Director - Data Center Strategy & Development

About Harper Harrison

Harper Harrison is a leading executive search partner dedicated to Digital Infrastructure, working with owners, operators, and investors across data centers, renewable energy, and power-adjacent real estate. We partner with our clients to identify and secure the leadership talent driving the sector's next phase of growth.

We are proud to be retained by ContourGlobal, a KKR company, to lead the search for their Director, Data Center Strategy & Development

 

About ContourGlobal

ContourGlobal, a KKR company, is an established Independent Power Producer (IPP) focused on developing, acquiring, and operating electricity generation and storage assets across Europe, North and South America, with a presence in Africa and Asia. The company currently manages 6 GW of installed capacity across multiple technologies and asset classes, with an additional 1.3 GW of renewables under construction and nearly 12 GW under development.

 

ContourGlobal is accelerating the decarbonization of its portfolio and evolving into a predominantly renewable IPP, supported by long-term contracts and innovative PPAs coupled with energy management solutions that deliver value beyond market standards. As a symbol of its ongoing transformation and growth, the company recently unveiled a new brand identity, celebrating 20 years of history and embracing The Right Power Forward as its guiding purpose.

 

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and commercially driven data center development executive with a demonstrated track record originating, conducting diligence on, commercializing, and advancing powered land or data center campuses from site concept through customer engagement, utility coordination, and construction readiness. The successful candidate will lead the identification, evaluation, and advancement of data center opportunities across European markets, leveraging the company's existing renewable energy and power generation platform.

 

The Data Center Director will play a critical role in integrating digital infrastructure development capabilities into the broader organization and supporting engagement with hyperscalers, cloud providers, developers, utilities, and other strategic stakeholders. The role requires deep knowledge of data center site selection, power procurement, utility interconnection, fiber, water, permitting, and hyperscaler / co-location customer requirements.

 

The role should be able to leverage the company's existing renewable generation, BESS, interconnection, and power development capabilities to create differentiated data center opportunities.

 

Key Responsibilities

Site Identification & Market Strategy:

• Evaluate the company's development pipeline and existing renewable and power generation portfolio to identify the most attractive sites for data center deployment
• Define and take ownership of location theses across European markets, integrating analysis of regulatory frameworks, energy infrastructure, connectivity, and hyperscaler demand
• Act as the internal centre of excellence for powered land and data center development, transferring know-how to Business Development, Engineering, and Commercial functions

Project Development & Execution:

• Lead the screening and advancement of powered land opportunities, including power topology, substation proximity, utility service availability, interconnection path, load-serving strategy, fiber routes, access, water, environmental constraints, zoning, and local incentives.
• Lead early-stage feasibility efforts across land, access, power topology, fiber routes, water availability, permitting pathways, and tenant suitability, prioritizing projects based on speed-to-power, customer demand, interconnection optionality, and monetization structure.
• Define a disciplined project prioritization framework based on speed-to-power, customer demand, interconnection optionality, and monetization potential.
• Manage external technical workstreams including fiber delivery, gas pipeline access, environmental studies, civil readiness, and utility coordination.
• Act as ContourGlobal's lead for studies and external workstreams tied to load applications, fiber delivery, water supply, wastewater, environmental constraints, permitting, and constructability.

Internal Collaboration & Platform Integration:

• Partner with project development, interconnection, and commercial teams to embed data center workflows into the company's existing and proposed generation asset base.
• Provide expert input into the structuring of power supply solutions, including behind-the-meter, grid-backed, renewable-plus-storage, and gas-based firm power configurations.
• Collaborate with land teams, transmission specialists, and commercial leadership to ensure data center priorities are reflected across the company's broader growth agenda.

Commercial Engagement & Market Representation:

• Work alongside the Commercial Office to originate and develop relationships with hyperscalers, data center developers and operators, cloud platform operators, co-location providers, and infrastructure investors.
• Lead the structuring of commercial arrangements including land leases, joint venture structures, develop-and-sell transactions, and own-and-operate models.
• Represent the company in negotiations with tenants, developers, utilities, and strategic counterparties across Europe.

 

Qualifications and Skills

Your profile is a natural match if you have:

• Experience: 10+ years of experience in data center, real estate, renewable energy, or related infrastructure project development, with at least 3 years focused on data centers, powered land, digital infrastructure real estate, hyperscaler campus expansion, or large-load industrial development.
• Proven track record developing data center assets or powered land projects from site control through utility engagement, customer diligence, commercial structuring, and construction readiness.
• Solid expertise across site due diligence, land strategy, utility coordination, fiber routing, and tenant/operator engagement.
• Understanding of hyperscaler and colocation customer requirements and commercial structures, including power availability, utility service, substations, fiber, water, wastewater, civil infrastructure, zoning, permitting, tax incentives, and community acceptance.
• Experience working with utilities, ISOs/RTOs, transmission providers, fiber providers, civil engineers, landowners, local governments, and data center customers.
• Polished and commercially credible when engaging sophisticated counterparties at senior level.
• Ability to operate across multiple TSO and utility regulatory environments in Europe.
• Experience integrating data center development with power-rich sites, renewable assets, or firm generation solutions is strongly preferred.
• Travel requirements: Ability to travel 30%-40%.

What drives your application forward:

• A strong interest in transforming renewable and power-rich locations into scalable data center development opportunities.
• The ability to distinguish credible sites from speculative ones through analysis of power availability, utility delivery timelines, fiber connectivity, water access, permitting feasibility, and customer demand..
• A commercial mindset focused on building compelling development theses for hyperscalers, colocation operators, and infrastructure investors
• Motivation to turn early-stage concepts into actionable opportunities with clear site control, diligence strategy, customer positioning, power roadmap, and investment rationale.
• Enthusiasm for contributing to the creation of a repeatable and scalable data center development platform rather than evaluating isolated one-off projects.

Contour Global Values

We is our greatest asset.

We respect and protect the environment.

We are doers, committed to doing things right.

We act with integrity and transparency.

We think and act like entrepreneurs.

You can find here more about our Purpose, Mission and Values.

 

Working at ContourGlobal

As a globally integrated team, we push boundaries, work collaboratively, and remain agile in the pursuit of excellence. With an entrepreneurial mindset, we encourage initiative and innovation. At ContourGlobal you are an employee, and you are also an owner. Our Employee Ownership Program allows our employee-owners to make a difference and drive the right power forward and make clean energy the natural choice for all!

 

We foster a culture where individuals are empowered to succeed, contribute and shape the future of sustainable energy.

 

Cross-border collaboration shapes our way of working: our diverse workforce reflects the multicultural environment we embrace every day.

 

We offer a competitive compensation package: we believe in meritocracy and rewarding meaningful contributions.

 

We enjoy making the most of our shared spaces to foster teamwork and collaboration. At the same time, our flexible working policy allows us to prioritize results while supporting wellbeing and a healthy work-life balance.

 

ContourGlobal provides equal employment opportunities and maintains a diverse workforce that reflects the rich environment of our society and the markets in which we operate.