Director, Clean Energy Development

J T; Illinois City (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus up to 35% of annual salary

Job summary

J T is seeking a Director of Development to lead regional efforts in advancing community solar, storage, and distributed generation projects across Illinois. This role combines strategic planning with hands-on execution, overseeing a team of developers and coordinating cross-functional activities from site control to NTP.

The ideal candidate brings 10+ years in renewable energy development, strong leadership, and a deep market understanding to drive a large portfolio (>100 MW) while optimizing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Environmental Science, Energy, or related field.
• 10+ years in renewable energy project development or related management.
• Direct team management, coaching, and talent retention.
• Deep knowledge of power markets, permitting, interconnection, and project life cycles.
• Strong understanding of project finance and revenue stacking.
• Willingness to travel regularly across the region.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute regional strategy to grow the project pipeline.
• Manage and mentor development managers and associates.
• Set and monitor stage-gate criteria for capital investments.
• Report portfolio progress, budget adherence, and risk to leadership.
• Oversee full-cycle development for a large portfolio (100+ MW).
• Lead siting, permitting, interconnection, stakeholder engagement, and budgeting.
• Negotiate vendor contracts and consultant engagements.
• Build relationships with landowners, officials, regulators, utilities.
• Collaborate with Real Estate, Interconnection, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and Construction teams.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Public speaking

Strategic thinking

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Master’s degree or PMP preferred

Job description

J T is seeking a Director of Development to lead regional efforts in advancing community solar, storage, and distributed generation projects across Illinois. This role combines strategic planning with hands-on execution, overseeing a team of developers and coordinating cross-functional activities from site control to NTP.

The ideal candidate brings 10+ years in renewable energy development, strong leadership, and a deep market understanding to drive a large portfolio (>100 MW) while optimizing