Project Development Manager-Wind

Uniper; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Private medical insurance

Company pension

26 days annual leave

Travel opportunities

Job summary

Uniper is seeking an influential Development Manager specializing in wind to join our UK team and accelerate our wind development goals. You will lead origination, permitting, stakeholder engagement and grid connection across the UK and Ireland, working with internal teams to drive projects to Final Investment Decision.

The role requires deep knowledge of renewable energy development, strong stakeholder skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams across jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• Experience in developing utility-scale renewable energy projects, especially wind and energy storage.
• Understanding of all stages of project development: origination, land agreements, permitting, environmental assessments, grid connections and progress to investment decision.
• Proven track record delivering renewable projects through milestones.
• Knowledge of UK and/or Irish planning, permitting and regulatory frameworks for renewable energy.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of utility-scale wind and BESS projects across the UK and Ireland, ensuring commercial viability and milestones are met.
• Manage full project development lifecycle from origination to Final Investment Decision for greenfield and acquired opportunities.
• Secure and manage development workstreams: land, permitting, environmental, stakeholder engagement and grid connection.
• Oversee external development partners, consultants and contract developers to deliver objectives, schedules and budgets.
• Lead design and consenting activities including environmental assessments, planning applications and consent conditions.
• Support business development and acquisition by due diligence and assessing maturity, risks and value creation.
• Monitor regulatory, planning and market developments to stay compliant and competitive.
• Build relationships with landowners, authorities, grid operators and other external parties.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Construction, Procurement, Asset Operations and Commercial teams to ensure a clear path to construction and operation.
• Contribute to development process improvements and best practices.

Skills

Wind development

Stakeholder management

Project management

Regulatory knowledge UK/ROI

Due diligence

Business development

Education

Master's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

GIS

Regulatory reporting tools

Job description

Reporting to the Head of Wind Development- UK, we are looking for an influential, innovative and experienced Development Manager specializing in wind development to join our growing UK team and to help shape and accelerate our journey to delivering our goals. As a key member of the UK team the role will provide expert understanding of the wind market in the UK and RoI and be able to develop key development partnerships externally as well as undertake in‑house greenfield development of wind projects. Our current team is geographically spread around the UK with a focus in Edinburgh.

At Uniper, we are pro‑actively transforming the world of energy whilst at the same time ensuring security of energy supply. As an internationally operating company, we work in very diverse teams with the greatest possible working time flexibility for our employees. Our corporate culture is characterized by equal opportunities, mutual appreciation, and respect. With us, you will be able to develop new business models, work on technological solutions for a modern, sustainable, and future‑oriented energy supply as well as pro‑actively help to shape changes. Interested? Then we will look forward to meeting you!

Your responsibilities

• Lead the development of utility‑scale wind and BESS projects across the UK, Ireland and, where required, other Uniper markets, ensuring projects achieve commercial viability and are successfully progressed through all development milestones.
• Manage the full project development lifecycle from origination through to Final Investment Decision (FD), covering both greenfield developments and acquired project opportunities.
• Secure and manage critical development workstreams, including land agreements, permitting, environmental assessments, stakeholder engagement and grid connection activities.
• Manage external development partners, consultants and contract developers to ensure delivery against agreed project objectives, schedules and budgets.
• Lead project design and consenting activities, including environmental assessments, planning applications, appeals and the discharge of consent conditions.
• Support business development and acquisition activities by conducting technical and development due diligence, assessing project maturity, risks and value creation opportunities.
• Monitor, interpret and respond to regulatory, planning and market developments, ensuring projects remain compliant and commercially competitive.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with landowners, permitting authorities, grid operators, community stakeholders, regulators and other key external parties.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Construction, Procurement, Asset Operations, Commercial, Energy Offtake and other internal teams to ensure projects are developed with a clear pathway to construction and operation.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of development processes, standards and best practices across the renewables business.

Your profile

Essential

• Experience in the development of utility‑scale renewable energy projects, ideally wind and energy storage projects.
• Understanding of all stages of project development, including site origination, land agreements, permitting, environmental assessments, grid connections and progression to Final Investment Decision.
• Proven track record of successfully delivering renewable energy projects through key development milestones.
• Knowledge of UK and/or Irish planning, permitting and regulatory frameworks relevant to renewable energy development.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders, consultants and development partners simultaneously.
• Excellent project management skills, including budget management, scheduling, risk management and progress reporting.
• Commercial awareness, with an understanding of project economics, development value drivers and investment decision criteria.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams, including Engineering, Construction, Legal, Finance, Commercial and Asset Management functions.
• Good understanding of financial concepts, project valuation methodologies and investment appraisal principles.
• Growth mindset with openness to new technologies and a willingness to continuously develop relevant skills and capabilities

Desirable

• Experience negotiating and managing development agreements, land agreements, co‑development agreements, service agreements and project acquisition transactions.
• Experience undertaking development due diligence for project acquisitions and partnership opportunities.
• Interpersonal skills and the ability to represent Uniper effectively with external stakeholders and development partners.
• Technical expertise in solar PV and/or energy storage systems.
• Degree (Master's or equivalent) in Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Business, Economics, Law or a related discipline.
• Solution‑oriented, resilient and proactive approach, with the ability to perform in a dynamic development environment.
• Willingness to travel and work effectively within an international and multicultural organisation.

Your qualities

At Uniper, we not only reward our employees with attractive salaries, an excellent company pension and health related benefits for their hard work and dedication to shaping the future energy transition. You can also expect a supportive working culture that offers a wide range of creative and innovative ideas. We enable various flexible working arrangements, whilst also supporting with home office equipment.

Through Regular Training And Workshops, Together We Work Towards Visualising Yourself In Our Company As If It Were Your Own. We Support You In Highlighting Your Individual Potential, Achieving Your Personal Goals, And Reaching Your Ambitions. We Invite You To Become Part Of Our Diverse Company With International Colleagues From More Than 80 Countries. As An Employer, Uniper Has Committed Itself To Providing Special Support To Certain Areas

• Competitive salary
• Personal development and Learning opportunities
• Enhanced company pension – With up to 12% company contributions
• 26 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Electric vehicle charging at our sites
• In house Occupational Health Services
• Company funded Private Medical Insurance including free GP service
• Performance related benefits
• Access to a range of flexible benefits such as Share Incentive Plan, Dental, Critical Illness and Life Insurance, Cycle2Work, or buy and sell extra holiday
• Future career opportunities (UK & International) with a strong focus on Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Our employees are the reason for our success. Therefore, you will find many other benefits at the local level to help you reach your potential. Energy evolutionary wanted!