Director, Development (West)

Job Description

Strata Solar Development is seeking a Director and open to Senior Manager to support and lead a portfolio of complex, high profile utility-scale solar, energy storage and digital infrastructure projects across the Southwestern and Western U.S.

This role is a hands-on project leadership position with direct accountability for advancing projects from greenfielding through mid- to late-stage development and commercialization readiness. The successful candidate will independently lead stakeholder-intensive projects, mentor junior staff, and serve as a key internal integrator across permitting, interconnection, engineering, legal, origination, and commercial teams. This position works closely with land, engineering, permitting, and commercial teams and will report to the SW Regional Director to support efforts to expand Strata's portfolio across key markets in the West.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership and Execution

• Lead multiple utility-scale solar and battery storage projects through development stages from site origination to NTP, sale, or financial close by driving schedule, risk
• mitigation, and cross-functional alignment
• Anticipate and manage project development risks related to land, permitting, environmental, and transmission availability
• Oversee development budgets, risk tracking, schedules, and project reporting
• Prepare projects for investment committee, commercialization, and transaction handoff
• Manage contractors and consultants that work on Strata's behalf to complete development tasks
• Interface with institutional investors, lenders, and their counsel regarding financing, commercialization and/or M&A deals

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with permitting, interconnection, land, engineering, origination and other teams to advance projects through development to commercialization
• Ensure development strategy aligns with Strata's portfolio priorities, capital discipline, and risk tolerance

Team Leadership and Mentorship

• Manage and mentor 1-2 junior development team members, providing clear project ownership, skill development and coaching and accountability for execution quality and pace

Reporting and Portfolio Management

• Maintain accurate project status, schedules, and risk assessments in Strata's development systems
• Provide clear, concise updates to senior leadership on project readiness, blockers, and recommendations
• Contribute to regional portfolio strategy discussions and prioritization

Frequent travel to meet with landowners, key stakeholders, local officials and as needed for project development and company meetings.

Qualifications and Experience

Required

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, environmental science, planning, real estate, management, business or related field
• 7+ years of utility-scale renewable energy development experience
• Proven ability to independently advance complex projects through permitting and interconnection
• Strong working knowledge of Western permitting regimes, private, state and federal land processes and utility-scale interconnection pathways
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities

Preferred

• Master's or other advanced degree
• Direct mentoring and people-management experience
• Experience preparing projects for sale, financing, or EPC execution
• Strong understanding of project economics and financial models
• Recent project management experience in Arizona, Nevada and/or New Mexico

Physical Requirements / Work Environment

Work is performed in an office environment with travel to support development activities. Must be able to sit, stand, bend, twist and lift up to 20 pounds.