Director of Project Development

Swift Current Energy; Austin (TX); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Swift Current Energy is seeking an experienced Project Developer to lead the development of wind, solar, and battery storage projects across the United States. You will guide site screening, permitting, land negotiations, and interagency coordination, reporting to the VP of Development.

Ideal candidates have extensive renewable energy project development experience, a bachelor’s degree, and a proven ability to manage budgets, timelines, and stakeholder relationships in a fast-growing company.

Qualifications

• 3+ years leading utility-scale wind/solar/storage development in the U.S.
• 8+ years in renewable energy project development
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Lead development from site identification to ready-to-build.
• Oversee permitting, land acquisition, and stakeholder engagement.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams (procurement, pre-construction, finance).
• Manage development budget and reporting to leadership.
• Mentor junior staff and support career growth.
• Travel ~40% depending on project stage.

Skills

Project development

Stakeholder management

Regulatory research

Renewable energy

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

GIS

Job description

Swift Current Energy is a renewable energy project developer, owner and operator (“Swift Current” or the “Company”) with 1+GW of operational wind and solar projects and a strong growth pipeline. To support this growth, Swift Current is seeking an experienced Project Developer to lead development activities across the Company’s pipeline of wind, solar, and battery storage projects. Exact title will be commensurate with experience.

The Company has primary offices in Boston, Houston and Austin; this role may be based in any of these locations, or may work remotely from within the continental U.S.

We are Trailblazing a Path for Clean Energy Now. We are guided by our values: we have Integrity; we are Relationship-Driven; we value Collaboration; we are Entrepreneurial; and we value Growth. Additional information on Swift Current, our projects, and our team is available at www.swiftcurrentenergy.com.

Job Scope

This role will lead the development process for wind, solar and battery storage projects across the U.S., working in collaboration with the Company’s Procurement, Pre-Construction, Project Execution and Finance teams. You will bring your holistic view of the development process to lead such tasks as those outlined below:

• Manage the project development process from site identification to the “ready to build” stage:
• Lead the site screening, selection and feasibility assessment
• Conduct land, market, regulatory, and other project-related research
• Oversee land acquisition efforts by managing the lease negotiation process with landowners and serving as the primary contact with participating landowners
• Lead the permitting process at the local, state, and federal levels
• Secure any available state or local property tax incentives
• Engage and oversee third party consultants to perform site characterization studies, energy assessments, surveys, and any environmental studies necessary to ensure site-specific compliance with regulatory and financing requirements
• Be the “face of the project” by performing community outreach and other stakeholder management activities
• Enlist the support of internal resources in such areas as GIS, interconnection, and engineering to incorporate known constraints into the site layout and initial design
• Support the Pre-Con, Project Execution and Procurement teams with the preparation of EPC and Supplier RFPs
• Assist in the generator interconnection process to secure interconnection and transmission rights from transmission owners and ISOs
• Participate in the preparation of offtake proposals that are submitted to power purchasers, including utilities, community choice aggregators, and commercial and industrial customers
• Manage on-the-ground subcontractors and consultants
• Own the project development budget
• Support project tracking and reporting to the senior management team and investors
• Provide mentorship and assist with the development of junior colleagues
• Additional duties as required

The expected travel for this position is ~40%, depending on project stage. Job responsibilities may evolve based on Company needs and individual career growth. This role reports to the VP, Development.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience leading project development efforts for utility-scale wind, solar, and/or battery storage projects in the U.S.
• Minimum of eight (8) years’ professional experience working within project development in the renewable energy or power generation sectors
• Hands‑on expertise and knowledge of the broad range of activities and tasks associated with battery storage, wind and solar project development
• Demonstrable success advancing multiple battery storage projects from conception through the FNTP-phase of the project lifecycle
• Bachelor’s degree is required
• Current authorization to live and work in the U.S.

Personal Characteristics

• Relationship-oriented; capable of building lasting relationships internally and with external constituencies, including landowners
• Hands‑on: comfortable working “in the weeds” as well as at a strategic level
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written, with the ability to articulate complex concepts in a clear manner
• Highly organized with an ability to manage multiple projects at once
• Collaborative, responsive, and a team player, eager to partner cross-functionally to advance projects from conception through construction and into operations
• Comfortable working with a diverse set of stakeholders, from landowners and local officials to financing parties and investors