Senior Development Manager

RATCH Australia Corporation; North Sydney Council; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

RATCH Australia Corporation in North Sydney is seeking a Senior Development Manager to lead the renewable energy development pipeline, including wind, solar and BESS. You will navigate planning pathways from site identification to construction readiness and final investment decision.

You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage regulatory approvals, engage with councils, landowners and communities, and help expand the project portfolio while maintaining strong industry relationships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field.
• 5–10 years of experience in project development, ideally in renewable energy.
• Strong understanding of Australian planning legislation and grid connection processes.
• Demonstrated success navigating complex approvals pathways and managing regulatory relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with proven experience preparing planning documentation and presenting to stakeholders.
• Strong organisational, project management and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to travel regionally as required.
• Experience with GIS or spatial analysis to inform site selection and planning assessments.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end planning and approvals processes for renewable energy projects across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
• Develop integrated planning strategies that support project objectives and reflect evolving regulatory frameworks.
• Coordinate and prepare statutory documentation including EIAs, DAs, planning reports and related studies.
• Build and maintain relationships with councils, planning authorities, regulators and stakeholders.
• Engage with landowners, Traditional Owners and community stakeholders to support consultation.
• Lead and coordinate specialist consultants to ensure timely, high-quality deliverables.
• Support cross-functional teams to optimise project outcomes and drive final investment decisions.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Regulatory navigation

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering - Urban & Regional Planning, Environmental Planning, Environmental Science or related discipline

Tools

GIS

GIS software

Job description

RATCH Australia Corporation – North Sydney NSW

Founded in 2011, RAC currently owns and manages 11 energy generation assets across Australia. Its portfolio comprises 1.6GW of renewable energy assets including gas-fired power stations that provide stability to the renewable energy market. A further 1.8GW of proposed projects is currently under development.

RAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of RATCH Group PCL, a leading energy and infrastructure company in Thailand listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, with energy assets and development projects across Asia-Pacific region

About the role

RATCH-Australia Corporation Limited is seeking a highly capable and motivated Senior Development Manager to lead development, of our expanding renewable energy development pipeline, including wind, solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

This role is critical to navigating complex planning pathways, guiding multidisciplinary teams, and ensuring regulatory approvals are secured efficiently and strategically. The Senior Development Manager will play a central role in enabling project success from early-stage site identification through to construction readiness and final investment decision.

What you'll be doing

• Lead end‑to‑end planning and approvals processes for renewable energy projects across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
• Develop integrated planning strategies that support project objectives and reflect evolving state and federal regulatory frameworks.
• Coordinate and prepare statutory documentation including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), Development Applications (DAs), planning reports and associated studies.

Regulatory & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with councils, planning authorities, regulators, government agencies and other project stakeholders.
• Engage collaboratively with landowners, Traditional Owners and community stakeholders to support transparent and meaningful consultation.
• Monitor legislative and policy changes and advise the business on implications and opportunities.

Technical & Project Support

• Lead and coordinate specialist consultants (grid, commercial, ecology, heritage, visual, noise, traffic, engineering etc.) to ensure timely and high‑quality deliverables.
• Demonstrated success in delivering grid connection approvals, planning approval and other project requirements.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with development, engineering, commercial, legal and external affairs teams to optimise project outcomes.
• Contribute to business development activities, including early‑stage due diligence, strategic planning and final investment decisions.
• Maintain and expand a strong network of industry contacts to support opportunity identification.
• Provide project leadership and be the driving force of the project
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior staff.
• Contribute to ongoing refinement of internal planning processes, documentation, governance and systems.

What we're looking for

Required

• Bachelor's degree in engineering - Urban & Regional Planning, Environmental Planning, Environmental Science or related discipline.
• Minimum 5–10 years’ experience in project development, ideally in the renewable energy sector.
• Strong understanding of Australian planning legislation and grid connection processes.
• Demonstrated success navigating complex approvals pathways and managing regulatory relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with proven experience preparing planning documentation and presenting to stakeholders.
• Strong organisational, project management and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to travel regionally as required.
• Successful delivery of project to planning approval, grid connection approval and final investment decisions.
• Experience in GIS or spatial analysis to inform site selection and planning assessments.