Distributed Solar Development, LLC (DSD) seeks a Director - Community Solar Origination to join its growing team. DSD develops solar and solar plus storage projects with municipalities, F500 companies, and utilities. This role will work cooperatively with a cross functional team to achieve performance goals for the business.
Position Introduction
Distributed Solar Development, LLC (DSD) is seeking to fill the role of Director - Community Solar Origination to join our industry leading team. In this role, you will work cross-functionally with Origination, Asset Acquisition, Project finance, Development, Legal and Asset Management to ensure that Community Solar customer management agreements in all state programs are in line with our underwriting requirements and standards for ongoing asset management. The Manager - Community Solar will lead internal and external community solar strategy and will also take leadership on community solar policy, offtake agreement negotiations, aggregator selection, and handoff coordination to our asset management team.
The Director - Community Solar Origination will report directly to the Chief Commercial Officer and will drive community implementation across the DSD platform. The role provides an excellent opportunity with the DSD team as we continue to expand our portfolio of community solar assets. This role will be instrumental to the success and growth of this business segment.
Responsibilities
· Responsible for development of nationwide community solar strategy in support of organization goals, and heavily coordinated with the origination and project finance teams.
· Responsibility for ensuring DSD’s community solar projects in all phases of origination, project finance, and development are compliant with DSD’s strategy for customer management and underwriting requirements.
· Engage and communicate community solar policy to DSD teams and seek pathways to optimize strategy an ongoing execution of community solar assets.
· Negotiate third party aggregator agreements and coordinate incoming data to ensure accurate revenue recognition and asset operation with our Manager of Community Solar Operations.
· An understanding of all relevant community solar incentive programs and serve as our team’s expert on the community solar incentive programs’ guidelines.
· Supporting front end activities by reviewing community solar opportunities, acquisitions, and entry into new community markets.
· Work closely with Sales, Development, Project Finance, and Legal teams to guide the internal DSD team and customers regarding community solar programs and associated incentive requirements.
· Establish a coordinated handoff with operations for project registration and compliance, including tracking milestones and actions to ensure all program requirements are completed.
· Advise DSD Origination, Asset Acquisition and finance team to optimize project value proposition within applicable community solar programs.
· Work with our Manager of Community Solar Operations to identify community solar data inputs for our IT tools to capture and track for ease of efficiency and continuous improvement.
What makes a great Director - Community Solar Origination?
· Professional experience in a community solar role
· Extensive knowledge of community solar programs in major markets
· Experience negotiating aggregator agreements and beneficial arrangement for portfolio management.
· Experience working with commercial, finance and legal to structure ties between commercial definitive agreements and aggregator agreements.
· Experience with market policy updates
· Ability to manage multiple competing deadlines and short turnarounds while sustaining rigorous attention to detail
· Self-motivated, fast learner, and excited to work in a collaborative team environment
· Willing to challenge oneself by constantly learning and raising hands to solve problems and increase efficiency
· Comfortable with thinking outside the box and patiently seeking for solutions when being challenged with tough problems
· Excellent communication and presentation skills in front of customers as well as strong interpersonal and coordination skills with internal team members
· Strong task management skills
· Ability to occasionally travel to customer site (up to 25%)
· Team player with strong cross functional skills and understanding of the sales, development, and financial asset management processes
· Continuous improvement mindset
Desired Qualifications
· Bachelor’s or master’s degree in economics/finance/Business/Public policy or related field
· 5 years or more work experience in Solar
· 3 years or more experience in Community Solar
· Extensive experience in major community solar markets
· Strong MS office skills
San Francisco Bay Area or NYC area preferred. Remote options considered.
About Us
Distributed Solar Development is part of the evolution to cleaner, secure, more customer-focused energy. From analysis, through design and finance, to commercial operation, DSD provides customized turnkey PV energy and energy storage solutions to businesses, enterprises, institutions, and municipalities throughout North America. Headquartered in Schenectady, NY with a team spanning across the United States, we leverage our unmatched market expertise to deliver exceptional customer outcomes. Distributed Solar Development is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.