ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Main purpose of the role:
The Project Developer’s key mandate is to secure all the necessary land rights, authorizations, permits, and licenses required to lawfully build and operate a Wind, Solar PV and/or BESS project.
Key responsibilities:
The Project Developer will be required to perform any and/or all of the following tasks:
- Identify and originate new renewable energy projects (e.g. Identify area with potential, conduct desktop analysis to clear initial project risks, identify land parcels to secure, conduct site visits, negotiate land lease agreements).
- Manage or facilitate commercial negotiations for the signing of agreements such as: land lease agreements, servitudes, environmental impact assessments, regulatory approvals, electrical connection applications and agreements.
- Apply and secure the necessary permits, licenses, and authorisations for renewable energy projects to be financed, built and operated. This includes interacting with numerous government departments such as : DFFE, DMRE, DAFF, DWS, CAA, SAWS, Eskom, SANRAL, DPW, DARDLR, Local Municipalities
- Manage internal costs and external consultant costs in accordance with development budgets
- During the development phase, manage all external project stakeholders, including project opponents and Interested and Affected Parties
- Implement strategies for the suitable mitigation of risks in order to successfully secure permits and licenses from authorities.
- With the support of a Senior Project Developer, a Project Developer contributes, either in the context of ENVUSA or external project acquisitions, in the coordination of one or more projects’ due diligences in parallel to determine the permitting requirements of each project, to establish a development plan and to define a timeline to bring each project to Financial Close as efficiently and rapidly as possible. The developer is also responsible to identify any project risk which may lead to a mitigation measure that requires a financial provision in the project business plan.
- In close collaboration with a Senior Project Developer, the Project Developer contributes to support the Company’s participation in the upcoming rounds of the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Program and RFP’s for private off takers (primarily land and environmental sections of bid submission).
- In close collaboration with a Senior Project Developer, the Project Developer contributes to support the Project Director during financial close of a project and respond and close all queries raised by Lenders during their legal and technical due diligence process. This includes achieving compliance of the project with the IFC’s Performance Standards.
- Foster working relationships with external consultants, advisors, regulatory authorities, landowners, and joint venture partners, convening meetings when necessary and bringing relevant matters to the attention of colleague’s and the Head of Project Development of the Company.
- Keep abreast of Renewable Energy and wider power market developments, monitoring market activities in the RE sector and identifying potential opportunities for, and threats to, the Company’s strategy.
Health & Safety Responsibilities:
- Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control, and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e., public, visitors and employees of other organizations. This includes ensuring risk assessments are conducted and mitigation measures are clearly communicated and understood by individuals. Managers must also ensure that individuals have the necessary understanding, competence, and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.
- Employees are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly, where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and particularly where there are legal requirements, employees are responsible for understanding those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
The position reports directly into:
- Project Development Manager
The position has the following functional reports (if applicable):
- During the Development phase, the Project Developer manages a small team which also includes a study engineer, grid engineer, and a legal resource.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS
Must-have Qualifications and Certifications:
- B Tech, BSC science /engineering, B Com, any bachelor’s degree
RELEVANT EXPERIENCES
Must-have years of industry experiences:
- At least 5 years professional experience as a renewable energy Project Developer in South Africa.
COMPETENCIES
Technical competencies:
- Project management
- Negotiation skills
- Contract management
- Knowledge of rural South African context; knowledge of SA administrations and environmental law; knowledge of the BBB-EE code.
- Sound knowledge of MS 365 office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, MS Teams
Behavioral competencies:
- Good interpersonal skills; able to influence others without having direct authority.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; in particular, good presentation skills at all levels (including local community meetings, board level presentations and press relations)
- Creative and innovative thinking
- Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent communication skills in both oral and written English; additional local language skills are an advantage.
Willingness to travel and driver’s license.
