Director - Substations
About The Position
The Director of Substation is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial performance of substation and high-voltage construction projects. This position leads engineering, construction, and commissioning teams to deliver complex transmission and substation infrastructure safely, on time, and within budget. At Baker Electric, this role plays a critical part in delivering complex electrical construction projects across energy, infrastructure, and commercial markets, requiring a leader who can effectively connect field execution, engineering expertise, and client relationships to drive successful outcomes.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field
- 10–20+ years of experience in: Substation construction / engineering, Electrical contracting (utility-scale preferred)
- 5–10+ years in senior leadership (Director / Sr. Manager level)
- Deep expertise in: High-voltage systems (69kV–500kV+), EPC project delivery models, Union labor environments (IBEW preferred)
Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a high-performing team of project managers, project engineers, superintendents, and field personnel
- Establish a culture of safety, accountability, and operational excellence
- Mentor emerging leaders and build succession pipelines across substation operations
- Drive collaboration across engineering, procurement, construction (EPC), and executive leadership
- Oversee full lifecycle delivery of substation and transmission construction projects (typically 12kV–230kV)
- Ensure projects meet schedule, budget, quality, and contractual requirements
- Manage project controls, including cost forecasting, risk mitigation, and resource planning
- Prefabrication efforts and oversight
- Oversee self-performed and subcontracted work, including union labor coordination (IBEW)
- Provide executive-level oversight of: Substation design (physical, protection & control), High-voltage equipment installation (transformers, breakers, switchgear), Commissioning and energization
- Ensure compliance with: OSHA, NERC, IEEE, and client-specific standards
- Promote innovation (digital substations, automation, modular construction)
- Own P&L for substation business unit or region
- Drive revenue growth, margin improvement, and cost control
- Approve bids, estimates, and major procurement decisions
- Monitor KPIs such as: Gross margin, Labor productivity, Change order capture
- Build and maintain relationships with: Utilities (IOUs, munis, co-ops), Developers (renewables, data centers), Engineering firms, General contractors and EPC partners
- Support pursuit strategy, proposals, and interviews
- Identify new markets (renewables, grid modernization, battery storage)
- Champion a zero-incident safety culture
- Ensure adherence to all regulatory, environmental, and company standards
- Lead incident investigations and corrective actions
Benefits
- health insurance coverage
- an employee wellness program
- life and disability insurance
- a retirement savings plan
- Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP)
- paid holidays
- paid time off (PTO)
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
