Senior Grid Connection Manager (APAC)

About the role

Company Overview

STACK Infrastructure builds, owns, and operates hyperscale and colocation data centers that power the world’s most ambitious technology companies. With a rapidly expanding footprint across APAC, STACK combines deep development expertise, flexible capital, and operational discipline to deliver critical digital infrastructure at scale.

Our clients include the largest hyperscale cloud platforms. We are building a regional platform defined by speed of delivery, power reliability, and long-term partnership — and we are assembling the team to lead that effort.

Summary/Objective

The Senior Grid Connection Manager is a key technical role within STACK’s Power & Energy function, responsible for leading the technical grid connection process for large-scale data centre developments across Australia.

The role will provide technical ownership from early-stage grid connection feasibility through connection application, power-system studies, Connection Performance Standards (CPS), Generator Performance Standards (GPS), model development and acceptance, technical approvals, compliance requirements, commissioning and energisation.

Operating at transmission-scale load levels, the role will work closely with AEMO, VicGrid, Transmission Network Service Providers (TNSPs), Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs), specialist power-system consultancies, OEMs and STACK engineering and delivery teams to develop technically robust, achievable and commercially practical connection solutions.

The Senior Grid Connection Manager will act as a key technical interface between the electricity network and STACK’s development, engineering and delivery organisations. The role will also lead the engagement and performance management of external technical consultants and specialist contractors supporting the connection process.

The role does not require the individual to personally undertake all detailed power-system studies; however, the successful candidate must have sufficient technical depth to define study requirements, challenge assumptions, review results, identify risks and ensure technical outcomes are appropriately incorporated into the project design.

Grid Connection & Technical Interface

• Lead the technical grid connection process for large-scale data centre developments from feasibility through energisation.
• Manage technical engagement with AEMO, VicGrid, TNSPs and DNSPs, including technical submissions, information requests, reviews and approvals.
• Assess connection options, network constraints, capacity, technical risks, augmentation requirements and programme implications.
• Maintain the technical connection roadmap, key dependencies, risks and actions.
• Provide clear technical recommendations to Power & Energy, Development and senior leadership.

CPS, Power-System Studies & Modelling

• Lead development and technical negotiation of Connection Performance Standards (CPS), Generator Performance Standards (GPS), and associated connection requirements.
• Define and manage the power-system study programme, including load-flow, fault-level, dynamic, EMT, harmonic, power-quality and system-strength studies as required.
• Coordinate development and validation of facility models, ensuring they accurately represent the intended data centre electrical system and operating philosophy.
• Review and challenge consultant outputs, assumptions and conclusions, identifying technical risks and required further analysis.
• Ensure changes to equipment, load configuration or operating philosophy are appropriately reflected in models and studies.

Consultant, Contractor & OEM Management

• Lead engagement and technical management of specialist grid-connection consultants, power-system engineers, testing specialists and OEM technical resources.
• Develop clear scopes of work, technical deliverables, interfaces, programmes and acceptance criteria.
• Manage external providers against scope, quality, programme and technical requirements.
• Coordinate multiple consultants to ensure consistent assumptions and integrated technical outputs.
• Obtain and review technical data and models from major equipment suppliers, including UPS, transformers, generators, BESS and other power-electronic equipment.

Engineering & Delivery Interface

• Work closely with Engineering and Delivery to translate connection requirements into the design and delivery of upstream HV infrastructure.
• Work closely with Engineering to ensure the downstream electrical design and actual facility load behaviour are appropriately reflected in connection studies and CPS.
• Identify design changes that may affect connection assumptions, models, studies or technical approvals.
• Support technical requirements for testing, commissioning, compliance and energisation.
• Maintain alignment between the approved connection solution and the delivered project.

Technical Governance & Risk

• Maintain clear technical governance, documentation and decision records for connection activities.
• Identify and escalate technical connection risks early and drive resolution.
• Track connection conditions and technical approvals through to energisation.
• Develop repeatable standards, processes and lessons learned to improve future connection programmes.

Competencies

• Strong knowledge of Australian electricity networks and grid-connection processes.
• Strong understanding of AEMO, VicGrid, TNSP/DNSP, CPS and GPS requirements.
• Strong power-system engineering knowledge covering steady-state, dynamic and EMT studies.
• Ability to critically review and challenge technical studies and consultant outputs.
• Strong understanding of HV systems, substations, transformers, protection, control and power quality.
• Strong stakeholder, consultant and contractor management capability.
• Excellent technical communication and report-writing skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical issues into clear business recommendations.
• Strong programme, risk and interface-management capability.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering or related discipline.
• 8+ years’ relevant experience in power systems, electricity networks, generation, large industrial loads, data centres or major electrical infrastructure.
• Demonstrated experience with Australian grid-connection processes.
• Experience working with AEMO, VicGrid, and/or TNSPs/DNSPs on complex connections.
• Experience with CPS / GPS development or equivalent technical connection requirements.
• Experience managing power-system studies and specialist technical consultants.
• Experience interpreting RMS and/or EMT modelling results.
• Strong understanding of transmission and HV infrastructure.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience with transmission-scale large-load connections.
• Experience with hyperscale data centres or other large power-electronic loads.
• Experience with PSCAD, PSS®E and/or PowerFactory.
• Experience with system-strength, harmonic, fault-level and power-quality studies.
• Experience with BESS and renewable generation.
• Experience with 132 kV, 220 kV, 275 kV, 330 kV or higher-voltage infrastructure.
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) or equivalent professional recognition.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

• Ability to work flexibly to accommodate project, utility and stakeholder requirements

• ·Willingness to attend site, technical workshops and commissioning activities outside standard business hours where required.

• Comfortable operating in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

STACK provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.