VP Development (BESS)

Taylor Hopkinson is hiring for a VP Development (BESS), for a London-based renewable energy developer, focusing on the development, investment, and operation of renewable energy projects globally.

Our client's global project pipeline is extensive and rapidly growing, with a strategic focus on renewable energy, green hydrogen, and sustainable infrastructure. Our client aims to develop up to 100 GW of renewable energy capacity and produce 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030. Key projects include solar, wind, and hydrogen developments in regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the US.

This role will focus on the management of the full development portfolio at every stage of the asset development process, liaising internally with the connections, planning, commercial and delivery teams to ensure that sites are developed with the end goal of optimal operational trading from the outset. To solve challenges as they occur and proactively work to ensure the project progresses smoothly and swiftly to ready to build status.

This is a high-impact leadership role with visibility, autonomy, and the chance to drive meaningful growth across Europe.

Responsibilities:

• Manage grid connections; interfacing with the relevant DNOs & TO's on every connection project. Work with external authorities to accelerate grid connections. Manage grid resource internally and attend connections surgeries with DNO and TO, requesting budget offers and assisting in the preparation of formal grid offers. Assist connections team to manage formal grid application process including negotiating grid deposits. Work with the connections team to ensure best possible outcome of every grid offer.
• Manage all land procurement; manage site finders and landowner relationship handover. Sign off of all RoT's, CoT's, HoT's, options to Lease freehold. Support the drafting and negotiating Heads of Agreement with landowners and/or agents. Maintain strong relationships with landowners throughout development process, keeping them informed of progress and providing all required updates.
• Planning for risks and constraints; Identify key planning risks on potential sites and discussing implications of risk with the planning team. Ensure that legal, ground, technical and landowner constraints are taken into account the preparation of site layouts for planning.
• Management and negotiation of legal risks; Present risks to management. Manage and resolve risks to mitigate exposure for the company. Maintain senior relationships with solicitors, agents and landowners to negotiate option and lease agreements to ensure swift agreement within agreed cost caps. Review land searches and legal reports produced by solicitors. Ensure all legal obligations within agreements are adhered to and monitoring key agreement dates. Review and manage any required option extensions, deeds of variation, licence for works, wayleaves, easements and subleases. Request and incept required title indemnity insurance policies to cover any potential site risk.
• Acquisition & Disposal of Sites; Appraise external acquisition site potentials. Assist with management of Joint Development Agreements and portfolio acquisition opportunities. Manage data rooms for external consultant review
• during due diligence. Liaise with lenders and consultants during transactions.
• Reporting & Budgeting; Manage the entire development budget. Present on a monthly basis, the grid and development updates to management.
• Completion of project handover; Produce a comprehensive handover document once project achieves RTB status and provide assistance to the delivery team to ensure smooth transition into construction.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and able to work in a dynamic fast-paced, diverse environment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple renewable projects from inception to RTB.
• Advanced project management and negotiation skills.
• Project finance, budgeting skills.
• Contract administration and legal skills.

Knowledge and Experience Required:

• 7+ years of experience in roles involving utility scale renewable energy project development (BESS preferred).
• Experience across European markets.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills.
• Able to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering or any other energy or sustainability related field preferably.