Development Manager- Renewable Energy

COMPAÑIA ELECTRICA DE SOCHAGOTA S.A. E.S.P - TERMOPAIPA IV; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ContourGlobal is seeking an Development Manager to lead the project and due diligence team for utility-scale solar and storage projects, with exposure to wind. You will guide cross-functional teams across engineering, land, environment, permitting, interconnection, and finance, while reporting to senior leadership on risks and needs.

The role emphasizes process building, scalable development models, and engagement with internal/external stakeholders across multiple markets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, Environmental Science, Economics, Renewable Energy, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of renewable energy development industry experience; experience in engineering, procurement, interconnection, finance, accounting, valuation, or permitting is considered.
• Demonstrated ability to self‑direct and lead project teams.
• Proven ability to manage resources, teams, and deliverables across concurrent workstreams.
• Comfortable with project budgets, financial models, and other analytical tools.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities and a structured, logical approach to decision‑making.
• Action‑oriented and proactive, with strong ownership mentality and the ability to drive projects forward while maintaining measured and professional responses under pressure.
• Experience preparing and presenting updates and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Familiarity with U.S. ISO/RTO markets (ERCOT, CAISO, SPP, PJM, MISO, NYISO); experience across multiple markets preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross‑functional development and due diligence teams spanning engineering, land, environmental, permitting, interconnection, legal, finance, commercial, and external developers.
• Drive team alignment, set priorities, manage timelines, and ensure accountability across all workstreams.
• Provide concise, strategic updates to senior leadership regarding project needs, decisions, risks, and status.
• Lead development-focused due diligence for project acquisitions, coordinating technical, environmental, legal, commercial, financial, and land reviews.
• Participate in early-stage screening of new project opportunities using GIS, constraints analysis, and market research.
• Coordinate with the Interconnection team to track interconnection applications, studies, and queue progression across ERCOT, CAISO, SPP, PJM, MISO, and NYISO.
• Monitor industry trends, market conditions, and regulatory changes to shape development strategy.
• Manage and mentor junior developers on the team, providing guidance and support in their development activities.

Skills

Self-direction

Team leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Resource management

Problem solving

Ownership mindset

Executive updates

Strategic decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, Environmental Science, Economics, Renewable Energy, or related field

Tools

Excel

GIS

Project management tools

Job description

Job Summary

The Development Manager serves as the project and due diligence team lead for utility‑scale renewable energy projects focused primarily on solar and energy storage development, with secondary exposure to wind development. This role operates within a fast‑growing development group of a global energy company and offers the opportunity to shape processes, influence team growth, and take ownership of select projects while supporting senior developers on larger strategic assets. Projects may span greenfield origination, acquisition diligence, permitting, interconnection, commercialization, and pre‑construction execution across utility‑scale solar, storage, and select wind projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Project & Due Diligence Team Leadership
• Lead cross‑functional development and due diligence teams spanning engineering, land, environmental, permitting, interconnection, legal, finance, commercial, and external developers.
• Drive team alignment, set priorities, manage timelines, and ensure accountability across all workstreams.
• Facilitate structured and efficient team meetings; maintain action logs; escalates key issues with clear recommendations.
• Provide concise, strategic updates to senior leadership regarding project needs, decisions, risks, and status.
• Lead strategic evaluation of new development acquisition opportunities and potential greenfield opportunities for feasibility and fit within the portfolio.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
• Act as the central point of coordination for internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain strong working relationships with utilities, consultants, external developers, permitting agencies, landowners, and cross‑functional teams.
• Present complex technical and commercial issues in a clear and actionable manner.
• Engage with senior leadership regularly to communicate resource needs, project decisions, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Problem‑Solving & Decision‑Making
• Identify issues, involve relevant stakeholders, and develop solutions collaboratively using logic, structured reasoning, and data.
• Make informed recommendations quickly and escalates when appropriate.
• Maintain measured, professional, and thoughtful decision‑making in fast‑moving situations.
• Process Building & Continuous Improvement
• Identify, create, refine, and implement development processes, tools, and workflows as the organization grows.
• Contribute to building a scalable, repeatable development model for a rapidly expanding team.
• Navigate ambiguity effectively and perform well in environments without rigid or well‑defined processes.
• Monitor industry trends, market conditions, and regulatory changes to shape development strategy.
• Manage and mentor junior developers on the team, providing guidance and support in their development activities.
• Acquisitions Due Diligence
• Lead development‑focused due diligence for project acquisitions, coordinating technical, environmental, legal, commercial, financial, and land reviews.
• Evaluate land control, permitting, environmental studies, interconnection status, engineering completeness, and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare red‑flag reports, risk assessments, and investment committee inputs.
• Provide development assumptions and constraints for valuation and financial modeling.
• Targeted Greenfield Initiatives
• Participate in early‑stage screening of new project opportunities using GIS, constraints analysis, and market research.
• Work with land teams on targeted outreach, site evaluation, and stakeholder engagement where appropriate.
• Conduct preliminary feasibility assessments for priority development zones.
• Interconnection & ISO Coordination
• Coordinate with the Interconnection team to track interconnection applications, studies, and queue progression across ERCOT, CAISO, SPP, PJM, MISO, and NYISO.
• Support the Interconnection team in engaging with ISOs and utilities on interconnection issues, system impacts, deliverability risks, and negotiation of study assumptions and technical scopes.
• Communicate implications of interconnection results to engineering and commercial teams.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, Environmental Science, Economics, Renewable Energy, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of renewable energy development industry experience; experience in engineering, procurement, interconnection, finance, accounting, valuation, or permitting is considered.
• Demonstrated ability to self‑direct and lead project teams.
• Proven ability to manage resources, teams, and deliverables across concurrent workstreams.
• Comfortable with project budgets, financial models, and other analytical tools.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities and a structured, logical approach to decision‑making.
• Action‑oriented and proactive, with strong ownership mentality and the ability to drive projects forward while maintaining measured and professional responses under pressure.
• Experience preparing and presenting updates and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Familiarity with U.S. ISO/RTO markets (ERCOT, CAISO, SPP, PJM, MISO, NYISO); experience across multiple markets preferred.
• Ability to succeed in an organization with evolving processes and to help build scalable systems, tools, and workflows as the team grows.
• Houston, TX is the preferred location; however, qualified candidates located elsewhere may be considered for remote work.
• Willingness to travel approximately 25% of the time.
• Strong proficiency in Excel and familiarity with GIS, project management, and development tracking tools preferred.
• Success in this role requires strong ownership, cross‑functional leadership, organizational discipline, and the ability to proactively drive projects forward amid ambiguity.

Location

Houston, TX (preferred) or flexible within the US.

Equal Employment Opportunity

ContourGlobal provides equal employment opportunities and maintains a diverse workforce that reflects the rich environment of our society and the markets in which we operate.