Chief of Staff to the CEO – Electrical Engineering

Chief of Staff to the CEO – Electrical Engineering & Energy Infrastructure

Chief of Staff to the CEO – Electrical Engineering & Energy Infrastructure

Location: Portugal
Sector: Energy Infrastructure / HV Substations / EPC
Experience: 15+ years
Package: Competitive salary and benefits package
Travel: Occasional travel to project locations across Europe

The Opportunity

We are seeking a highly experienced electrical engineering professional to join a growing European energy infrastructure business as Chief of Staff to the CEO.

Based in Portugal, this is a senior strategic position combining executive leadership support, business planning, technical advisory and cross-functional coordination. Working directly with the CEO and executive leadership team, you will help drive business priorities, translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and ensure key initiatives are delivered across multiple European markets.

Unlike a traditional Chief of Staff role, this opportunity requires substantial technical expertise in electrical engineering and high-voltage infrastructure. You will bring the credibility to engage directly with engineering, bidding and project delivery teams, challenge technical and commercial assumptions, and provide informed insight into major projects and business decisions.

You will also play an important role in business performance reporting, executive governance, process improvement and the adoption of AI and automation technologies to improve decision-making and operational efficiency.

This is an opportunity for an established engineering leader who wants to broaden their influence beyond technical delivery and play a direct role in shaping business strategy, growth and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted adviser and sounding board to the CEO on strategic, operational, commercial and technical matters.
• Coordinate executive priorities, ensuring key decisions and commitments are translated into clear actions with defined owners and deadlines.
• Prepare executive briefings, management presentations, business analysis and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Monitor the progress of CEO priorities and ensure outstanding actions are followed through across the business.
• Represent the CEO at selected internal and external meetings where appropriate.
• Help ensure effective communication and alignment between the CEO and senior leadership team.

Executive Coordination & Governance

• Coordinate the activities of the executive leadership team across finance, operations, commercial, technology and project delivery.
• Organise executive meetings, quarterly business reviews and strategic planning sessions.
• Prepare agendas and briefing materials, document decisions and monitor actions through to completion.
• Identify cross-functional issues, resolve coordination challenges and escalation matters requiring executive intervention.
• Coordinate information and reporting for Board meetings and wider group-level reviews.
• Support the development and maintenance of governance frameworks, approval processes and management controls.

Strategy & Business Planning

• Support the CEO in defining, communicating and implementing company strategy and annual business objectives.
• Coordinate business planning and budgeting activities with finance and functional leaders.
• Analyse growth opportunities, market developments, potential partnerships and emerging technologies within the power and energy infrastructure sectors.
• Provide technical and project delivery insight into major bids, investment decisions and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor performance against business objectives, identifying risks, gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Lead the development and implementation of improved business processes, leveraging AI and automation where appropriate.
• Help ensure strategic priorities are translated into measurable outcomes across the organisation.

Strategic Initiatives & Performance Reporting

• Lead or coordinate high-priority initiatives on behalf of the CEO, from initial planning through to implementation.
• Develop and maintain management dashboards covering financial, commercial, operational, project delivery and HSE performance.
• Monitor order book, sales pipeline, project performance and business growth alongside commercial, finance and delivery teams.
• Prepare business cases, financial analysis and performance reports to support executive decisions.
• Improve the consistency and quality of management information across multiple business functions.
• Explore the use of AI and emerging