Senior Project Developer - Capital Projects (Fixed-Contract)

LanzaTech; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

LanzaTech in Guildford, United Kingdom, seeks a senior project development leader to oversee opportunity-level development from identification to Final Investment Decision for large greenfield capital projects (USD 100M–1B).

You will coordinate cross-functional teams across planning, permitting, engineering, commercial, financial, safety and risk to deliver sound, safe, and strategically aligned initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related discipline.
• 10+ years of professional experience leading large, greenfield capital projects, typically USD 100M–1B.
• Proven ability to lead multiple workstreams including planning & permitting, engineering, commercial, financial, safety and risk.
• Strong communication and influence across disciplines without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and day-to-day coordination across capital project development workstreams (planning, permitting, engineering, commercial, financial, safety, risk).
• Execute development activities for individual greenfield capital project opportunities per governance and decision-gate requirements.
• Coordinate planning and permitting workstreams and oversee external contractors/advisors.
• Negotiate project agreements (NDAs, LOIs, heads of terms, definitive agreements) and coordinate Legal & IP reviews.
• Prepare and maintain opportunity development materials (scope, development plans, execution concepts).
• Ensure development deliverables for decision-gate reviews are complete, accurate, and timely.
• Integrate safety considerations in all stages of project development.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional coordination

Project governance

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Tools

MS Office

Project coordination tools

Job description

This role is offered as a fixed-term 12-month contract with the possibility of conversion to a permanent position.

Locations: Delft, Netherlands

• Ghent, Belgium
• Guildford, United Kingdom

Travel: ~40% within Europe and internationally

Summary

This role will lead and coordinate opportunity-level development activities for large, greenfield capital projects—from initial opportunity identification through Final Investment Decision (FID). The role provides strong leadership across all major project development workstreams to ensure projects, typically in the USD $100M to $1B range, are technically sound, commercially robust, safe, and aligned with strategic objectives. Direct experience coordinating the execution of commercial agreements and permitting applications is strongly preferred.

Operating within the capital project governance framework, this position is responsible for driving integration across planning & permitting, engineering, commercial, financial, safety, and risk workstreams, and for coordinating internal teams to support high-quality, informed investment decisions. Must have experience demonstrating initiative, strong motivation, and the ability to execute tasks with limited direction.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Tasks

• Provide leadership and day-to-day coordination across all capital project development workstreams, including planning & permitting, engineering, commercial, financial, safety, and risk activities.
• Execute development activities for individual greenfield capital project opportunities in accordance with established governance and decision-gate requirements.
• Coordinate and support planning and permitting workstreams, including coordination and oversight of external planning and permitting contractors and advisors.
• Negotiate various project agreements, including non-disclosure agreements, letters of intent, heads of terms, and definitive agreements, and coordinate Legal & IP reviews
• Prepare and maintain opportunity development materials including scope definitions, development plans, execution concepts, and supporting documentation.
• Ensure all development deliverables required for decision-gate reviews are complete, accurate, and timely.
• Integrate safety considerations into all stages of project development, including early hazard identification.

Strategy

• Support alignment of development-phase capital spend with approved business objectives and strategic priorities.
• Identify and evaluate opportunity-level risks and trade-offs related to scope, cost, schedule, safety, permitting, and execution strategy.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of capital project development processes, tools, and governance.

Leadership

• Provide strong cross-functional leadership and coordination across all project development workstreams within the matrixed organization.
• Align internal teams and external contractors/investors/collaborators to ensure safe, timely, and high-quality development outcomes.
• Demonstrate disciplined decision-making, accountability, and transparency throughout complex capital project development activities.

Stewardship

• Maintain complete and accurate records of opportunity development, assumptions, risks, safety considerations, and decisions.
• Support preparation of development updates and materials for senior management and governance forums.
• Ensure compliance with internal procedures, controls, and reporting requirements.

Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate cross-functional internal contributors including engineering, planning & permitting, commercial, finance, legal, regulatory, and safety teams.
• Negotiate various project agreements, including non-disclosure agreements, letters of intent, heads of terms, and definitive agreements, and coordinate Legal & IP reviews.
• Support engagement with external partners, licensors, consultants, permitting authorities, and advisors.
• Provide clear, accurate, and timely updates on opportunity status, risks, and development progress to the Capital Projects Leadership.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• More than 10 years of professional experience, with specific experience leading development activities for large, greenfield capital projects, typically in the USD $100M to $1B range.
• Demonstrated experience and accountability for leading all major project development workstreams, including planning & permitting, engineering, commercial, financial, safety, and risk.
• Strong understanding of safety and risk management principles applied during early-phase capital project development.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence across disciplines and organizations without direct authority.

Work Conditions

• Able to work in a general office and/or remote environment within the United Kingdom or Europe.
• Proficiency with MS Office and project coordination software tools.

Travel up to approximately 40% within the United Kingdom and Europe and internationally to support project development, planning, permitting, and partner engagement activities.