Data Centre Development Lead UK

Fuse Energy is an energy startup on a mission to make energy abundant and affordable, fast. We combine first-principles thinking with cutting-edge technology to build a radically better energy system.

We’ve raised over $200M from top-tier investors including Balderton, Lakestar, Accel, Creandum, Lowercarbon, Ribbit, 20VC, Hummingbird and Collaborative Fund, alongside strategic angels including Nico Rosberg and GPs behind Meta, Revolut, Spotify and Uber.

We’re building a fully integrated energy company: developing our own solar, batteries and other generation projects, building our own hardware, improving and developing grid infrastructure, trading power in real time, using AI across the business, and installing distributed energy in homes. By selling directly to consumers we cut out the middleman, lower costs and pass the savings on to our customers.

We’re hiring a Data Centre Development Lead to find, win and take UK data centre projects from first opportunity through to Ready-to-Build. You’ll sit in our Development team and report to our Head of Projects, owning two routes to market: developing sites from scratch, and acquiring projects and platforms through M&A. Because Fuse supplies the power to our data centre sites, either through private wire or virtual PPA, you’ll work hand in hand with our generation, storage, trading and supply teams to build projects where the power solution is part of the product. You carry each project until it is fully de-risked and handed to our EPC team ready for construction.

Responsibilities

Site origination and feasibility

• Own UK data centre development end-to-end, greenfield and brownfield, from first opportunity through to Ready-to-Build
• Build our UK site selection thesis (power, grid timelines, land, fibre, cooling, planning risk) and screen sites against it
• Secure land through options, leases and acquisitions

Power and grid connection

• Own the power solution for every site with Fuse’s Data Centres, whether private wire, virtual PPA or both
• Lead grid connection strategy and applications with NESO, TOs and DNOs, and own the critical path to energisation

Planning and consenting

• Lead planning, environmental assessment and consenting strategy, and manage consultants, counsel and local authorities to secure approvals on a realistic timeline

M&A

• Originate acquisition targets, from early-stage sites to Ready-to-Build projects and developer platforms
• Lead negotiations from NBO and LOI through to SPA, signing and completion
• Run financial and technical due diligence with Finance, Legal and our engineers, and own the call to proceed, reprice or walk away
• Structure transactions, including earn-outs, deferred consideration and conditions precedent
• Own post-completion development through to Ready-to-Build

Commercial and delivery

• Engage tenants, hyperscalers and colocation operators, and package Fuse’s power offer into the customer proposition
• Support development financing with investors and lenders
• Manage pre-construction risk and procurement, and hand over a fully documented Ready-to-Build package to EPC
• Maintain a live, gated pipeline aligned with company growth strategy

Requirements

• Proven experience developing data centres or comparable large-scale power-intensive infrastructure in the UK, taken from early-stage development through design, consenting and delivery readiness
• Direct experience of UK grid connection processes, including working with NESO, TOs and DNOs, and a clear view of how connection reform affects timelines
• Working knowledge of private wire arrangements and power purchase structures, including physical and virtual PPAs, and how they interact with grid connection, licensing and customer requirements
• Strong working knowledge of the UK planning system, including EIA, NSIP and local authority routes, and how data centres are treated in current policy
• Practical M&A experience: sourcing, valuing, running due diligence, structuring and negotiating acquisitions of development-stage projects or platforms through to completion
• Strong technical understanding of data centre infrastructure, including power, cooling and utility systems, with the ability to challenge engineering and design assumptions
• Understanding of development financing for infrastructure, including project finance structures and investor requirements, and the ability to read a financial model and stress test it
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills across landowners, local authorities, advisors, investors, lenders and customers
• Highly analytical, self-directed and comfortable with significant ownership, with the ability to run multiple projects and transactions at once
• Willingness to travel across the UK

Benefits

• Competitive salary and eligibility for equity
• Biannual bonus scheme
• Fully expensed tech to match your needs
• Private health insurance
• Breakfast and dinner allowance for office-based employees

As we hire globally, benefits vary by location.