Director, OT Network & Security

RWE Clean Energy, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

The Director, Network Infrastructure, Operational Technologies (OT) provides both strategic leadership and operational direction for the company’s OT infrastructure. This role oversees two Tier 2 life-cycle support teams—Networking and Security—responsible for break/fix, maintenance, equipment refresh, and compliance across mission-critical OT systems.

Beyond day-to-day operations, the director plays a pivotal role in shaping the enterprise OT program, establishing governance, leading modernization efforts, and ensuring resilience of the company’s renewable energy infrastructure. The role collaborates closely with Tier 3 project teams, the Strategy & Planning function, and the Enterprise Architect to align operational support with long-term strategy.

Core Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic direction for all OT functions within the organization, ensuring seamless integration of security, applications, coordination, and incident/user support into a cohesive OT program.
• Establish, implement, and enforce enterprise-level OT governance frameworks, operational standards, and compliance protocols to ensure readiness for audits and inspections.
• Develop and manage multi-year plans for OT system upgrades, process enhancements, and workforce development aligned with business and regulatory needs.
• Direct large-scale, cross-functional OT initiatives such as modernization programs, security posture improvements, and critical infrastructure resilience projects.
• Represent OT leadership in corporate planning sessions, regulatory engagements, and industry forums to influence direction and policy.

Operational Excellence

• Lead two Tier 2 life-cycle support teams (Networking and Security), ensuring high performance in break/fix, maintenance, equipment/system refresh, and compliance.
• Oversee development of KPIs, dashboards, and reporting structures to provide executives with visibility into OT performance, risk status, and strategic progress.
• Ensure smooth handoff of systems from Tier 3 project teams into Tier 2 support for long-term operations.
• Serve as the senior-level escalation point for complex OT incidents, coordinating enterprise-level response and ensuring post-incident reviews drive improvements.
• Manage departmental budgets, ensuring optimal allocation of resources to priority initiatives while maintaining operational stability

Collaboration & Governance

• Partner with the Enterprise Architect and Strategy & Planning team to align operational practices with long-term technology roadmaps.
• Lead strategic vendor relationships, negotiating contracts and managing performance to ensure solutions meet enterprise operational requirements.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable standards (e.g., NERC CIP, NIST, ISO 27001) and drive continuous readiness for regulatory inspections.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in network and/or security infrastructure management, with at least 5 years in leadership roles.
• Deep expertise in networking and security systems technologies (e.g., firewalls, IDS/IPS, switches, routers, VPNs, segmentation, wireless, monitoring tools).
• Proven track record leading operational support teams with lifecycle management, compliance, and incident response responsibilities.
• Strong understanding of compliance frameworks relevant to OT environments (e.g., NERC CIP, NIST, ISO 27001).

Job Skills & Competencies:

Leadership & Influence

• Strategic thinker with strong operational execution skills.
• Excellent leadership and team development abilities.
• Strong communication and executive stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to balance compliance, operational stability, and innovation.
• Motivated self-starter, goal-oriented, and strong problem-solving abilities
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds

Knowledge & Applications

• Demonstrated desire to learn about the Company and the renewables space Sets enterprise-wide OT standards, governance, and best practices.
• Applies broad OT expertise to both strategic and operational planning.
• Demonstrates deep understanding of networking and security technologies with the ability to translate technical insights into business value.
• Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Teams

Collaboration & Interaction

• Represents OT in corporate planning, regulatory, and industry forums.
• Partners with executives to align OT strategy with business objectives.

Scope of Management & Supervision

• Leads all OT functions across the enterprise or major divisions.
• Oversees budgets, resource allocation, and strategic priorities.

Personal Attributes

• Commitment to safety, resilience, and regulatory readiness.
• Collaborative mindset with strong vendor and partner management skills.
• Resilient, adaptable, and capable of leading through change.

Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois is $160,000 - $220,000 . The listed salary range represents our good faith estimate for this position and represents the range for new hire salaries across all U.S locations. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. RWE considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s education & work experience, training & certifications, and key skills as well as market and business considerations at the time of the offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short-term incentives, in addition to salary.

Apply with just a few clicks: ad code 91202,
Any questions? Contact HR:  rwece_recruiting@rwe.com

We look forward to meeting you. Of course, you can find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Xing, too.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

RWE Clean Energy is the third largest renewable energy company in the United States, with a presence in most U.S. states from coast to coast. RWE’s team of about 2,000 employees in the U.S. stands ready to help meet the nation’s growing energy needs. With its homegrown and fastest-to-market product, RWE supports the goal of American Energy dominance and independence. To that end, RWE Clean Energy is committed to increasing its already strong asset base of over 10 gigawatts of operating wind, solar and battery projects, focusing on providing high-quality jobs. RWE invests in local and rural communities while strengthening domestic manufacturing supporting the renaissance of American industry. This is complemented by RWE’s energy trading business. RWE is also a major offtaker of American liquified natural gas (LNG).