Taylor Hopkinson is retained by a leading European renewable energy investment platform to appoint a Commissioning Director for their European portfolio.
This organisation operates as a dedicated investor and asset owner across large-scale energy infrastructure, with an active pipeline spanning battery energy storage, onshore wind, solar PV and data centre assets across multiple European markets. Backed by institutional capital, the platform is focused on delivering assets into operation safely, compliantly and with long-term performance in mind.
This appointment will place the right individual at the centre of the critical transition from construction into operations, acting as the senior authority on commissioning across the portfolio, ensuring assets are delivered in a stable, compliant and commercially protected condition.
This is a permanent, full-time position based in the Netherlands.
The Role
- Act as the organisation’s senior authority on commissioning across all European projects, providing independent challenge and clear recommendations to project companies, EPC contractors and advisors.
- Own commissioning governance across the portfolio, including frameworks for readiness, assurance, system completion and handover into operations.
- Provide technical leadership into EPC agreements, commissioning strategies and protocols, ensuring alignment from early-stage through to execution.
- Oversee commissioning delivery across BESS, onshore wind, solar PV and data centre assets, ensuring a consistent and structured approach across multiple technologies and markets.
- Drive operational readiness and handover quality, ensuring assets transition into operations with clear performance ownership and robust early-life optimisation plans.
- Lead engagement with EPC contractors, OEMs, transmission operators, DNOs/TSOs and advisors on commissioning execution, compliance and acceptance.
- Oversee grid compliance, energisation and acceptance testing processes, including compliance modelling, hold points, failed tests and defect resolution.
- Manage key technical interfaces across HV/MV systems, SCADA/EMS/PPC, OEM systems, telecoms and life-safety systems.
- Support commercial and contractual decision-making through the commissioning phase, including punch lists, completion status, liquidated damages, warranties and claims preservation.
- Collaborate closely with Project CEOs, EPC Directors, PMO, Commercial and Technical teams to ensure aligned delivery across the portfolio.
- Present commissioning risk, readiness and performance clearly to senior leadership and investment stakeholders.
The Candidate
- Proven experience leading the commissioning of utility-scale power or energy infrastructure projects across multiple technologies.
- Strong track record operating in an investor, developer, owner’s engineer or advisory capacity, with the ability to provide independent technical challenge.
- Deep understanding of commissioning processes across the full lifecycle, including system completion, compliance, testing and handover into operations.
- Demonstrable experience engaging with grid operators (TSOs, DNOs, ESOs) including grid code compliance, energisation and acceptance testing.
- Experience managing commissioning across multiple projects and geographies, driving standards through contractors and consultants.
- Strong knowledge of HV/MV electrical systems, control systems and plant integration including SCADA, EMS and PPC.
- Commercial awareness across EPC contracts, with the ability to support decision-making on completion, defects, performance and risk.
- Comfortable operating at both strategic and delivery levels, with credibility across executive stakeholders and project teams.
- Clear communicator, able to translate complex technical issues into structured recommendations for investment decision-making.
- Willingness to travel across the Netherlands and internationally in line with project requirements.
