Our client is a rapidly growing renewable energy company that is developing utility-scale community wind projects across the country. As a leader in community wind, the firm offers significant experience, a successful track record, and a broad network of contacts for every project. At this time our client has a 1600 megawatt pipeline of wind projects, with 500 megawatts in later-stages of development and three projects expected to begin construction in the next 6-9 months. The Company’s success in developing community wind farms is underpinned by its entrepreneurial, yet locally-minded spirit and its commitment to a business model utilizing true community involvement and investment. Employing a joint ownership structure with landowners and area community members for each wind project, our client enables participants an opportunity to influence the project and have their voices heard, as well as a real opportunity to share in the rewards. With the ongoing boom in renewable energy, this is the opportune time to join a growing, results-driven firm with a unique business model dedicated to becoming a development leader in this progressive industry.
Challenges:
Our client has demonstrated extraordinary growth and now requires a more focused, commercial approach to project development. As the company realigns its commercial and project development functions, our client needs a Head of Project Development to join the Company’s senior management team and lead land control, resource analysis, permitting, interconnection and off-take for wind projects nationwide. This individual will report to the Chief Executive Officer and shall directly manage the project development team. At this point, the development team consists of three (3) senior developers, three (3) junior developers, and one (1) wind resource analyst. As the company grows, transmission and origination specialists will be added to the project development team. This key leader must be a versatile project development expert with a proven ability to drive a wind project from early inception through to construction. In particular, the Head of Project Development must leverage past off-take success to immediately enhance the development team’s closing ability with regard to power purchase agreements. In this role, he or she must define and improve both strategic and execution aspects of the project development process while building a cohesive, cross-functional team. Always the Head of Project Development must champion a hard-charging, can-do attitude while engendering a diplomatic, empathetic disposition with landowners and community members. The development team’s culture is aggressive, driven and results-oriented, so it needs a leader with the complimentary spirit and attitude that pushes projects across the finish line.
Opportunity:
Managing all development activity on wind projects in a growing national portfolio, the Head of Project Development will have a tremendous, long-term impact on the success of the company. This senior member of the company will play the lead role in pushing our client to accomplish its 2013 goal to be IPO-ready with more than 3500 megawatts in the project pipeline and roughly 500 megawatts under construction or already in operation. With a superior ability to build rapport, manage and mentor less-experienced developers, lead and motivate, articulate value, and close deals, the Head of Project Development will make the company better and create added value for all project participants. Our client always rewards and opens doors for top performers, so the individual who can successfully achieve exceptional results will enjoy significant career growth opportunities within the organization. As the company expands and prospects the next phase of its evolution, the successful Head of Project Development has the potential to share in any initial public offering.
Job Scope:
- Lead all project development for the Company and manage/mentor/motivate development staff.
- Drive, push, charge and stop at nothing to achieve project development success.
- Develop, refine, and implement the development processes, procedures, and standards to allow for scalability in a business focused on mid-size projects (20-80MW).
- Embrace the Company’s local-partner model and find ways to leverage those local partners for project development success.
- Recommend and define land rights strategies and supervise the negotiation of all land leases and easements.
- Direct the evaluation of transmission alternatives.
- Oversee regulatory and environmental permitting for Federal, State and Local land use and transmission requirements.
- Secure power purchase and hedge agreements for projects, working with the Company’s commercial/origination leader.
- Coordinate engineering, procurement and pre-construction activities with the Company’s operations leader.
- Prepare and track project development budgets. Manage development schedule.
- Coordinate project development plans and activities with all internal and external organizations assuring seamless and successful development.
- Proactively anticipate and resolve development related issues as necessary.
- Build and maintain relationships throughout the industry.
Education / Experience Required:
- Minimum of a Bachelor Degree, preference for engineering or related science disciplines. MBA and/or other advanced degrees a strong plus.
- Ten plus (10+) years of project management and development experience in power, with recent experience in wind energy development.
- Proven ability to build, lead, and manage cross-functional development teams.
- Credible track record of driving wind projects from site identification to financial close.
- Experience with PPA negotiations and pre-construction requirements.
