Principal Power Utility Manager, Japan Region

• The Principal Power Utility Manager, Japan Region is responsible for securing, coordinating, and managing the power utility strategy required to support NTT DATA data center campus development across Japan. The role focuses on lining up utility power contracts, grid connection agreements, point-of-interconnection requirements, upstream and downstream utility obligations, and practical interim solutions where permanent utility power is delayed.
• This role is the regional power lead for Japan and acts as the primary interface between utility providers, transmission and distribution stakeholders, internal development teams, design, construction, procurement, legal, operations, and client-facing stakeholders. The position ensures that utility commitments, contract milestones, energization timelines, easements, permits, and infrastructure dependencies are understood, negotiated, tracked, and delivered in alignment with campus development, client obligations, and the global power roadmap.
• A critical part of the role is developing behind-the-meter and bridging-power strategies to support client demand where grid power is constrained, delayed, or phased. This includes coordinating technical, commercial, regulatory, and operational pathways for temporary generation, energy storage, microgrid concepts, district energy opportunities, demand response, phased energization, and other power resilience solutions. The role reports to the VP of Global Power.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES • Japan Power Strategy: Develop and maintain the Japan regional power utility strategy for data center campuses, aligned with development phasing, client commitments, sustainability objectives, and the global power roadmap. • Utility Contract Origination: Lead the identification, negotiation, and execution of utility connection agreements, power supply agreements, grid studies, application processes, and other agreements required to secure power capacity. • Point-of-Interconnection Management: Own coordination of all commercial, technical, legal, and delivery obligations from the point of interconnection, including upstream grid works and downstream customer-side infrastructure dependencies. • Upstream Utility Scope: Coordinate utility-side scope, including transmission and distribution upgrades, substations, feeders, wayleaves, easements, metering requirements, network reinforcement, protection studies, and utility delivery milestones. • Downstream Utility Scope: Coordinate customer-side obligations after the point of interconnection, including private substations, campus distribution, medium-voltage infrastructure, phasing interfaces, energization readiness, and handover documentation. • Behind-the-Meter Solutions: Develop and manage bridging-power solutions when permanent power is delayed, including temporary generation, battery energy storage, microgrids, demand response, phased energization, and other resilient supply options. • Client Power Enablement: Support client commitments by translating grid availability, energization constraints, behind-the-meter options, and phased power delivery into clear development and commercial inputs. • Contract Management: Manage the full lifecycle of power utility contracts, including obligations, milestones, notices, change management, commercial exposure, claims, risk allocation, and close-out requirements. • Power Delivery Roadmap: Maintain a Japan power roadmap showing capacity availability, critical-path utility milestones, permitting dependencies, long-lead infrastructure, energization risk, and campus expansion sequencing. • Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain strategic relationships with Japanese utilities, transmission and distribution operators, regulators, landowners, municipalities, consultants, and strategic energy partners. • Development Integration: Partner with site acquisition, development, design, construction, legal, procurement, operations, and finance to ensure power assumptions are embedded in the business case and delivery plan. • Permitting and Easements: Coordinate power-related permits, land rights, easements, wayleaves, route studies, authority engagement, and legal frameworks required for grid connection and utility infrastructure delivery. • Risk and Opportunity Management: Identify and mitigate risks relating to power availability, schedule delay, price volatility, supply interruption, regulatory change, equipment lead times, and utility performance. • Commercial Optimization: Evaluate power cost, tariff structures, phased capacity options, green power, PPAs, energy storage, demand response, and alternative energy strategies to optimize campus economics. • Governance and Reporting: Provide executive-level reporting to the VP of Global Power on Japan utility progress, contract status, risk exposure, mitigations, decisions required, and client-impacting power milestones. • Construction Interface: Ensure utility documentation, energization requirements, utility contacts, commissioning interfaces, and contract obligations are handed over clearly to construction and operations teams. • Market Intelligence: Track Japanese utility market trends, regulatory developments, grid constraints, energy policy, decarbonization opportunities, and emerging behind-the-meter technologies. • Process Development: Develop repeatable regional processes for utility applications, contract tracking, power risk registers, energization readiness, and lessons learned across Japan campus projects. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES • Secured and executable utility contracts for Japan data center campuses. • Clear ownership of power obligations upstream and downstream of the point of interconnection. • Credible power delivery plans aligned to client demand, campus phasing, and investment approvals. • Behind-the-meter mitigation plans for delayed grid power or constrained utility capacity. • Transparent reporting of power risks, contract milestones, cost exposure, and decision requirements. • Smooth transition of power utility scope into construction, commissioning, operations, and future campus phases. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES • Extensive knowledge of Japan power utility markets, grid connection processes, utility contracting, and regional regulatory requirements. • Proven experience negotiating utility connection agreements, PPAs, power supply agreements, grid studies, easements, and related delivery contracts. • Deep understanding of data center campus power requirements, utility-scale infrastructure, substations, medium-voltage systems, redundancy, and phased energization. • Ability to manage obligations both upstream and downstream from the point of interconnection, including technical, legal, commercial, and construction interfaces. • Experience developing behind-the-meter or bridging-power solutions such as temporary generation, battery storage, microgrids, demand response, or phased load enablement. • Strong contract management skills, including milestone tracking, change management, risk allocation, claims awareness, and performance management. • Strong stakeholder management skills with utilities, regulators, AHJs, landowners, consultants, construction teams, and executive leadership. • Commercial awareness of power pricing, tariff structures, cost optimization, green power options, power procurement, and development business cases. • Ability to communicate complex utility constraints clearly to development, construction, operations, sales, finance, legal, and client-facing teams. • Proven ability to operate in a fast-paced regional environment while aligning to global standards, governance, and reporting expectations. • Japanese market experience is required; Japanese language capability is strongly preferred. EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Energy, Infrastructure, Construction Management, or a related field; advanced degree preferred. • 12+ years of experience in power utilities, energy infrastructure, data centers, industrial power, grid connection, or complex infrastructure development. • Proven track record leading utility contract negotiations and power delivery strategy for large-scale infrastructure or mission-critical facilities. • Experience working with Japanese utilities, regulators, land entitlement processes, easements, route planning, and energization programs. • Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams across development, engineering, construction, legal, procurement, operations, and finance. WORK CONDITIONS • Japan-region role with regular collaboration across global power, development, design, construction, and operations teams. • Requires travel within Japan to utility offices, project sites, authorities, consultants, and partner locations; international travel may be required periodically. • Requires extensive daily computer, document, contract, schedule, and reporting work. • Must be comfortable operating in a fast-paced development environment with shifting priorities and critical client deadlines. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS • Reports directly to the VP of Global Power. • Must be able to support Japan-region business hours while coordinating with global leadership and cross-regional teams. • Must be capable of representing NTT DATA with utilities, regulators, clients, and strategic power partners. • Must protect confidential commercial, client, utility, and development information.