Development Manager I

About the role

The Development Manager works with a team of regional developers and reports to the Associate Director of Development or a Senior Development Manager.

Responsibilities

• In coordination with the real estate managers, manage and support land acquisition campaigns, including identification of landowners, initiating contact, and negotiating land agreements, including but not limited to energy leases, purchase and sale contracts, collection and transmission line easements, access road easements, and right of way easements
• Maintain existing landowner communications with project update phone calls and letters, newsletters, project update meetings, and presentations
• Establish and manage relationships with stakeholders, including elected officials, regulators, utilities, and community leaders, to support project development
• Collaborate with engineering team and external consultants to evaluate site layouts and constraints, technology options, schedule implications, interconnection applications and studies
• In coordination with internal and external subject matter experts, manage the environmental study and permitting process
• Manage consultants - for example, environmental, engineering, aviation, and biological consultants on projects - including engagement, contracting, scope management, invoice review and approval, and discontinuation of efforts
• Support the financial analysis and modeling of the projects
• Manage project level expenditures and invoice processing
• Develop project budgets and schedule highlighting key milestones
• Support the negotiation of key project agreements such as Road Use Agreements, Conditional Use Permits, and Tax Abatements
• Lead and facilitate all reporting through consistent project information tracking via internal tracking systems and reports
• Identify, manage, and mitigate project risks while maintaining development budget and schedule and anticipating upcoming major decisions
• Liaise with all internal stakeholders as required to facilitate decision approval at appropriate milestones
• Manage external consultants, including budget, deliverables and quality control; evaluate proposals from consultants and make recommendations on scopes of work and final selection
• Maintain strong working relationships and communication with internal business development, engineering, wind resource, construction, sales, service, legal, finance, and other subject matter teams
• Support Prospecting of investment opportunities, in collaboration with business development team
• Provide valuable support to the diligence process for acquisition opportunities, including evaluating developer capabilities and project level risks

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering or related discipline; MBA or related Masters' degree preferred
• At least 2 years of experience in project development, real estate, permitting, regulatory policy or project finance in the U.S. energy/power sector, preferably in wind energy development
• Has knowledge in key aspects of project development, including commercial markets, pre-construction, permitting, transmission, land acquisition, and financial analysis
• Working knowledge of interconnection processes
• Experience in project greenfield evaluation and feasibility analysis.
• Understands financial models, risks, rewards, and what drives value for portfolio projects,