The Director of Development will take ownership of developing a blend of PV, BESS and EV infrastructure projects in either or both the west coast or east coast regions (two separate hires being contemplated). The Director of Development will source greenfield opportunities through their established network, but also will be responsible for developing early and mid-stage opportunities originated from other team members. The Director of Development would be the “face” of the project, and responsible for engaging local engineers, legal, collaborating with internal teams on technical specifications and equipment selection, utility/interconnection, engaging town boards and AHJs as needed, negotiating PILOTs and similar to guide projects internally and externally from early stage to notice to proceed (NTP) as quickly as possible.
Role & Responsibilities:
• Oversee site acquisition and site control diligence, positive landowner relations, and associated real estate processes
• Manage the outsourcing and reviewing of environmental and geotechnical studies to mitigate impacts
• Manage third-party engineering studies and permitting. Coordinate with in-house engineering resources to confirm site plans and timelines for all studies and permits
• Manage projects through interconnection working with engineers to optimize project designs
• Maintain positive relationships with utilities and navigate interconnection process offtake
• In some cases, attending town hall meetings, or assisting partners with the acquisition of PILOTs and other tax exemptions/abatements
• Stay abreast of local and federal policies as they pertain to our active markets. Close out open items and red flags that local counsel raises regarding real estate, permitting, and interconnection
• Provide project due diligence and development recommendations, as needed
• Track and report project progress, and spending versus budget on soft costs required to get projects ready for handoff to our technical sales team
• Build strong working relationships both internally and externally. Manage and coordinate multiple projects with other team members in an organized, effective manner
• Review and manage state, federal, and local permitting efforts and approval processes for projects
• Coach staff and manage teams towards a high level of performance and engagement
• Collaborate with functions such as Origination, Technical Sales, Capital Markets, and Legal to develop and execute product and business plans
• Willing to travel as needed
Qualifications:
• Must have a minimum of 8 years experience developing and implementing distributed energy projects on the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic or Northeast
• Bachelor’s degree or higher; preference for engineering, business, real estate, finance, or related field
• Experience with Distributed and/or Wholesale Generation, solar energy, battery storage, EV charging and other distributed energy technologies
• Experience with Renewable Energy EPC and contract negotiations to drive operating performance and reduce operating costs, with direct experience and expertise in the development and construction of renewable energy projects
• Experience driving transformational change initiatives within organizations, including new technology implementations, organizational restructuring, and/or new operating processes to streamline operations
• Extensive industry knowledge of the energy sector, including renewables covering solar, BESS, DG, EV, and hybrid models
Desired Skill Sets:
• Self-motivated and excited to work in a dynamic, fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Solid analytical and financial modelling skills with strong attention to detail
• Proven ability to drive a commercial process, manage multiple stakeholders, meet deadlines, and innovate along the way to create maximum economic value out of a project
• Excellent written and oral communications skills
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills
• Ability to travel and go on site visits, meet with customers, landowners, engineers, towns, and similar.
• Innovative thinking, hunger to learn and grow, natural curiosity for doing things better and more efficiently, and a genuine desire to affect business strategy and make a demonstrable impact on a rapidly growing business
