Manager, Project Development

Summary:

Summit Ridge Energy is seeking a Manager, Project Development, tasked with supporting our growing development pipeline in the Midwest Region. The Manager will be focused primarily on de-risking ground-mounted solar projects through the successful completion of real estate, permitting, interconnection, program qualification, and other requirements to bring a project through to construction-ready status and ongoing support through construction for our distributed generation solar projects.

About Us:

Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar power company. By merging financial innovation and unmatched execution, we deliver reliable, locally generated energy that reduces reliance on foreign energy and contributes to a more resilient and secure electric grid. Summit Ridge is driving a future where solar power generation strengthens local economies and ensures energy independence for businesses and communities across America.

Role and Responsibilities:

Development roles:

- Control full development path and track project status and nuances from lease signing through NTP (primarily initial focus IL market)

- Accountable for cross-functional coordination to efficiently derisk profitable and financeable projects (own the full project story through the development cycle)

- Work with Legal to order and review title

- Work with engineering on interconnection filings and coordinate with utility and interconnection team to overcome interconnection constraints and drive favorable results for grid integration

- Work with Business Development to determine commercial path, model projects, and optimize project margins

- Work with engineering on structural review, designs, and system yield

- Coordinate with engineering on in scope development, project specifications, and component selection to ensure best-in-class solar system design packages as projects progress to advanced stage design sets

- Coordinate with preconstruction and procurement on project timing, EPC selection, materials for EPC bids, and long-lead procurement

- Coordinate with project finance and corporate operations team on key deliverables for financial closings

- Coordinate with accounting for timely payments and tracking of major future payments

- Lead coordination with AHJ’s on discretionary permitting efforts or variances

- Negotiate and execute key project contracts including site lease and easement agreements, interconnection agreements, PILOT agreements, etc.

- Liase with landowners and community stakeholders through project development process to address concerns, streamline timelines, and minimize costs and eliminate binary risks

- Lead interactions with program administrator or PSC commission towards qualifying projects into community solar programs (e.g. IL ABP, MD CSEGS)

- Manage third-party contracts with SRE’s technical, environmental, and interconnection consultants in support of project development efforts

- Monitor and evaluate clean energy trends and policies to communicate recommendations on strategic development to Summit Ridge leadership

- Evaluate technical and economic feasibility of pipeline projects at various stages of development

- Establish and foster key relationships with local permitting authorities, utilities, community members and other third-party solar developers

Development support roles:

- Support on controlling and auditing data integrity (dates, margins) continuously for SRE’s constantly evolving portfolio

- Train junior development and business development team members on the usage of Microsoft Office suite and Summit Ridge Energy’s Atlas platform

- Devise, develop, and implement process improvement strategies to streamline Summit Ridge’s development cycle and data control

- Liaise with FP&A ad hoc on financial projections and board meeting preparation

Required Skills/Competencies:

- Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, engineering, or equivalent degree

- 3-5 years of experience in the energy storage or small utility-scale or ground-mounted solar industry

- Strong project management skills to manage multiple projects at one time, meet short deadlines

- Experience consulting various GIS databases to identify site restrictions, terrain, flood plains, easements, etc.

- Experience evaluating and mitigating real estate risks, such as securing lease agreements, obtaining required easements, clearing title policy restrictions (SNDAs, etc.)

- Experience working in communities with planning boards and other agencies related to permitting, zoning and other community engagement

- Familiarity with energy storage and solar technologies and related electrical equipment including vendors, products, technical specifications, utility, and commercial standards, and applicable codes

- Ability to travel 25-30 percent of the time.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Occupational Health and Safety:

Summit Ridge providesa workplace free from recognized hazards and complies with standards, rules, and regulations issued under the OSH Act.

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment as well as in the field when visiting potential development sites or active development projects. In the office, this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, printers, scanners, filing cabinets, and teleconferencing software. The employee would be expected to travel to project sites by air, car, or rail. In the field, the employee may encounter walking on uneven surfaces and some exposure to outdoor climates.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.