer requirements into viable site strategies and development plans.
• Participate in customer meetings, proposals, and negotiations as a subject matter expert.
• Build a scalable pipeline of powered land opportunities aligned to market demand and strategic priorities.
• Evaluate market trends, competitive positioning, and customer requirements to inform site strategy.
• Identify and mitigate development, regulatory, and execution risks to ensure projects are delivered on schedule, within scope, and aligned with business objectives.
• Own development budgets, milestone plans, risk registers, underwriting inputs, and stage‑gate approvals; present opportunity recommendations, risks, and mitigation plans to executive leadership.

Minimum Requirements

• 12+ years of progressive experience in data center, digital infrastructure, power infrastructure, large‑scale industrial, energy, or mission‑critical project development, with at least 5 years leading complex cross‑functional programs or teams.
• Demonstrated success developing large, multi‑stakeholder infrastructure projects involving site control, permitting, utility power delivery, commercial negotiations, and transition into construction or operations.
• Deep experience working with electric utilities, transmission or distribution interconnections, substations or other medium‑ and high‑voltage infrastructure, and power‑related commercial or regulatory matters.
• Strong commercial judgment with experience in project underwriting, contract negotiation, capital budgeting, risk management, and executive‑level decision support.
• Willing to travel as needed (25%‑50%) to evaluate sites, meet stakeholders, and oversee projects.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, real estate, business, finance, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience in one or more of the following environments: hyperscalers, colocation providers, digital infrastructure developers, utility‑affiliated infrastructure platforms, power developers, EPC firms, or energy‑intensive industrial development.
• Familiarity with data center design and delivery considerations such as phased campus development, customer deployment requirements, redundancy expectations, commissioning readiness, and operational reliability standards.
• Experience engaging with public utility commissions, state and local economic development entities, environmental and land‑use permitting authorities, and community stakeholders.
• Knowledge of energy markets, renewable energy solutions, and grid interconnection.
• Familiarity with GIS tools and site evaluation technologies.
• Experience working across multiple geographic regions and regulatory environments.
• Strong operator who can drive execution in ambiguous, fast‑growth environments with multiple internal and external dependencies.
• Credible external representative with the judgment and presence to negotiate with utilities, customers, developers, regulators, consultants, and senior executives.
• Excellent communicator who can distill complex technical, regulatory, and commercial issues into clear recommendations for executive stakeholders.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, prescription plans, life insurance, and disability insurance.
• Eligibility to participate in Talen Energy’s 401(k) plan.
• Competitive vacation and sick time.
• Commitment to a safe, drug‑ and alcohol‑free workplace.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Talen Energy is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to diversity and the strength it brings to the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, disability, perceived disability or any other protected characteristic as may be defined by applicable law.