Sr Construction & Commissioning Manager HVDC

Job Description Summary

The Senior HVDC Construction and Commissioning Manager is accountable for the strategic oversight, technical leadership, and overall management of site execution teams. This role provides technical and project leadership for the planning, coordination, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) projects. The position requires periodic travel to project sites, particularly during critical construction & commissioning phases and major shutdown or outage events.
This role ensures that project execution is delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with technical specifications, quality standards, and contractual requirements.

Job Description

Construction Management

• Support on-site construction activities for HVDC converter stations, substations, cable systems, and associated infrastructure with primary responsibility of managing commissioning.
• Coordinate site managers, subcontractors, and suppliers to achieve commissioning milestones.
• Oversee installation of major equipment such as converters, transformers, valves, reactors, GIS/AIS equipment, cooling systems, and control/protection systems.

Technical Leadership

• Development of the work methodology and detailed day-to-day execution plan for the refurbishment of HVDC components (Valves and Control Systems) in alignment with the approved outage schedule.

• Oversee commissioning of HVDC converter systems, transformers, valves, switchgear, smoothing reactors, cooling systems, AC/DC yard equipment, and control/protection systems.
• Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for issues encountered during testing and energization.
• Ensure technical compliance with design documents, grid code requirements, contractual specifications, and industry standards.
• Support engineering teams in resolving design changes, non-conformances, and site technical queries.

Commissioning Management

• Development of pre-commissioning and commissioning documentation, checklists, and reporting formats.

• Plan and manage pre-commissioning, commissioning, energization, and performance testing activities for HVDC systems.
• Coordinate system integration and interface testing between electrical, control, protection, telecom, and SCADA systems.
• Ensure commissioning procedures, test protocols, and acceptance criteria are developed, reviewed, and approved.
• Lead troubleshooting and resolution of technical issues during testing and energization.
• Support handover of commissioned systems to the client and operations team.

Environment, Health, & Safety (EHS) and Quality

• Promote and enforce a strong safety culture across all site activities.
• Ensure compliance with EHS regulations, permit-to-work systems, lockout/tagout procedures, and project-specific safety requirements.
• Ensure all construction and commissioning work meets applicable quality standards, codes, and contractual obligations.

Stakeholder Coordination and Reporting

• Serve as the main point of contact for commissioning-related matters with the client, project management, OEMs, and grid operators.
• Participate in progress reviews, readiness assessments, and milestone meetings.
• Report commissioning progress, issues, risks, and recovery plans to project leadership.
• Support final acceptance testing, handover, and project closeout activities.

Documentation and Compliance

• Ensure site documentation is complete and up to date, including inspection records, test reports, punch lists, and as-built documentation.
• Verify compliance with grid codes, customer specifications, and applicable international standards.
• Support factory acceptance tests (FAT), site acceptance tests (SAT), and final project documentation closure.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive experience in HVDC, substations, power transmission, or large utility-scale electrical infrastructure projects.
• Strong experience in both construction management and commissioning of high-voltage electrical systems.
• Proven knowledge of converter stations, protection and control systems, testing procedures, and energization processes.
• Proven ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams in a remote/distributed capacity.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing large, complex EPC or turnkey HVDC projects.
• Knowledge of LCC and/or VSC HVDC technologies.
• Experience working with multinational teams, contractors, and clients across multiple geographies.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, and commissioning procedures.
• Strong data analysis skills for reporting project performance, risks, and recovery plans.

Typical Experience Profile

• 15+ years of experience in power transmission, substation, or HVDC projects
• 8+ years in a site leadership, construction management, or commissioning leadership role
• Demonstrated experience with high-voltage equipment installation, testing, and energization

Working Conditions

• Office-based role with significant domestic travel requirements.
• Work may involve remote project locations, outage windows, and high-pressure commissioning periods.
• Availability for field troubleshooting and critical milestone support is necessary. Depending on project requirements, site assignments may involve extended on-site deployments for prolonged durations.

Additional Information