Programme Director Grid Systems

SRI Executive Search has been contracted by the Global Grids Catalyst (GGC) to assist with the search for an exceptional candidate to fill the position of Programme Director - Grid Systems.

About Global Grids Catalyst (GGC)

Global Grids Catalyst (GGC) is a strategic hub and regrantor hosted by the Pooled Fund on International Energy (PIE) at the European Climate Foundation. GGC accelerates modernisation of electricity grids by coordinating funders, partners, and technical experts across regions.

The Program Director – Grid Systems will join a small, high-performing team working across Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

For more information, visit https://pieclimate.org/our-work-and-initiatives/gobal-grid-catalyst/

Role Purpose

The Program Director – Grid Systems leads GGC’s global technical strategy, ensuring the initiative’s work on power system planning, operations, flexibility, digitalisation, and modelling is rigorous, coherent, and high-impact. The role shapes GGC’s technical portfolio, oversees related grants, and builds partnerships with system operators, regulators, utilities, multilateral institutions, modelling groups, and technical experts. This person serves as GGC’s principal technical voice — translating complex power system insights into actionable recommendations for governments, grantees, and funders.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Technical Strategy & Thought Leadership

• Shape the architecture of GGC’s grid systems strategy across planning, operations, flexibility, digitalisation, and system optimisation, and adapt it to priority countries.
• Identify high-leverage technical interventions aligned with GGC’s strategy in priority countries.
• Serve as the primary technical advisor to funders, grantees, and regrantors on grid-related issues.
• Track global developments in power system innovation and translate implications for GGC’s strategic direction.

Grantmaking & Portfolio Leadership

• Develop and manage a portfolio of grants related to system planning, operations, flexibility, digitalisation, and modelling.
• Co-design grants with partners, ensuring strong technical rationale, feasible workplans, and meaningful milestones.
• Provide ongoing technical guidance to grantees to strengthen execution, quality, and impact.
• Manage the incubation fund to maximize innovation, learning, and catalytic outcomes.

Partnerships & External Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with system operators, utilities, regulators, technical agencies, and modelling collaboratives.
• Facilitate technical exchanges and peer learning across grantees, regrantors, and partners.
• Represent GGC in technical workshops, international meetings, and public events.
• Collaborate with multilateral institutions (e.g., IEA, IDB, World Bank) on power-system technical initiatives.

Modelling, Analytics & Evidence

• Lead GGC’s involvement and ecosystem coordination in grid modelling and analytical collaborations (e.g., OpenGrid, system planning tools).
• Ensure modelling and analytical work supported by GGC is policy-relevant, actionable, and contributes to system change.
• Translate technical outputs into insights usable by regulators, utilities, civil society, and funders.

Strategic Integration & Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with regional and national Program Directors to align technical strategy with regional priorities.
• Work with the Operations Lead and MEL staff to integrate technical results into dashboards, reporting, and learning systems.
• Shape the technical learning agenda for the Community of Impact.
• Supervise or mentor Program Associates supporting delivery and grant management.

Profile

Required Qualification

• Minimum 10 years of experience in electricity grids, power systems, system operations, or a closely related technical field.
• Demonstrated expertise in system operations, transmission planning, flexibility resources, distribution grid upgrades, or related areas.
• Experience working with or within system operators, energy ministries, regulators, utilities, or technical agencies.
• Strong ability to manage complex projects and multi-stakeholder technical partnerships.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues to non-technical audiences.
• Fluent in English.

Preferred Qualification

• Experience working across multiple countries or regions.
• Knowledge of power system modelling, flexibility markets, distributed energy integration, or operational forecasting.
• Proven ability to produce high-quality reports, briefings, and technical summaries.
• Fluency in another major language (e.g., Mandarin, Hindi, Bahasa, Japanese).

Terms of Appointment

The remuneration package is competitive and commensurate with experience. The appointment will be on an open-ended basis, subject to local hiring conditions.

Working Conditions

• Fully remote role; coordination across US–Europe–Asia time zones is required.
• Frequent travel for workshops, grantee meetings, and funder engagements.
• Comfort operating in a distributed and fast-moving team environment is essential.

Role Location

Asia or Americas (Remote)

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please ensure you click Apply and complete the Application Form by 30 January 2026 (23:59 hrs, GMT). It is essential that you submit your CV in English, specifically in Microsoft Word format (.doc/.docx), not exceeding 10MB.

Applications in other languages or formats will not be considered.

Rest assured, all information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.