How to apply for Director, Strategic Delivery & Customer Engagement

About HITACHI ENERGY

Hitachi Energy is at the forefront of advancing sustainable energy systems, driving the transition to a carbon-neutral future. As a global leader in energy technology, the company offers a unique opportunity to work on impactful projects that shape the future of energy, all while fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. Remote flexibility further enhances work-life balance.

About the role

This role combines strategic oversight with hands-on customer engagement, ensuring complex initiatives are delivered successfully while driving customer satisfaction and retention. As a key leader, you will bridge cross-functional teams and external clients, directly influencing long-term value and Hitachi Energy's reputation in the energy sector.

A typical day

A typical day might start with a check-in with your team to review progress on key initiatives, followed by a meeting with a key customer to address their concerns and align on deliverables. Afternoons could involve cross-functional coordination with engineering and sales to mitigate risks, plus strategic planning for upcoming projects. Throughout, you'll serve as an escalation point, ensuring customer needs are met while driving continuous improvement.

Who HITACHI ENERGY is looking for

• A seasoned leader with 12+ years in customer-facing, project/program management, or operational roles, ideally in energy or related industries.
• Proven people manager who has coached and developed experienced professionals, fostering accountability and high performance.
• Expert at navigating complexity and ambiguity, balancing competing priorities across multiple stakeholders with a strategic mindset.
• Strong communicator and relationship builder, capable of serving as a primary escalation point and advocating for customer needs internally.

Tips for this application

• Tailor your resume to highlight specific examples of leading cross-functional initiatives with measurable customer outcomes (e.g., improved satisfaction scores, retention rates).
• Use the cover letter to explicitly connect your experience to Hitachi Energy's mission of advancing sustainable energy systems.
• Quantify your achievements in program management, such as budget size, team size, or efficiency gains, to demonstrate impact.
• Research Hitachi Energy's recent projects or sustainability goals and mention how you can contribute to those in your application.
• Prepare a brief narrative about a time you managed a complex escalation that resulted in strengthened customer trust and long-term value.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Emphasize your experience in customer-facing leadership roles and your ability to drive customer satisfaction and retention.', 'Highlight your people management skills, specifically how you have developed high-performing teams.', 'Showcase your ability to manage complexity and ambiguity, with examples of successful cross-functional project delivery.', "Align your career goals with Hitachi Energy's mission to advance sustainable energy systems."]

Research before applying

• Read Hitachi Energy's latest sustainability report and understand their key initiatives and targets.
• Familiarize yourself with their product lines (e.g., grid automation, transformers) and recent case studies.
• Review news about their role in the global energy transition and any partnerships or acquisitions.
• Check their leadership team's background and any recent statements on customer engagement strategies.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Describe a time you turned around a struggling customer relationship. What steps did you take?
• How do you prioritize competing demands from multiple stakeholders in a complex project?
• Tell me about your experience leading a remote or distributed team. How did you foster engagement?
• What is your approach to risk management in large-scale initiatives?
• How do you stay updated on trends in the energy sector, and how would you apply them here?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without customizing your resume or cover letter to the energy sector or this specific role.
• Focusing only on technical project management without emphasizing customer engagement and relationship building.
• Failing to demonstrate people management experience with concrete examples of coaching or developing teams.