Smart Grids Academy Project Director

Description

Position Summary: GAIA is seeking a Project Director to lead the Smart Grids Academy, a strategic initiative aimed at developing advanced competencies in the smart electric grids sector, coordinating technical, training, and organizational aspects. Key Highlights: 1. Lead a strategic and innovative project in smart electric grids. 2. Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and energize knowledge communities. 3. Directly impact the business ecosystem and strengthen the electric power sector. GAIA, as the entity leading the strategic project *Smart Grids Academy*—developed in collaboration with the Foral Deputation of Bizkaia and Iberdrola’s *Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub*—has launched a selection process to appoint a Project Director, a key role to ensure the technical, training, and organizational success of this initiative focused on developing advanced competencies in the smart electric grids sector. The Project Director will be responsible for coordinating all strategic, operational, and relational aspects of the program, ensuring alignment with GAIA’s objectives, the talent attraction strategies promoted by the Foral Deputation of Bizkaia, and the needs of the electric power sector to facilitate the electrification of the economy. The selected candidate must demonstrate a solid track record in managing complex projects and possess in-depth knowledge related to electric grid management (supervision, automation, communications, sensing, integration of renewable resources, data analytics applied to the grid, OT/IT cybersecurity, etc.). The person holding the Project Director role will be responsible for designing, coordinating, and overseeing the content, training pathways, and technological demonstrators of the *Smart Grids Academy*. This requires the ability to interpret technological trends, identify emerging needs of the electric power sector, engage in dialogue with experts from grid operator companies, technology centers, and ICT providers, and ensure that the training program remains relevant, up-to-date, and applicable to professional practice. It is also essential to possess the knowledge and skills required to develop a business plan ensuring the project’s long-term viability, as well as to conduct appropriate budgetary monitoring. Additionally, the Project Director must demonstrate substantial experience in managing complex projects—particularly those involving collaboration among multiple stakeholders. Key responsibilities include project planning and monitoring, coordination of teaching and technical teams, quality control, milestone reviews, budget management, and preparation of progress reports. Experience in publicly funded projects and multi-stakeholder initiatives at regional, national, or European levels will be highly valued. The *Smart Grids Academy* Project Director will also be tasked with mobilizing talent, identifying experts, promoting corporate participation, and ensuring knowledge transfer to involved professionals. Their role is critical to guaranteeing that the project delivers direct impact on the business ecosystem and contributes to strengthening the competitiveness of the electric power sector within an increasingly electrified context. GAIA is therefore seeking a highly qualified professional with strategic vision, accustomed to working with multidisciplinary teams and energizing knowledge communities, possessing advanced management skills and a technological foundation—capable of representing the project at sectoral forums, events, and meetings with companies and public bodies, thereby placing them at the helm of a benchmark, transformative initiative for competency development in smart electric grids. Immediate Incorporation **Profile:** * University degree at graduate level or higher * Experience: minimum 15 years * Knowledge of electric grids and the pedagogical field—CAV, national, and international—is desirable. * Qualified experience in the functions described and in company(ies)/entity(ies) related to the electric grids sector is desirable. * Experience and knowledge in upskilling and reskilling projects for professionals is desirable. * Experience in developing strategies and leading teams. * Personal competencies including proactivity and results orientation, teamwork, service orientation, learning capacity, strategic vision, creativity and innovation capability, empathy, communication, and flexibility. Strong interpersonal skills and proven experience in collaborative/networked projects. Consensus-building and leadership capabilities. * Ability to develop relationships and seek alliances across diverse domains and contexts (including geographical\-geopolitical ones) * Availability for national and international travel * Advanced proficiency in Spanish, English, and Basque (desirable) **Additional criteria for evaluation:** motivation and attitude to share knowledge and learn. Familiarity with the Smart Electric Grids sector. Knowledge across multiple disciplines enabling engagement with any type of project. Ability to communicate, interact, and build alliances across diverse domains and contexts. Capacity for environmental observation and analysis. Availability for travel.