Director / Senior Director, Development Optimization
Location: Austin, TX (Preferred) or Denver, CO
Industry: Powered Land Development | Gas-Fired Power Generation | Mission-Critical Data Center Infrastructure
Reports to: SVP Development
Our client is a power generation development platform focused on delivering large-scale, gas-fired generation solutions purpose-built to serve next-generation hyperscale data center and AI compute campuses.
Position Summary:
Our client is building a multi-GW portfolio of gas-fired power generation assets integrated directly with hyperscale data centers. As the development platform scales, the organization is seeking a Director / Sr. Director of Development Optimization to institutionalize process, governance, and execution rigor across the development lifecycle.
This role will serve as the operational architect for the development organization, designing scalable frameworks, stage-gate processes, templates, reporting cadences, and portfolio prioritization systems that increase speed-to-market, capital efficiency, and cross-functional alignment. This is a high-impact role for someone who combines development experience with consulting-level operational discipline.
Core Responsibilities:
Development Process Architecture
- Design and implement standardized stage-gate development frameworks
- Build repeatable development lifecycle templates (site screening through NTP)
- Create portfolio dashboards and milestone tracking systems
- Develop risk identification and mitigation frameworks across fuel supply, interconnection, permitting, and commercial alignment
Operationalization & Governance
- Define development KPIs and performance metrics
- Establish meeting cadence structures and decision-making governance
- Standardize internal documentation and workflow processes
- Improve coordination across development, engineering, commercial, and procurement
Portfolio Optimization
- Support portfolio sequencing and prioritization across multi-GW projects
- Assist in marketing-ready materials for hyperscale customers
- Improve capital efficiency and development velocity
- Identify bottlenecks and implement structural solutions
Internal Consulting Leadership
- Serve as a strategic partner to the SVP of Development
- Identify inefficiencies and design operational improvements
- Lead change management initiatives within a scaling development platform
- Bring best practices from leading IPP, infrastructure, or consulting environments
Ideal Candidate Profile
This role requires a rare blend of structured thinking and real development exposure.
Attractive backgrounds include:
- Utility-scale power development (gas, renewables, or transmission)
- Experience within a high-growth IPP or infrastructure platform
- Consulting background (strategy, operations, or transformation)
- Experience building stage-gate processes or scaling development organizations
- Strong financial and portfolio prioritization acumen
- Executive-level communication and stakeholder alignment skills
Profiles similar to individuals who have operated at the intersection of consulting and development organizations are highly attractive.
What This Role Is Not
- Not a pure origination role
- Not a land acquisition or permitting-only role
- Not traditional project management
What This Role Is
- The operating system builder for a scaled development platform
- The architect of development governance and structure
- The internal driver of execution rigor across a multi-GW portfolio
Why This Role Matters
As our client scales its integrated power + data center platform, the ability to institutionalize process, drive accountability, and increase development velocity will directly impact enterprise value creation. This role is foundational to building a repeatable, institutional-grade development machine.