Central Region Utility-Scale Development Director

RWE Clean Energy; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) match

Job summary

RWE Americas, LLC is seeking a Development Director for the Central Region to lead the initiation, development, and acquisition of utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage projects in the United States and Canada. The role requires independent leadership of complex projects and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders through to commercial operation.

The Senior role emphasizes strategic thinking, budgeting, permitting, interconnection, and financial modeling, with travel up to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business/economics, environmental science, planning, public policy, or a related field; advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage projects from greenfielding through start of construction, with accountability for schedule, budget, risk, and project value
• Serve as project lead for complex or high-priority projects, directing large cross-functional teams of internal subject-matter experts and external consultants without direct people-management authority
• Manage the full project lifecycle, including site due diligence, land control, environmental review and permitting, interconnection, engineering and preconstruction, energy yield, tax abatements, power marketing, financing support, and readiness for construction
• Define project strategy and critical-path priorities by integrating market, transmission, permitting, land, technical, commercial, financial, and stakeholder considerations
• Establish and manage project budgets, objectives, schedules, forecasts, decision points, and deliverables; prioritize development spending based on project economics, risk, and market attributes
• Lead cost-estimating and EPC-bidding activities in collaboration with Preconstruction, Procurement, Engineering, and Finance to improve cost certainty and support investment decisions
• Drive optimization of engineering design, constructability, commercial structure, and other technical and financial levers to strengthen project competitiveness and risk-adjusted returns
• Identify, analyze, and resolve high‑complexity issues involving land, grid access, permitting, community opposition, project design, commercial terms, or competing priorities, escalating material risks with recommended actions
• Lead critical negotiations with landowners, utilities, transmission providers, regulators, governmental entities, consultants, contractors, and strategic partners
• Understand the key drivers of project financial attractiveness and identify strong project locations in collaboration with RWE’s commercial, transmission, and technical teams
• Lead due diligence for project acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other transactions in collaboration with RWE’s M&A and functional teams
• Prepare executive‑level presentations and investment recommendations and drive internal review and approval processes with clear articulation of project value, risks, tradeoffs, and required decisions
• Support power marketing, financing, tax‑equity, and transaction processes by providing project inputs, coordinating due diligence, and ensuring that development assumptions are accurate and supportable
• Provide strategic and technical mentorship to Development Managers, Associates, and other colleagues; guide project work and share expertise without formal supervisory or performance‑management responsibility
• Actively shape Central Region development strategy and lead internal initiatives that improve development processes, tools, governance, standardization, and portfolio execution
• Provide support during construction to resolve development‑related issues and help ensure successful commercial operation

Job description

RWE Americas, LLC is seeking a Development Director for the Central Region to lead the initiation, development, and acquisition of utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage projects in the United States and Canada. The role requires independent leadership of complex projects and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders through to commercial operation.

The Senior role emphasizes strategic thinking, budgeting, permitting, interconnection, and financial modeling, with travel up to