Senior Development Manager

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Vestas-Steelhead Americas is looking for a motivated and experienced Senior Development Manager who will oversee the execution of a portfolio of projects under their assignment. Subject to the discretion of the Associate Director of Development, the Head of Development, and Steelhead leadership, the Senior Development Manager may be responsible for one or two direct reports on their regional development team. Responsibilities include advancing project development efforts for renewable energy projects and collaborating with cross‑functional teams responsible for the origination, acquisition, due diligence, advancement, and commercialization of renewable energy projects.

Management, Communication and Reporting:

• Execute regional, department, and company‑wide strategy with respect to regional project development.
• Lead and facilitate all reporting through consistent project information tracking via internal tracking systems and reports.
• Identify, manage, and mitigate project risks while maintaining development budget and schedule and anticipating upcoming major decisions.
• Facilitate internal approval process, including providing subject matter expertise and major decision recommendations.
• Participate in regular development partnership meetings.
• Inform and collaborate with cross‑functional teams on a regular basis.
• Liaise with all internal stakeholders as required to facilitate decision approval at appropriate milestones.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal teams across business development, engineering, wind resource, construction, sales, service, legal, finance, and various subject matter experts.

Development and Project Management:

• In coordination with real estate managers, execute, manage, and support land acquisition campaigns, including identification of landowners, initiating contact, and negotiating land agreements such as energy leases, purchase and sale contracts, easements, and right‑of‑way agreements.
• Maintain existing landowner communications with project update phone calls, letters, newsletters, project update meetings, and presentations.
• Oversee and coordinate discussions and negotiations with external parties, such as contractors, community members, permit agencies, utilities, and other involved individuals, ensuring proper handling of local, state, and federal permitting processes.
• Manage consultants—environmental, engineering, aviation, and biological—including engagement, contracting, scope management, invoice review and approval, and discontinuation of efforts.
• Collaborate with engineering team and external consultants to evaluate site layouts and constraints, technology options, schedule implications, and interconnection applications and studies.
• Negotiate key project agreements such as Road Use Agreements, Conditional Use Permits, and Tax Abatements.
• Facilitate contracting for pre‑construction activities such as preliminary geotechnical engineering and preliminary engineering.

Business Development:

• Coordinate real estate due diligence, review seller‑provided materials, and provide risk assessment for acquisition opportunities.
• Support Business Development in accomplishing milestones for attractive growth opportunities like development investments, acquisitions, joint ventures, and eventual project sales.
• Support pipeline growth through acquisition via opportunity prospecting and due diligence of developer and project opportunities.
• Support pipeline commercialization by serving as the subject matter expert on a project's fundamentals, participating in discussions with potential sponsors, and managing regional project development team efforts.
• Prospect investment opportunities and provide valuable support to the diligence process for acquisition opportunities, including evaluating developer capabilities and project‑level risks.
• Support the Finance and Legal departments during interaction with third parties (tax equity, construction financing, etc.) to ensure transaction terms are favorable.

People and Culture:

• At the discretion of leadership, serve as the reporting manager for one or two direct…