Summary

The Project Development Manager (Renewables Real Estate) will take charge of and oversee all facets of land and project development for both existing and forthcoming projects, operating under general guidance from the Director of Project Development.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and execute all elements of land development for both existing and forthcoming projects.
• Facilitate real estate inquiries to secure lands under favourable commercial terms for projects, liaising with property owners, agents, or legal representatives as necessary to discuss terms and conclude agreements.
• Ensure selected sites are compliant with zoning and land use requirements for future solar farm development as per local laws.
• Conduct preliminary analyses of interconnection options to ascertain the proximity and capacity of transmission or distribution lines relevant to potential sites.
• Arrange for surveyors to delineate site boundaries and identify essential infrastructure.
• Manage mineral title searches to ascertain stakeholders of potential sites, evaluate title risks, and devise mitigation strategies.
• Negotiate and finalize agreements for crossing existing site infrastructure, securing easements or right-of-way, and accommodating agreements with relevant parties.
• Engage with mineral rights holders to secure or negotiate waiver terms and agreements.
• Work with interconnection engineers or subcontractors to assess the load capacity of nearby transmission or distribution lines.
• Collaborate with environmental consultants for initial environmental evaluations
• Verify that potential sites are not in flood zones and coordinate with consultants for initial or detailed geotechnical and hydrological assessments.
• Obtain necessary permits from relevant federal, state, county, city, or other jurisdictional entities.
• Manage FAA analyses, securing required permits, and coordinate with environmental consultants for wetland and jurisdictional assessments.
• Work with local tax consultants or jurisdictions to assess, apply for, and negotiate tax abatement agreements, participating in town hall meetings as needed.
• Collaborate with title insurance companies on underwriting issues related to land ownership, securing appropriate title insurance policies.
• Interact with the business development, legal, finance teams, and EPC contractors to align project specifications, negotiate agreement terms, share cost projections, finalize design layouts, and navigate permit processes.
• Coordinate with real estate agents or brokers for leasing, purchasing, or selling processes as needed.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Energy, or a similar area is required.
• Requires 4+ years of direct, practical experience in Solar Project Development, (Real Estate focus is a positive).
• Essential to have robust problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Proficiency in both written and verbal communication is crucial for effective interactions with both individuals and groups.
• Experience in negotiation and a fundamental understanding of legal and contractual matters are essential.
• Capability to work both independently and as part of an effective team.
• The role demands multitasking across various projects, balancing risks, costs, and stakeholder relationships, especially in land acquisition.
• Knowledge on transmission, interconnection and distribution lines
• Competence in delivering effective public presentations.
• Familiarity with public land records, ownership research, land use considerations, surveying, and land engineering is required.
• Experience with tax abatement terms and processes is required.
• Significant interaction with jurisdictional authorities is a core requirement.
• Previous Landman background is preferable .
• Practical experience in securing permits from relevant authorities is needed.
• Knowledge of the title underwriting process is required.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%

If the opportunity sounds interesting, reach out to Simon Howard (showard@leap29.com)