Director of Development, Clean Energy Projects

J T; Maryland Line (MD); 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 identification and advancement of community solar, storage, and distributed generation across the Illinois region. The role blends strategic planning with hands-on execution—managing a team of developers while collaborating cross-functionally to drive projects from initial site control through Notice to Proceed (NTP).

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in renewable energy, strong leadership, deep market insight, and a proven ability to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Environmental Science, Energy, or a related field.
• 10+ years in renewable energy project development, utility-scale/distributed generation, or related energy sector management.
• Proven track record of direct team management, coaching, and talent retention.
• Deep knowledge of power market dynamics, permitting protocols, interconnection processes, and project development life cycles.
• Strong understanding of project finance, commercial deal structuring, capital allocations, and revenue stacking.
• Excellent negotiation, public presentation, strategic decision-making, and organizational skills.
• Travel: Willingness to travel regularly across the region as required by project development needs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute regional strategy to grow the project pipeline.
• Manage, mentor, and build the capabilities of a dedicated team of development managers and associates.
• Set and monitor stage-gate criteria for capital investments, evaluating project risk and success metrics at every phase.
• Report portfolio progress, budget adherence, and risk profiles to executive leadership while optimizing internal processes for scale.
• Oversee full-cycle development for a large portfolio ($100+ MW), managing all stages from land acquisition through NTP.
• Lead all core development functions, including siting, environmental permitting, interconnection, stakeholder engagement, and project budgeting.
• Direct negotiations for vendor contracts, service agreements, and consultant engagements.
• Leverage strong retail/wholesale market knowledge to expand opportunities across C&I and MUSH sectors.
• Structure and negotiate agreements for behind-the-meter (BTM) project developments with commercial off-takers.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Negotiation

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Environmental Science, Energy, or a related field

Master’s degree or PMP certification preferred

Job description

J T is seeking a Director of Development to lead identification and advancement of community solar, storage, and distributed generation across the Illinois region. The role blends strategic planning with hands-on execution—managing a team of developers while collaborating cross-functionally to drive projects from initial site control through Notice to Proceed (NTP).

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in renewable energy, strong leadership, deep market insight, and a proven ability to deliver