Project Executive - Solar

Samuel Knight Energy & Digital Infrastructure; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Samuel Knight Energy & Digital Infrastructure seeks a Project Delivery Director to lead a portfolio of solar EPC projects from NTP through COD. This role requires steering multiple project teams and engaging senior clients and stakeholders to achieve safety, schedule, and financial targets.

You will drive governance, risk management, and continuous improvement across the portfolio, while mentoring and developing leaders and managing critical equipment and interconnection challenges across the

Qualifications

• 10+ years of construction or energy project delivery experience, with at least 5 years in senior leadership.
• Proven track record delivering utility-scale solar under EPC/design-build contracts.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with combined value > $100 million.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management or Business Administration (or related field).
• PMP certification and experience with Primavera P6, Procore, Power BI or similar tools are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Executive oversight of multiple solar projects through all phases from preconstruction to closeout.
• Own portfolio performance across safety, schedule, cost, quality and risk.
• Lead Project Managers, Construction Managers and Project Controls teams.
• Oversee EPC contracts, major subcontracts, change orders, claims and commercial matters.
• Drive project controls, scheduling, reporting and risk-management processes across portfolio.
• Interface with clients, developers, utilities and financiers as senior representative.

Skills

Leadership

Portfolio management

Scheduling

Cost control

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Tools

Primavera P6

Procore

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Samuel Knight Energy is partnering with an established and growing solar EPC contractor to appoint a Project Delivery Director who will take senior-level responsibility for the successful execution of a portfolio of solar PV and energy projects.

This is a key leadership appointment for an experienced construction and project delivery professional who has successfully led large-scale solar projects in an EPC or design-build environment and is comfortable taking accountability for projects from NTP through construction, commissioning, COD and final completion.

The successful candidate will provide leadership across Project Managers, Construction Managers and Project Controls personnel, while acting as a senior point of contact for clients and key project stakeholders.

The Role

As Project Delivery Director, you will have oversight of multiple concurrent projects and responsibility for overall portfolio performance across safety, schedule, commercial performance, quality and risk.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Executive oversight of multiple solar projects through preconstruction, procurement, construction, commissioning and closeout.
• Accountability for achieving contractual milestones including mechanical completion, substantial completion, COD and final completion.
• Leading project reviews and executive reporting across schedule, cost, safety, quality and risk.
• Full accountability for project and portfolio financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, cash flow, margins and cost-to-complete.
• Oversight of EPC contracts, major subcontracts, change orders, claims and commercial matters.
• Driving consistent project controls, scheduling, reporting and risk-management processes across the portfolio.
• Identifying and mitigating risks relating to interconnection, permitting, supply chain, labor, weather and site conditions.
• Working closely with procurement to ensure delivery of modules, trackers, inverters, transformers and other critical equipment.
• Acting as a senior client interface with owners, developers, utilities, financiers and other project stakeholders.
• Supporting preconstruction and business development through estimating reviews, proposal strategy and client presentations.
• Leading, mentoring and developing Project Managers, Construction Managers and Project Controls professionals.
• Driving workforce planning, succession planning, lessons learned and continuous improvement.
• Championing a high-performing safety and quality culture across all projects.

What We're Looking For

We are particularly interested in speaking with senior project delivery professionals who have:

• 10+ years of construction or energy project delivery experience, including at least five years in senior project management or leadership.
• A proven background delivering utility-scale solar, renewable energy or comparable infrastructure projects under EPC/design-build contracts.
• Experience overseeing multiple concurrent projects with a combined value exceeding $100 million.
• Strong commercial experience encompassing budgets, forecasting, margin management, contracts, change orders and claims.
• Strong understanding of project controls, scheduling, critical-path management and risk.
• Experience leading and developing Project Managers and construction leadership teams.
• The ability to operate confidently with clients and senior stakeholders.
• A willingness to travel regularly to active projects across the United States.

A Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business Administration or a related discipline is required.

Experience involving BESS, substations and high-voltage interconnection would be particularly valuable, as would PMP certification and experience with Primavera P6, Procore, Power BI or similar project delivery platforms.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to take genuine leadership responsibility across the construction portfolio of an established solar contractor, rather than simply managing an individual project.

You’ll have the ability to influence how projects are delivered, develop the next generation of project leadership, improve processes and controls, and take senior accountability for the commercial and operational performance of a growing portfolio.

The position is office-based with regular project-site travel of up to approximately 50%.

Samuel Knight Energy is managing this search on behalf of our client. All applications and conversations will be treated confidentially.