Managing Director, Utility-Scale Solar and Storage Development

The Company

Our client develops community- and utility-scale solar and battery storage projects across the U.S., leveraging the expertise and national presence of an established real estate investment and development firm with billions of dollars in assets under management.

Role Overview

Our client seeks a Managing Director to expand its utility-scale solar and storage portfolio, enter new markets, and steer projects from origination through funding and construction. This executive will oversee fundraising, financial evaluation, and capital allocation while advising the wider renewables team, including distributed generation. Texas or Washington, DC is preferred, with other U.S. locations considered.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Shape our client’s expansion plans for large-scale solar and battery assets, offering expertise to the distributed generation team when needed
• Guide projects from land sourcing and securing property rights through grid connection, approvals, environmental reviews, technical design, revenue agreements, funding, notice to proceed, and construction
• Direct progress across the battery project backlog, particularly assets navigating PJM’s grid connection queue
• Assess prospective regions and investments, using grid access, policy, revenue potential, and financial viability to determine entry plans
• Grow the project portfolio through new site origination, asset purchases, joint ventures, and strategic alliances
• Determine which projects merit funding by weighing execution uncertainty, cash needs, profitability, timelines, and anticipated returns
• Coordinate with colleagues and outside counterparties to secure buyers and establish routes to market
• Attract funding for the business and its assets from institutional backers, banks, and strategic investors
• Work with executives on funding arrangements, ownership structures, financial assessments, investment approval submissions, and business priorities
• Cultivate connections with power providers, grid operators, property owners, public agencies, advisers, project sponsors, and financial partners
• Introduce workflows, milestone reviews, spending plans, delivery timelines, and controls that support measured expansion
• Hire, coach, and strengthen the solar and storage team as the business grows
• Deliver recommendations on assets, funding, and business direction to executives and relevant decision-makers
• Act as our client’s representative with financial backers, business partners, and industry groups to uncover new opportunities

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree required; postgraduate qualifications preferred
• At least fifteen years developing clean energy, electricity, or infrastructure assets, with substantial expertise in large-scale solar and battery systems
• Proven success moving major energy assets through successive milestones, preferably from initial origination to construction authorization, funding, buildout, and operational launch
• Comprehensive knowledge of land rights, grid access, approvals, environmental assessments, technical design, financial feasibility, revenue arrangements, and funding
• History of establishing, expanding, or directing a major renewables business or substantial asset portfolio
• Thorough understanding of U.S. electricity markets and regional grid operators; direct PJM grid connection experience is essential for our client’s active projects, with exposure to ERCOT, CAISO, MISO, and SPP highly desirable
• Skill in turning policy, market conditions, grid constraints, and revenue prospects into practical expansion plans
• Substantial experience securing project funding and attracting capital, with the standing to work effectively with institutional backers and lending partners
• Sound investment judgment across financial modeling, execution risks, funding needs, and projected returns, including delivering proposals to investment approval panels
• Working knowledge of distributed generation sufficient to advise our client’s team; the position primarily centers on larger-scale assets
• Initiative and commercial drive to set direction and deliver results within an expanding business
• Credible executive leadership, persuasive communication, effective dealmaking, and strong professional relationships