Solar Project Manager - Community and Commerical Scale

Job Title: Solar Project Manager

Location: Rochester

Employment Type: Full-Time

Project Size Focus: 5 MW – 100 MW

Sector: Community & Commercial Solar

Position Summary

The Solar Project Manager is responsible for leading the full lifecycle of community and commercial-scale solar projects ranging from 5 MW to 100 MW. This role oversees project planning, engineering coordination, permitting, procurement, construction execution, and commissioning. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, excellent stakeholder management skills, and a proven track record of delivering solar projects safely, on time, and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Planning

• Lead end-to-end project delivery from development handoff through construction and final commissioning.
• Create detailed project schedules, budgets, and execution plans.
• Coordinate engineering teams, external consultants, and EPC partners to ensure design alignment with project objectives.
• Oversee permitting processes, regulatory approvals, and interconnection requirements.

Construction Management

• Manage construction activities across multiple sites, ensuring adherence to safety standards, quality expectations, and project specifications.
• Conduct regular site visits to monitor progress, identify risks, and implement corrective actions.
• Oversee contractor performance, resolve field-level issues, and ensure alignment with contractual obligations.
• Support procurement of major equipment such as modules, inverters, racking, and balance-of-system components.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal teams, landowners, utilities, contractors, and local authorities.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication between development, engineering, procurement, finance, and operations teams.
• Ensure clear and consistent reporting of project status to leadership and key stakeholders.

Financial & Risk Management

• Maintain and track project budgets, forecasts, cash flow needs, and cost controls.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Support contract negotiation for EPC, subcontractors, equipment vendors, and service providers.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure project adherence to environmental, construction, and electrical standards (NEC, NFPA, UL, and local codes).
• Promote a strong safety culture across project sites in alignment with corporate and regulatory requirements.
• Verify quality through oversight of testing, commissioning, punch list closure, and handover to operations teams.

Project Closeout

• Lead final inspections, performance testing, documentation collection, and turnover to asset management or O&M teams.
• Conduct post-project reviews to support continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Renewable Energy, or related field preferred.
• 5–10 years of experience managing solar projects, ideally community solar or commercial-scale installations (5 MW–100 MW).
• Strong understanding of solar engineering, construction processes, and electrical systems.
• Experience working with utilities on interconnection, permitting agencies, and EPC contractors.
• Proficiency in project management software (Primavera, MS Project, or similar) and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven track record of delivering complex projects on schedule and within budget.
• OSHA 30 certification preferred; commitment to safety excellence required.
• Ability to travel regularly to project sites.

Working Conditions

• Combination of office and field-based work.
• Frequent travel to project locations and construction sites.
• Exposure to outdoor environments and active construction activities.
• Occasional extended hours during critical project milestones.

If this role is of interest please reach out to Simon Howard (showard@leap29.com)