Project Development Director, East Coast

The Director of Development – East Coast will support and manage the East Coast Development Team of the Direct Vertical Business Unit for DSD. The Director of Development – East Coast will take ownership of the development portfolio for east coast projects by directly managing projects and a team of Development Project Managers, who will be direct reports. This position will report to the Senior Director of Development.

Essential Responsibilities

• Manage and lead a team of Development Project Managers
• Assign new projects to team members, being cognizant of experience, skill set, and workload.
• Manage overall team workload and priorities.
• Conduct biweekly project check-in meetings with team members to ensure their projects are proceeding on schedule and budget.
• Guide the East Coast development team to properly review technical documents, diligence reports, and external designs of projects for accuracy and constructability.
• Guide project teams to achieve successful completion of development milestones
• Review and approve their team’s project development costs from estimation to final budgets.
• Review and guide their team to analyze sites for key design, development, and constructability factors based on constraint data, including, but not limited to, existing features, environmental risks, easements, or other encumbrances.
• Provide value development and engineering insight to your team.
• Review and approve their team’s project development costs from estimation to final budgets.
• Drive development progress and results, ensure accountability, holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Conduct annual performance reviews and set career/professional development pathways and goals for team members.
• Overarching responsibilities
• Oversee day-to-day development activities in support of DSD’s business strategies.
• Assist the Senior Director of Development in setting development team and individual goals during annual planning cycles and manage their team to key performance indicators and metrics throughout the year.
• Assist Senior Director of Development with workload forecasting and management.
• Support and opine on quality control standards and process improvements that increase development quality and efficiency.
• Manage business-level reports regarding project schedules and budgets to ensure timely and cost-effective team development efforts.
• Enforce and help develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for key processes.
• Lead bidding and contracting for development partners/consultants under a turnkey vendor development, engineering, and permitting model.
• Support Direct Origination and RFP teams with permitting pathway discussions, schedule, cost, and proposal narrative completion.
• Lead award kickoff calls to determine overall project risk, next step spend, and lean forward status.
• Lead a suite of projects from award to NTP
• Create schedules and budgets using MS Project, SalesForce, and Excel.
• Lead external and internal project meetings with clients and project teams to support complex issues impacting project viability and formulate next steps.
• Manage development partners/consultants, engineers, permitting expeditors, land use attorneys, etc,.to compile all documents required to submit for, and obtain, required discretionary approvals/permits.
• Attend RFP meetings, onsite customer meetings, and site visits as needed.
• Ensure all project funding conditions precedent (CPs) are identified and completed.

Qualifications/Requirements/Desired Characteristics

• Located in/around the Mid-Atlantic or New England region with the ability to travel regionally.
• Experience in the solar, construction, or real estate industries, with a experience developing C&I solar projects as behind and front of the meter with all major mounting product types (canopy, ground mount (fixed tilt, tracker, and ballasted), and rooftop).
• Experience in leading development of C&I solar projects that have a battery energy storage system (BESS) component.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Natural Resources, Planning, Construction Management, or related field.
• Exceptional communication skills
• Experience managing a team of direct reports.
• Experience developing projects on roofs, parking lots, greenfields, landfills, and brownfields.
• Experience managing a high volume of projects at once to accomplish business objectives.
• Ability to work remotely and independently and be a self-starter
• Ability to present articulately in front of customers, planning boards, and senior leadership.
• Understanding of solar contract methodologies including PPA, Cash, Lease.
• Understanding of solar project economics and triggers that impact project valuation under a PPA.
• Know general solar utility interconnection methodologies, timelines, costs, and processes, and how interconnection impacts overall development schedules
• General real-estate development knowledge
• Demonstrated computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Project, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Experience dealing with Northeast federal, state, and local agencies for various permits and entitlements including SEQR, CEQR, CPCN, DEEP, CT siting counsel, etc
• Knowledge of Salesforce, NetSuite, Procore, and SharePoint a plus
• Knowledge of project lifecycle cash flow forecasts a plus

Additional Eligibility Requirement DSD will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening.

Notice to Recruiters & Staffing Agencies Distributed Solar Development has an internal talent acquisition department and designated career site for individuals looking to join our team. Distributed Solar Development will not accept unsolicited resumes from any external recruiters, staffing firms, search agencies or any fee-based referrals. Any unsolicited resumes sent to directly to Distributed Solar Development, in any capacity will be considered property of Distributed Solar Development. This policy is applicable to all Distributed Solar Development locations and will be the responsibility of third parties and vendors to understand this policy. Distributed Solar Development will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.

DSD Renewables (DSD) is a renewable energy solutions platform enabling a more sustainable future by deploying and operating renewable energy solutions, making solar, storage, and EV charging infrastructure more accessible to commercial, industrial, and municipal partners. With in-house expertise, a broad scope of capabilities, and the proprietary DSD Connect Platform, our team provides resources to industry partners and customers across the US, accelerating the deployment and scale of renewable energy to meet aggressive sustainability and net-zero goals. To learn more, visit DSDRenewables.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Distributed Solar Development is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.