Director of Data Center Certification

EQL Tech

8d • Remote

About The Position

Data Center Energy, an initiative incubated by the Sijbrandij Foundation, is building an independent certification body for AI data centers. The goal is to create a trusted standard for how AI data centers are powered, helping make clean power the commercially superior choice. The certification body is not yet established; this founding leadership role will design its standard, business model, governance, team and operations from first principles.

The Director will own certification strategy, standards, team and growth, and report to the CEO of the Sijbrandij Foundation. The role works alongside the Director of Data Center Energy Strategy, whose track focuses on developer engagement and clean-power solutions. The certification business is expected to become financially self-sustaining through mechanisms such as facility-scaled fees, annual recertification, membership tiers and practitioner credentials. Surplus revenue will be redeployed into grants and impact investing across the sector.

The position is fully remote within the United States, with some travel expected to meet developers, utilities, municipalities and the Foundation.

Requirements

• Experience building a new organization, product or market from an early stage, ideally including creating demand as well as the offer.
• Credibility with data center developers and energy executives, as well as municipal officials and regulators.
• Working fluency in energy and data center fundamentals, including power procurement, interconnection, renewables and storage, and load flexibility; ability to lead technical experts and challenge their work.
• Commercial instinct, including designing pricing and revenue models and selling to skeptical buyers.
• Demonstrated team leadership and a track record of hiring well.
• Sound judgment regarding independence and conflicts of interest, and willingness to maintain standards under commercial pressure.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to make a technical standard compelling to developers, municipalities and the public.
• Deep personal commitment to clean, reliable power for the AI era.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with standards, certification, ratings or accreditation, such as LEED, ENERGY STAR, ISO or ESG ratings.
• Direct experience in data centers, AI infrastructure, utilities or energy development.
• Experience working with municipalities, permitting authorities or state energy regulators.
• Experience leading a nonprofit or membership organization, or working within or alongside a philanthropic funder.
• An engineering or technical background, or an advanced degree in a relevant discipline.
• An existing network across hyperscalers, developers, utilities and climate investors.

Responsibilities

• Set and own the certification strategy, including its three-year direction and scope, in alignment with the wider initiative.
• Lead development of certification criteria with technical experts, developers, utilities and municipalities.
• Design a business model, including fees, annual recertification, membership tiers and practitioner credentials, with a path to financial self-sufficiency.
• Build a lean operating model featuring a digital-first certification process, a remote auditor network and consistent quality assurance.
• Secure the first developer and municipal adopters and establish certification as a reference point for siting, permitting and procurement decisions.
• Safeguard the certification body's independence and determine where commercial relationships must not compromise certification integrity.
• Work with the Director of Data Center Energy Strategy to ensure certification and developer engagement reinforce one another.
• Hire and develop the core certification team and auditor network.
• Build external relationships across hyperscalers, data center developers, utilities, grid operators, municipalities, regulators, standards bodies and climate funders.
• Partner with the Foundation CEO on budget, impact, risk and the deployment of surplus revenue into grants and impact investing.
• Within the first twelve months, establish an agreed three-year certification strategy, publish Version 1 of the standard, put the business model and governance in place, design and launch the auditor model, begin pilot certifications with committed early adopters including at least one municipality, and establish a working partnership with the strategy track.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Founding leadership role building a new institution with seed backing from the Sijbrandij Foundation.
• Direct reporting line to the Foundation CEO and a close working partnership with the strategy track.
• Fully remote work within the United States.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed