Manager, Project Development – Transmission & Distribution

Description

Job Location: Arlington, Midland, Houston TX Hybrid or remote (Midwest) with heavy travel

Who We Are

Priority Power is the energy partner delivering the systems, expertise, and execution, required to power enterprise growth. Through our integrated multi-service offering spanning strategy, supply, infrastructure, and operations, we develop and operate mission critical energy solutions for organizations navigating today's complex energy landscape. From greenfield to gigawatt to grid, we make power possible at the scale and speed of ambitious growth demands - meeting the needs of an energy driven future.

Our Vision

To be the most trusted and capable integrated energy partner in the United States - delivering strategy, infrastructure, and execution at the speed ambitious growth demands.

Our Mission

Priority Power delivers the strategy, infrastructure, and execution that powers enterprise growth - with the speed, transparency, and accountability our clients depend on.

Position Overview

The Manager, Project Development – Transmission & Distribution will lead the development of a pipeline of utility-class, high-voltage electrical infrastructure projects, including transmission lines, substations, distribution systems, and grid interconnection facilities. These projects will extend reliable grid access and deliver purpose-built electrical infrastructure to Priority Power’s large industrial and commercial customers across market verticals including oil and gas, hyperscale data centers, crypto mining, manufacturing, and other power-intensive industries.

The successful candidate will manage all aspects of T&D project development, with particular attention to the unique requirements of high-voltage infrastructure: transmission line routing and right-of-way acquisition, substation siting and permitting, distribution system design, utility coordination, and grid interconnection. Responsibilities include site identification and ROW acquisition, environmental and land-use permitting, coordinating engineering and siting studies, managing the ERCOT or applicable RTO/ISO interconnection process, overseeing development budgets and schedules, and shepherding projects from concept through construction handoff.

This position can be based in Priority Power’s Arlington, Midland or Houston, Texas office (Hybrid) and will be expected to travel at least 25% of the time to other Priority Power offices, customer meetings, and project site visits.

The successful candidate will work on a cross functional team with new product development, origination, commercial, legal, finance, engineering, construction, and outside consultants, landowners, customers, project stakeholders and utility companies. The role requires project management knowledge and expertise with utility-class electrical infrastructure development.

Key Responsibilities:

• •Support the Sr. Director, Development and other internal stakeholders with T&D expertise to qualify and advance high-voltage infrastructure projects, including transmission lines, substations, distribution systems, and grid interconnection facilities.
• •Develop a pipeline of utility-class T&D infrastructure projects — including high-voltage transmission lines, switching stations, substations, distribution extensions, and private wire systems — serving Priority Power’s existing and prospective industrial and commercial customers.
• •Develop conceptual T&D service plans, one-line diagrams, load flow assessments, and other high-level technical documents to support project scoping and customer proposals.
• •Develop and manage project development schedules and budgets.
• •Lead project meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• •Manage contract obligations in key project documents.
• •Lead project permitting for T&D infrastructure, including land-use, NEPA, TCEQ, and local/county permits; develop permitting strategy, track all permit workstreams, and represent the project at public hearings and regulatory proceedings as required.
• •Coordinate delivery of site and environmental studies including geotechnical reports, Phase I/II environmental site assessments, transmission line routing studies, substation siting studies, survey and ALTA reports, and Title commitments.
• •Coordinate for delivery of ALTA Surveys and Title Reports.
• •Lead the ERCOT or applicable RTO/ISO interconnection process for transmission and distribution projects, from Interconnection Application through Facilities Study, System Impact Study, and Interconnection Agreement execution; coordinate directly with the applicable transmission service provider (TSP) or distribution service provider (DSP).
• •Collaborate with internal and external engineering teams as they advance T&D engineering and design, including line routing, structure selection, conductor sizing, substation equipment, protection and control schemes, and distribution system design.
• •Work with internal construction management team on contractor selection process.
• •Coordinate with construction management team on securing other permits.
• •Handoff projects once fully developed and permitted to construction management team.
• •Participate in project financings answering relevant diligence questions and providing required documents.
• •Coordinate additional resources or outside consultants/contractors as well as managing and meeting expenses throughout project development.
• •Apply critical thinking needed to communicate and influence employees at all levels regarding project risks, opportunities, and recommended action.
• •Provide support and analysis for Business Development pipeline reporting.

Requirements

• •At least 10 (ten) years of project development and/or project management experience in utility-class high-voltage electrical infrastructure, with meaningful hands-on experience in transmission lines, substations, and/or distribution systems.
• •Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with preference for electrical and mechanical, or demonstration of sufficient expertise in electrical engineering for utility scale power systems.
• •Professional Engineering licensing or ability to obtain is preferred.
• •Thorough familiarity with high-voltage T&D infrastructure including transmission line design, substation equipment, protection and control systems, and distribution architecture; knowledge of multiple RTOs/ISOs (particularly ERCOT) and associated transmission service providers (TSPs) and distribution service providers (DSPs) is required.
• •Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
• •Extensive knowledge of high-voltage electrical transmission, substation, and distribution systems, including line design, transformer and switchgear selection, protection and control schemes, and grid interconnection requirements.
• •Experience in T&D project development including ROW acquisition, easement negotiation, land-use and environmental permitting (NEPA, TCEQ, local/county), utility coordination, and transmission or distribution interconnection processing is strongly preferred.
• •Excellent oral and written communication skills are required including public speaking and/or platform skills for executive management presentations.
• •Self-starter, very self-reliant and capable of operating with minimum supervision.
• •Ability to work within a cross-functional team environment for project development and execution.
• •Ability to manage client expectations within the context of project development and execution.
• •Ability to effectively address and either manage or participate in the resolution of conflicts with clients or other project stakeholders which may arise throughout the course of project development.
• •Willingness and ability to travel 25 - 50% on average but more as required by projects.
• •Experience with energy storage (BESS) integration into transmission or distribution systems, microgrid design, or private wire infrastructure is a plus.
• •Experience with both front-of-the