Director, Powered Land Origination

Zelestra

2d•$200,000 - $315,000•Remote

About The Position

Build and lead Zelestra’s U.S. powered land development business. The Director, Powered Land Origination screens, secures, and develops large-scale sites in SPP, ERCOT, and MISO where on-site wind, solar, and battery storage can power a substantial portion of data center load. Sites may be islanded or grid-connected, depending on project strategy. The role manages opportunities from initial strategic screening through development and sale as powered land to data center developers and hyperscalers, while Zelestra retains long-term ownership and operation of the energy assets. Working closely with Development, Engineering, Commercial Analytics, and Legal, the Director builds a repeatable, measurable pipeline of de-risked, customer-ready data center sites. This is a hands-on origination role in a lean-team environment, requiring travel of up to 40%.

Requirements

10–12 years of experience in utility-scale renewable energy development and/or data center site selection and development, at an IPP or renewable developer, data center developer, hyperscaler, or site-selection/real estate advisory firm.
Relevant experience may come from renewable development with meaningful data center or large-load exposure, data center site selection with meaningful energy development exposure, or ideally both.
Proven track record originating and closing infrastructure development transactions, such as options, leases, purchase agreements, ground leases, or site sales.
Working knowledge of SPP, ERCOT, and MISO and the utility, cooperative, and state regulatory frameworks governing large loads, including retail service territory, third-party sales, behind-the-meter and islanded supply, and large-load interconnection.
Familiarity with wind and solar resource assessment and battery storage, and with how hourly generation profiles translate into load-serving capability; ability to work with analytical and engineering colleagues to specify and interpret site screening and energy modeling.
Experience with local permitting, zoning, and entitlement, and with community and economic development engagement in rural counties.
Willingness to travel up to 40% and personally lead field negotiations in a lean-team environment.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, real estate, finance, economics, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Own the powered land pipeline by originating, screening, and ranking sites across SPP, ERCOT, and MISO against target criteria.
Set the land strategy and direct the land team to secure the desired acreage and site control.
Lead early data center development toward a customer-ready powered land package, including zoning and entitlement, county and state approvals, water and fiber access, gas infrastructure for reliability, and the permitting pathway; coordinate with Development and Engineering on co-located wind, solar, and BESS layout.
Lead each site’s regulatory and utility strategy, assessing state rules on retail service territory, third-party power sales, and islanded or behind-the-meter supply, and engaging utilities, cooperatives, and RTOs on large-load interconnection as an optional later grid connection.
Originate customers and develop the product by building relationships with hyperscalers, data center developers, and colocation operators; translate customer site requirements into screening criteria and develop the powered land product accordingly.
Negotiate site sale or lease arrangements to commercialize powered land, including long-term energy supply arrangements under which Zelestra owns and operates the renewable energy assets.
Lead engagement with communities, landowners, counties, and states, including economic development incentives such as tax abatements and development agreements, and proactively manage local opposition risk.
Own and design digital and AI tools supporting development and commercialization, including resource and infrastructure maps, hourly (8760) simulations of wind, solar, and storage load-serving capability, and cost-to-serve estimates.
Own each site’s business case and stage-gates for screening, site control, entitlement, and sale, including development budgets, timelines, risk registers, and expected returns presented to the Investment Committee.