Senior Project Developer 

Market-related Package

Gqeberha, Port Elizabeth

Role Purpose

The Senior Project Developer’s key mandate is to secure all the necessary land rights, authorizations, permits, and licenses required to lawfully build and operate a Wind, Solar PV and/or BESS project.

Responsibilities

• Identify and originate new renewable energy projects (e.g. Identify area with potential, conduct desktop analysis to clear initial project risks, identify land parcels to secure, conduct site visits, negotiate land lease agreements).
• Manage or facilitate commercial negotiations for the signing of agreements such as: land lease agreements, servitudes, environmental impact assessments, regulatory approvals, electrical connection applications and agreements.
• Apply and secure the necessary permits, licenses, and authorisations for renewable energy projects to be financed, built and operated. This includes interacting with numerous government departments such as : DFFE, DMRE, DAFF, DWS, CAA, SAWS, Eskom, SANRAL, DPW, DARDLR, and Local Municipalities
• Manage internal costs and external consultant costs in accordance with development budgets.
•  During the development phase, manage all external project stakeholders, including project opponents and Interested and Affected Parties.
• Implement strategies for the suitable mitigation of risks in order to successfully secure permits and licenses from authorities.
•  Whether in the context of ENVUSA or of external project acquisition, coordinate several projects’ due diligences in parallel to determine the permitting requirements of each project and establish a development plan and timeline to bring each project to Financial Close as efficiently and rapidly as possible. The developer is also responsible to identify any project risk which may lead to a mitigation measure that requires a financial provision in the project business plan.
• Support the Company’s participation in the upcoming rounds of the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Program and RFP’s for private off takers (primarily land and environmental sections of bid submission).
• Support the Project Director during financial close of a project and respond and close all queries raised by Lenders during their legal and technical due diligence process. This includes achieving compliance of the project with the IFC’s Performance Standards.
• Foster working relationships with external consultants, advisors, regulatory authorities, landowners and joint venture partners, convening meetings when necessary and bringing relevant matters to the attention of colleague’s and the Head of Project Development of the Company.
• Keep abreast of Renewable Energy and wider power market developments, monitoring market activities in the RE sector and identifying potential opportunities for, and threats to, the Company’s strategy.
• Provide support, mentorship, advice and training to Junior project developers.

Qualifications and Experience

• B Tech, BSC science /engineering, B Com, any bachelor’s degree
• At least 8 years work experience as a renewable energy Project Developer in South Africa.
• Knowledge of rural South African context; knowledge of SA administrations and environmental law; knowledge of the BBB-EE code.