Head of Project Development

Job Description

We are recruiting a Head of Project Development to oversee and lead the progression of a growing 3GW+ renewable energy project pipeline across the UK from origination handover through development, consenting, and technical/commercial maturation, with the objective of delivering late-stage, fully de-risked projects ready for handover to the Project Delivery team.

The role is accountable for ensuring that projects are consented, grid-secured, commercially optimised, and technically robust, such that residual development risk is minimised prior to final investment. The successful candidate will bring a proven experience in renewable energy project development, with a demonstrable track record of progressing UK projects to late-stage or ready-to-build. The role will be based at our office in Edinburgh or Glasgow, and there will be some requirement for UK travel depending on site locations.

What you will do

• Reporting the to Managing Director you will take ownership of projects from origination handover stage through to late stage (planning consent, grid contracted, land secured, commercially optimised).
• Lead, manage and motivate internal project developers and other key team members.
• Define and lead the execution of development strategies for wind, solar, and BESS projects.
• Lead the preparation and presentation of high-quality investment papers to senior management and Board, ensuring clear articulation of project risks, opportunities, and value drivers; actively track the progression of project investment cases and drive timely, well-informed decision-making at key milestones.
• Plan and allocate resource to ensure the project team can deliver against agreed targets.
• Lead planning strategy & execution across UK jurisdictions including stakeholder engagement strategy.
• Oversee, drive and support implementation of development project grid connection strategies with TOs and DNOs.
• Commercial: support and inform financial modelling & valuation tracking of all approved projects, drive commercial optimisation across the portfolio (capex/opex, contract negotiations, land agreements).
• Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders including landowners, statutory consultees and regulatory authorities.
• Ensure smooth transition of portfolio projects to EPC, Head of Project Management, or internal investment teams.
• Review and implement processes for project development, risk and programme management, and commercial cost control, ensuring that portfolio projects are contracted, implemented and delivered safely, on time & to budget.

What you'll need to succeed

• Significant experience and track record in UK renewable energy project development.
• Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Planning, or related field.
• Proven track record delivering projects to de-risked late development stage.
• Excellent proven understanding of UK planning system (TCPA, NSIP, Section 36 consents), grid connection process, EIA and environmental constraints.
• Experience across both onshore wind and solar PV.
• Strong leadership skills with proven track record of leading project teams to successful results.
• Commercially strong with good experience of managing challenging projects, complex investment cases, and contract negotiations.
• Understanding of CfD auctions, and route to market considerations.
• Organised and pragmatic with an ability to find solutions to challenging problems.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.
• Risk management and problem-solving.
• Ability to make strategic decisions considerate of technical, legal, commercial, consenting influences.
• Excellent communication skills, both written (presentations, reports, MS applications) and spoken.
• Excellent commercial insight for assessing key value drivers of projects.
• Building strong, cooperative and productive relationships with the key internal and external teams involved in developing and advancing projects.
• In possession of the right to work in UK.

What's in it for you?

• Being part of a highly motivated ever-growing and multicultural team that drives forward the energy revolution
• Innovative and fast-changing market and working environment
• Hybrid Working
• Private Health Insurance
• Life Assurance Cover
• Company Pension Scheme
• Flexible Working Environment
• Yearly Discretionary Performance Bonus Scheme
• Mental Health First Aid support
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides all employees with 24/7 access to telephone and online counselling
• Access to an online benefits portal which includes travel and shopping discounts, healthy living advice & a financial well-being resource bank

Benefits can vary depending on the location and are not legally binding.