Senior Program Manager & Key Client Lead, Data Centers

Ramboll • Chicago, IL

16h • $150,000 - $225,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ramboll is seeking a senior leader to own the integrated relationship, technical direction, and delivery agenda for a priority data center client in North America. The role serves as the senior day-to-day client partner, translating the client’s multi-site development needs into a coordinated account and program plan and mobilizing capabilities across power systems, substations, interconnection, generation, and other Ramboll service lines. The position combines program and project management with technical and key-client leadership, with accountability for delivery performance, technical and commercial rigor, and account growth.

The successful candidate will help develop and execute an annual client plan, maintain a qualified opportunity pipeline, lead priority pursuits, and convert client needs into profitable, repeatable work. They will lead complex delivery through project managers, oversee multidisciplinary projects and a coordinated portfolio of assignments, and guide project managers and technical leads to achieve consistent scope, schedule, quality, commercial, and client outcomes.

The position is part of Ramboll’s North America Power Systems team, working with specialists across substation engineering, protection and control, transmission, interconnection, power generation, civil and structural engineering, and energy strategy. The role also connects the client with Ramboll’s broader global data center and infrastructure capabilities. The position is hybrid and may be based in Seattle, Denver, Vancouver, Calgary, Arlington, Toronto, Boston, Syracuse, Chicago, or Houston.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience across project, program, client, or business management, including success leading multidisciplinary projects or portfolios and managing scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Expertise in a relevant power systems discipline and sufficient breadth to guide multidisciplinary teams.
• Understanding of power availability, utilities, substations, transmission, generation, load interconnection, and how ISO/RTO processes affect schedules and risk.
• Ability to build senior client relationships, develop account plans, win repeat business through proposals and negotiations, and clearly explain technical and commercial issues.
• Ability to work independently, bring together teams across disciplines and locations, coach others, and demonstrate improvements to practices or business results beyond a single project.
• Experience with CRM and project financial systems.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, energy, or power systems engineering, construction management, business, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience working with a data center developer, hyperscaler, or colocation provider; experience with other energy-intensive clients is also relevant.
• Experience with Maconomy or a comparable project financial platform.
• Advanced degree in a technical field or business.
• PMP certification.
• Professional Engineer licensure.

Responsibilities

• Support the account team and develop and deliver annual account and sales plans.
• Grow sales from the named account by building a qualified opportunity pipeline and converting opportunities into profitable work, aligned with North America Energy leadership’s annual objectives.
• Build relationships across the client’s development, engineering, leadership, procurement, real estate, sustainability, and operations teams.
• Raise Ramboll’s profile through client content, technical publications, workshops, conferences, seminars, and executive forums; share market insights and account lessons to inform strategy and service development.
• Keep CRM account, contact, activity, opportunity, positioning, pipeline, and sales forecast information current, and use agreed metrics to guide decisions and follow-through.
• Lead project managers delivering mid-to-large multidisciplinary data center infrastructure projects.
• Direct project managers, technical leads, subconsultants, and vendors to meet scope, schedule, quality, budget, and commercial goals.
• Use Maconomy and other Ramboll financial systems for project controls, forecasting, and reporting.
• Identify delivery and commercial risks early, pursue project opportunities, and resolve uncertainty through decisions, escalation, and corrective action.
• Lead project closeout, collect client feedback, and capture lessons learned to improve delivery and repeat business.
• Develop consistent practices, reusable tools, improved processes, and innovative digital deliverables to improve speed, quality, and scalability.
• Align internal teams across Power Systems, Energy, Environment & Health, Water, Buildings, and other Ramboll groups around client priorities; influence across the matrix and secure resources.
• Coach project managers and technical leaders in client development, commercial judgment, risk, and executive communication; mentor disciplines and practice areas.
• Independently deliver or direct complex technical work and develop assignment scopes and budgets.
• Act as a data center power expert, directing complex or specialized power systems, substation, transmission, generation, and interconnection work.
• Review decisions, proposals, and deliverables for quality, technical viability, and achievable commitments.
• Improve engineering standards, reusable methods, and guidance using lessons learned; develop solutions that address client objectives, risk, constructability, cost, schedule, permitting, and utility or ISO/RTO requirements.

Benefits

• Flexible work environment.
• Investment in your development.
• Leaders guided by Ramboll’s Leadership Principles.
• A culture that values employees as unique individuals.
• Colleagues, clients, and projects that provide inspiration.
• The long-term perspective of a foundation-owned company.
• A visible leadership role in Ramboll’s growing North America data center and mission-critical power business.
• Comprehensive benefits package supporting well-being, professional development, and work-life balance.
• Potential eligibility for bonus, overtime, or other forms of compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior