Director, Global Power System Transformation (f/m/d)

Agora Energiewende

The global power sector is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid growth of renewables, the electrification of industry, transport and buildings, and the resulting need to modernise power grids. Harnessing these shifts requires significant policy and regulatory change. The question many governments and regulators are asking is how to plan, operate and build power systems that integrate high shares of wind and solar, flexibility and storage, and rising electricity demand, while safeguarding reliability, affordability and energy security.

Agora Energiewende has built strong analytical foundations and international partnerships to help policymakers, regulators and utilities navigate this shift from fossil to renewable generation, accelerate electrification and modernise power grids. In close cooperation with a wide range of partners, we have developed techno-economic assessments, regulatory and policy proposals across a broad set of countries around the globe.

As Agora Think Tanks and the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) move into deeper strategic cooperation, Agora Energiewende is deepening its global power work, with the objective of leveraging best practices from both organisations and expanding into new geographies, such as the United States, Latin America, and India.

We are looking for a Director, Global Power System Transformation to lead this next stage: someone who can connect rigorous technical and economic analysis with political judgement, build and lead an international team, and position the organisation as a trusted partner to governments, regulators and utilities navigating the power sector transition.

To lead this transformation, we are looking for a

Director, Global Power System Transformation (f/m/d)

Full-time or part-time (min. 32 hours) | Strong preference for candidates based in one of Agora’s or RAP’s hubs (Washington D.C., Netherlands, Berlin, Brussels, Bangkok, Beijing, New Delhi) with option to work remotely | Frequent international travel required.

Your responsibilities include

As a member of the senior leadership team, you will:

• Shape the organisation’s strategy for the global power programme, with accountability for analytical quality, regional reach, and policy relevance across the techno-economics of power system transformation, grids and flexible electrification, and power market design and regulation.
• Line manage an international team across Europe, Asia, the United States and other target regions.
• Lead the programme’s analytical agenda, spanning power system pathways from fossil to clean generation, system integration of variable renewables, flexibility and storage, coal and gas transition frameworks, power markets and tariff design, grid planning and operation at transmission and distribution levels, technical connection standards, distributed energy resources (DER) integration, and stability and resilience of power systems with very high shares of renewables.
• Shape practical international and regional cooperation on power system transformation, working closely with a wide range of partners from civil society, academia, system operators, regulators, policymakers and the business sector.
• Guarantee the organisation’s programmatic coherence on power system transformation across all geographies through active coordination and knowledge sharing with regional programmes, ensuring the programme’s work stays connected to the operational realities of power system transformation on the ground.
• Represent the organisation’s global power programme to governments, regulators, utilities, funders, and think tank partners at global and national levels.
• Manage research quality, publication output, and stakeholder communication on the global stage, including expert positioning and media relations.
• Build and manage the programme’s budget, identify new funding opportunities, and develop funder relationships in support of the expanded programme.

We are looking for

• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience, including several years of management experience in an international setting with team leadership across multiple geographies.
• Strong strategic leadership on power system transformation, from techno-economics to market design and regulation, with deep expertise in at least three major areas of the power transition.
• Understanding of how power sector policy interacts with development, energy security and affordability objectives, and ability to engage credibly with policymakers, regulators and utilities across multiple regional contexts.
• Familiarity with global power system transformation platforms and initiatives, such as G-PST, RETA, and CEM.
• Familiarity with political processes and understanding of how political decision-makers think; ability to develop and represent complex and nuanced positions across diverse institutional contexts, and proven ability to turn technical and economic analysis into policy influence.
• Collaborative leadership style appropriate for a think tank: setting direction while respecting research autonomy.
• Motivating personality who can inspire systemic, integrative thinking and work effectively across geographies and institutional cultures.
• Strong and diverse international network spanning policymakers, regulators, utilities, development finance institutions, and civil society.
• Meaningful networks globally and in at least one major region.
• Fluent written and spoken English; other language skills valued, particularly Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Turkish, Spanish, or Southeast Asian languages.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to target countries and multilateral forum locations.

We assume there are excellent candidates for this role who do not meet all criteria listed above. Maybe you have certain skills we have not thought of yet? Tell us why you are the right person for this job.

What we offer

• A high-impact senior leadership role in a mission-driven international organisation at the frontier of global power system transformation policy.
• A diverse, international working environment with flat communication and decision-making hierarchies.
• Access to offices in Berlin, Brussels, Bangkok, or Beijing with hybrid options and good digital facilities to work in one of Agora’s or RAP’s hubs worldwide.
• Flexible working hours and vacation entitlement above statutory requirements.
• Professional development, a health & wellness package depending on the country of employment and access to mental health and coaching support.
• Permanent employment contract.
• Competitive salary.
• Support with visa and work permit applications if required.

How to apply

We look forward to receiving your application until 31 August 2026 via the website.

We want an energy transition for everyone from everyone. Therefore, we are particularly pleased to receive applications from people from groups that have been underrepresented in energy policy so far. We welcome applications regardless of gender and gender identity, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability and age, and sexual orientation. For reasons of objectivity, we ask that you refrain from submitting an application photo.

As part of this, we are soliciting anonymous information on a voluntary basis regarding our applicant’s backgrounds. This information will be used only to inform future recruitment strategies and will not impact hiring decisions in any form. Your input will not be forwarded to third parties and will not be used in connection with your application. Please follow this link to participate in the survey.

Personal contact for the position

Questions? Contact Sandy Rosenhauer at sandy.rosenhauer@agora-thinktanks.org

About us

Agora Energiewende, Agora Industry and Agora Agriculture develop evidence-based strategies for ensuring the success of clean energy, industry and agricultural transitions around the globe. As an independent and non-partisan think tank and policy laboratory, we analyse upcoming challenges, share knowledge with decision-makers and stakeholders and enable a productive exchange of ideas.