US Director, UK Senior Manager, Distribution, Electric Control Centre Operations

About us

National Grid is hiring a Director of Outage Coordination (Transmission & Distribution) for one of the following locations:  Liverpool NY, Syracuse NY, Albany NY or Buffalo NY.

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating, and our expertise and track record put us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry.

To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

The Outage Coordination department is responsible for working with both internal and external stakeholders to plan and schedule routine maintenance and project work on the electric system across Upstate New York. Our department interacts extensively with field operations, project management, various engineering groups, and other utilities in the state to ensure the work portfolio is delivered safely, reliably, and efficiently. As the electric system becomes smarter and more complex, the need for coordinated, data-driven outage planning continues to grow. The Outage Coordination function plays a critical role in driving innovation to support the energy transition across New York State.

Job Purpose

The Director of Outage Coordination will lead the development, integration, and modernization of a unified Outage Coordination organization across Transmission and Distribution operations. This leader will evaluate and redesign the current structure, establish best practices, and champion digital transformation – including research into advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and analytics – to improve forecasting, scheduling, and situational awareness.

This is a newly created, highly visible role tasked with both designing the future-state organization and driving innovation to make Outage Coordination a strategic enabler of safe, efficient, and flexible grid operations.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the transformation of Outage Coordination into a centralized, data-driven organization integrating both Transmission and Distribution processes.
• Conduct a full organizational assessment and design the final structure of the statewide Outage Coordination function, including staffing model, reporting lines, and governance framework.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for Outage Coordination across Transmission and Distribution, ensuring alignment with company objectives, system reliability, and regulatory requirements.
• Research and assess emerging technologies – including AI, predictive analytics, and automation – for potential application in outage planning, scheduling, and reliability risk management.
• Partner with internal technology teams and external vendors to pilot digital tools and AI decision aids that enhance outage forecasting, resource optimization, and conflict detection.
• Direct the activities of the Analyst and the Transmission and Distribution Outage Coordination Managers and their teams.
• Develop standardized procedures, templates, and scheduling tools to align operational consistency for Outage Coordination across all control centers.
• Implement data governance, performance metrics, and dashboards for monitoring outage success and improving access-to-reliability balance.
• Serve as the escalation authority for scheduling conflicts affecting major capital projects, high-impact maintenance, or system contingency conditions.
• Serve as the escalation authority for guidance and approval for the scheduling of impactful load at risk work.
• Ensure all outage coordination activities comply with FERC, NERC, NPCC, NYISO, and internal control standards.
• Collaborate with Transmission and Distribution operations, engineering, and project teams to incorporate capital planning, system modeling, and operational priorities into outage schedules.
• Implement workforce readiness and training efforts to develop staff competencies in new tools, data interpretation, and AI-assisted coordination applications.
• Partner with internal and external operational senior leaders to prioritize and integrate work across the system.
• Represent Outage Coordination in outage scheduling meetings, regulatory discussions, and industry forums.
• Implement an Outage Coordination training program, which includes initial, on-the-job, and periodic continuing training for the department.
• Implement an Outage Coordinator progression series with associated qualification checklist items to promote continued learning and growth of team member skills.
• Promote deep organizational understanding of Clearance and Control procedures, switching practices, and system operating requirements.
• Champion a strong safety culture that is prioritized and reflected in the implementation of all Outage Coordination related activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, other Engineering disciplines, or related technical degree (preferred).
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in electric system operations, control centers, or Outage Coordination (preferred).
• Minimum of 3 years of people leadership experience, including direct supervision, performance management, and team development (preferred).
• Deep understanding of Transmission and Distribution system operations, outage planning, and reliability compliance requirements (required).
• Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks (FERC, NERC, NPCC, NYISO) and their application to Outage Coordination (required).
• Familiarity with emerging digital and AI technologies relevant to electric operations or system modeling (required).
• Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional teams and influence outcomes at the senior leadership level (required).
• Strong project management and organizational change experience within regulated environments (required).
• Outstanding collaboration, communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills across technical and executive audiences (required).
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to assess system risk in complex and dynamic environments (required).
• Experience presenting to executive leadership with the ability to influence cross-organizational priorities in complex, matrixed environments (required).
• Demonstrated ability to drive process improvement, innovation, and organizational change (required).

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