Senior Director of Origination, Solar and BESS
Ameresco
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Massachusetts • Vermont • United States
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Salary
💰 $175,000 - $280,000 per year
Job Level
About the role
- Identify and evaluate potential solar and storage development sites using GIS tools, transmission analysis, and market research
- Assess markets based on transmission capacity, interconnection queue status, land costs, incentives, permitting, and competition
- Source and maintain a pipeline of site leads and landowner contacts through outreach, mailers, brokers, and local partners
- Negotiate land leases, purchase options, easements, and access agreements; present project details and build landowner relationships
- Coordinate with legal to review and finalize all land agreements
- Lead early due diligence, including environmental, zoning, terrain, and access assessments, as well as high-level site layouts with engineering teams
- Evaluate site suitability for energy storage considering grid congestion, market signals, and proximity to substations or transmission lines
- Collaborate with interconnection teams on application strategies and queue management
- Track policy changes, permitting trends, incentives, and market activity relevant to solar and storage development
- Monitor competitors, land deals, and ISO/RTO queue updates to inform siting strategies
- Recommend high-priority areas for site origination based on comprehensive analysis
- Transition qualified sites to the development and project management teams with complete documentation
- Work with finance to validate land economics and preliminary financial impacts, and with engineering to refine site designs and address permitting challenges
- Perform additional duties as required
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Geography, Energy, Environmental Science, Engineering, or related field
- Minimum 15 years of experience in renewable energy site origination, land acquisition, or energy development
- Strong background in landowner outreach, negotiation, and relationship building
- Proficiency with GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS) and constraints mapping
- Understanding of utility-scale solar, storage, interconnection, and permitting processes
- Excellent communication and organization skills
- Experience sourcing sites in competitive markets (PJM, ERCOT, MISO, SPP, WECC, Southeast) preferred
- Familiarity with energy storage economics and locational value preferred
- Background in real estate transactions, right-of-way acquisition, or rural economic development preferred
- Experience interpreting ISO queue data and transmission maps preferred
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Retirement plans
- Paid time off
- Performance incentives
- Bonuses
- Commissions
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
GIS toolsArcGISQGISland acquisitionenergy developmentnegotiationconstraints mappingsite originationtransmission analysisenvironmental assessments
Soft Skills
communicationorganizationrelationship buildingnegotiation skills
Certifications
Bachelor’s degree