Manager, Permitting (East Region)

Strata Clean Energy; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Strata Clean Energy is seeking a Permitting Manager to plan and oversee discretionary land use and natural resources permitting for our East development portfolio. You will coordinate with Development, Land, Engineering, Transmission & Interconnection, Project Finance and Execution/EPC teams to ensure regulatory compliance and timely approvals.

You will lead permitting strategies, manage external consultants, and engage with AHJs and regulators across the Southeast, Midwest, and New England,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, biology, land use planning, or related field; master’s preferred.
• At least five years of experience obtaining discretionary permits and land entitlements.
• Experience in Midwest or East regions; New England permitting is a plus.
• Strong communication with executives, project teams, AHJs, officials, and stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking, problem solving, analytical planning, sound judgement.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and lead project-specific permitting strategies, managing the process from diligence to issuance and handoff.
• Create and maintain permitting schedules and budgets across local, regional, state and federal requirements.
• Source and manage external consultants across environmental, legal, cultural resources, hydrology, and other disciplines.
• Evaluate sites for permitting complexity including zoning, rights-of-way, and decommissioning requirements.
• Engage with regulators and AHJs, county staff, officials, and agency personnel for each project.
• Represent the project company at public hearings and community meetings with high-quality materials.
• Coordinate transition to EPC and O&M, maintaining permit obligations matrix and closeout docs.
• Collaborate with internal teams and flag risks, decisions needed, and schedule impacts.
• Build relationships with regulators and service providers, representing Strata professionally.
• Travel throughout the East region and nationally as needed.

Skills

Permitting processes

Portfolio management

External consultants

Public speaking

Desktop review

Education

Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies/related field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

The Permitting Manager is responsible for planning and overseeing discretionary land use and natural resources permitting in support of Strata’s East development portfolio. This position will work in close coordination with cross-functional teams including Development, Land, Engineering, Transmission & Interconnection, Project Finance & Execution/EPC. The Manager, Permitting oversees natural resources surveys, land use applications, environmental impact disclosure reports and processes, and the preparation of technical studies and reports in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations for utility-scale solar and energy storage projects. The Manager, Permitting will work in close coordination with the lead developer and other project team members to help them understand the practical implications of existing permits as well as proposed permitting strategies, with particular focus on Southeast, MISO and ISO New England AHJs, discretionary approvals, public hearing processes, and federal/state land or natural-resource constraints where applicable.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and lead project specific permitting strategies., directly managing the permitting process throughout the project lifecycle, from early-stage site diligence through permit issuance, condition satisfaction, and construction handoff.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive permitting schedules and budgets for each project by considering local, regional, state, and federal requirements, site constraints, bankability, community engagement and acceptance, and other risks.
• Source and manage a team of external consultants including environmental, technical, public relations/community engagement, legal, cultural resources, biological, hydrology/drainage, fire/code, and local counsel resources.
• Evaluate early-stage sites for fatal flaws and permitting complexity, including zoning/land-use compatibility, CUP/SUP requirements, general plan amendments, BLM/BOR/BIA/DOE rights-of-way, biological/cultural constraints, water/drainage, FAA/glare, fire code, and decommissioning requirements.
• In collaboration with project developers, engage with and manage relationships with local, state and federal regulatory authorities, AHJs, county staff, fire departments, elected/appointed officials, and agency personnel for each project.
• Represent the project company at public hearings, community meetings, and other local events, and prepare high-quality presentation materials and documents to support project approval.
• Oversee and support transition to EPC, O&M, and others to ensure a smooth handoff and compliance with issued permits and conditions of approval, including creation/maintenance of a permit obligations matrix and closeout documentation.
• Work collaboratively with and be responsive to requests from internal colleagues, while proactively flagging material risks, decisions needed, and schedule impacts.
• Build effective relationships with regulators, service providers and other relevant stakeholders, while representing Strata professionally in politically sensitive or high-visibility forums.
• Travel throughout the East region and nationally, as needed, to effectively carry out Strata’s business goals and objectives.

Required Skills And Abilities

• Strong understanding of local, county, state, and federal permitting processes for utility-scale renewable energy and battery storage projects.
• Ability to manage multiple permitting workstreams across a regional portfolio while maintaining schedule, budget, and risk visibility.
• Ability to evaluate complex land-use, environmental, cultural, biological, drainage, fire/code, FAA, and decommissioning issues and propose practical mitigation strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage external consultants and hold them accountable for scope, schedule, budget, and deliverable quality.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present publicly in a professional, credible, and compelling manner.
• Ability to perform desktop review of environmental, land-use, engineering, and community-risk materials and translate findings into project-level recommendations.

Education And/or Work Experience Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, biology, land use planning, geography, urban/regional planning, engineering, public policy, renewable energy development, or other relevant field; master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience obtaining discretionary permits and land entitlements; Midwest (IL, IN, OH) and East (VA, NC, SC) experience strongly preferred; New England permitting experience is also a plus.
• Experience obtaining discretionary land use permits (including conditional use permits, special use permits, zone changes/amendments, and general/comprehensive plan amendments, BLM/BOR/BIA/DOE Rights-of-Way) and natural resource permits.
• The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with internal executives, project teams, consultants, AHJs, elected officials, and community stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, analytical and planning abilities, and sound judgement.
• The ability to work as part of a team in a dynamic and fast-paced environment and field questions from internal team members on environmental and other topics pertaining to discretionary approvals.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

Work is primarily performed in an office or remote environment, with periodic travel to project sites, agency offices, and communities to support permitting and local affairs. Must be able to sit, stand, bend, twist, and lift up to 20 pounds.

About Us

Strata Clean Energy is a leading developer, EPC, and service provider for utility-scale solar and storage systems in the United States. We control and self-perform all processes from our nationwide solar and storage developments, to construction, O&M, and Asset Management. Our employees are empowered to drive our business in a collaborative, creative, and passion-driven environment that fosters long-term professional growth. There is a lot to learn at Strata, but we’re here to help you give your best and have a good time doing it. At Strata, you’re part of something big. We’re leading the industry in sustainable energy careers. We are driving innovation to make a difference for our customers, our employees, and our planet. Join us in powering the future.

Strata Solar is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Strata Solar is an equal employment and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable law.