Director, Grid Connections

Neara uses advanced machine learning to create engineering-grade, physics-enabled digital twins of electricity grids across four continents. As Director, Grid Connections, you will lead the integration and development of the Grid Connections capability, deliver the Self-Service Grid Connection Toolkit project awarded to Zepben under the Australian Government's Grid Enhancing Technology (GET) Grant, and create Neara's Grid Connections solution, extending impact beyond utilities to the communities and customers they serve. The role manages Customer Success engineers on the Project and works with a Delivery Lead (Project Manager) who reports to the Director.

Responsibilities

Overall Project accountability for the Self-Service Grid Connection Toolkit project, including time, cost and product trade-offs; Manage the Customer Success engineers assigned to the Project; Define efficient, scalable product expansion in collaboration with Neara's Product Director, Chief Product Officer and Chief Strategy Officer; Ensure T/DNSP and external-user workflows become actionable requirements and acceptance criteria; Lead GET partner relationships to secure data, workflow input, customer decisions and testing participation; Own GET customer readiness and acceptance outcomes; Explain the product's capabilities and value through technical workshops, demonstrations and customer discussions, including with governments and government agencies; Own the evidence of product benefits and approve substantive content for reporting and case studies

Requirements

Substantial Australian electricity or energy-sector experience, with practical understanding of distribution network connections and relevant customer workflows; Proven commercial leader, with demonstrated ability to commercialise and expand the adoption of energy-sector technologies; Demonstrated project outcome leadership across customer, engineering and product teams, including making time, cost and product trade-offs; Ability to turn customer discovery into prioritised requirements, acceptance criteria and timely product decisions, and validate product fit through practical testing; Ability to explain technical value to senior stakeholders, influence customer decisions and develop credible evidence and business cases

Nice to have

Experience with DER integration, network planning, technical product commercialisation, government-funded projects or grid connection policy and reform

Benefits

Competitive salary + ESOP; Significant career development and global growth opportunities; Fully flexible working arrangements with a well-stocked office in Redfern; Highly meritocratic, non-bureaucratic and no-ego work culture; Opportunity to work on complex, meaningful products and real-world problems; Opportunity to play a direct, critical role in the trajectory of a high-growth company