Project Development Associate (Hybrid)

Project Development Associate  (Hybrid) 

Multiple positions available

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Salary Range:

$80,000 - $110,000 Plus Bonus

Reports to 

Director of Project Development

About The Company:

NineDot's name derives from the classic mathematical puzzle for sparking out-of-the-box solutions. As a leading community-scale, clean energy developer with a growing portfolio of projects across a range of technologies, NineDot Energy is creating innovative energy solutions that support a more resilient electric grid, deliver economic savings and reduce carbon emissions. We plan to develop, build and operate more than 400 MW of clean energy systems by 2026 that will strengthen the local power grid infrastructure and provide clean, reliable and resilient power to tens of thousands of New York households and businesses. This is all in support of New York State’s mission to achieve 100% clean energy by 2040.

With the backing of the Carlyle Group - one of the largest private investors in renewable energy - NineDot is rapidly expanding its core team to scale its energy storage pipeline and continue innovating new products (i.e. vehicle-to-grid, community energy, etc.) to advance the decarbonization of New York’s grid. This is an exciting opportunity to build a platform from the ground-up with a world-class team of developers and innovators. NineDot is committed to building a company that exemplifies diversity, equity and inclusion values in its team culture, as well as business practices and community engagement.

Job Summary

The Project Development Associate (PDA) works directly with NineDot Energy’s (NDE) Director of Project Development and its origination team, as well as all levels of management throughout the organization, to screen development opportunities for distribution connected battery energy storage projects in NY metro area and advance qualifying projects through the development pipeline. The PDA will be responsible for executing NDE’s development strategy in NY Metro area; reviewing and analyzing new project opportunities; negotiating lease and/or purchase agreement terms and conditions; managing third party resources to run due diligence efforts, in coordination with the Associate Engineering Manager (AEM); navigating local jurisdictions to get projects reviewed and approved by permitting authorities; and coordinating with the AEM and the Senior Technical Manager to secure interconnection rights; coordinating with our Operations team to ensure seamless handoff from development to construction; managing real estate agreements to ensure compliance with the obligations of active development sites; and tracking and reporting of development activity in NY Metro area. The PDA will work directly with the Director of Project Development to further develop policies and operational processes that will help develop an agile and scalable organization through its growth. The position will have opportunities to have ownership and accountability over projects with the potential for career growth.

Roles and responsibilities

• Plan and execute NDE development strategy for NY Metro area.
• Identify and engage third party resources to assist in the planning and development of standalone and hybrid battery energy storage projects, including legal, engineering, and expediting services.
• Work with origination team to target, screen, and make recommendations to Director of Project Development on new opportunities for the project development portfolio. 
• Provide support and guidance to origination and legal teams on commercial terms for negotiating, drafting, and executing LOIs for site control.
• Manage origination and legal teams in drafting and execution of final lease and/or purchase and sale agreements.
• Perform all internal and third party real estate due diligence on sites under NDE control.
• Coordinate with NDE technical team to prepare site designs and interconnection applications with Con Edison.
• Coordinate and manage third party resources to engage with local authorities having jurisdiction to obtain necessary project approvals. 
• Track and manage real estate and interconnection obligations to maintain compliance under leases and/or PSAs and CESIRs.
• Track and report on portfolio status and progress to the Director of Project Development and leadership team.
• Provide support to the Product Development team in exploring new product types and opportunities.
• Operate independently, and report and escalate to management as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies for Success

• Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; conducts excellent and honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answer.
• Interpersonal Savvy - Able to relate well to all individuals within and beyond the organization; builds appropriate rapport along with constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact.
• Perseverance -  Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
• Dealing With Ambiguity - Can effectively cope with change and shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture.
• Creativity - Capable of coming up with new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions.
• Technical Learning - Picks up on technical things quickly, capable of learning new skills and knowledge, good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge.
• Intellectual Horsepower - Demonstrated ability to deal with concepts and complexity comfortably; described as intellectually sharp, capable, and agile.

Required education and experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work or apprenticeship experience in real estate development or energy project development. 
• 5+ years of experience in real estate development or energy project development.
• Passion/history for clean energy projects is a plus. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to evaluate priorities and multi-task accordingly while keeping others apprised of status with respect to deadlines.
• Ability to identify problems and discrepancies, independently perform research and analysis of causes, and recommend corrective actions.
• Must be detail and results-oriented with an ability to work in a cross-functional, fast paced, and constantly evolving environment.
• Team player to work in concert with all teams.
• Familiar with Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Experience with Asana is a plus.
• Excellent personal organization and time management skills; 
• Ability to handle multiple projects at one time, and prioritize workload.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.  

Affirmative Action/EEO statement

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and committed to leveraging the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experience of our workforce to create opportunities for our colleagues and our business. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender expression, gender identity, sex, age, ancestry, marital status, protected veteran and military status, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status of an individual or that individual’s associates or relatives that is protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

COVID Vaccination:

Some of NineDot roles require that individuals be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to exemptions for medical or religious reasons, as well as any other reason required by applicable law or order. Should you be selected for an interview, your recruiter will provide additional information.