Project Finance Manager

Calling all “deal junkies”! New Leaf Energy is seeking a Project Finance Manager to support our growing project development business.

This position may be filled out of our Boston, MA, Lowell, MA, Oakland, CA, Chicago, IL, and Troy, NY offices. We value in-person collaboration and offer a hybrid work environment. Hybrid employees work in the office at least two out of every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and are free to work from the office or home on other days. Remote candidates who meet the qualifications are also encouraged to apply.

About the Role

In this role you will serve as a transaction lead for the sale of our renewable energy projects, and will provide guidance on development challenges and investment decisions that arise across multiple departments, including project development, interconnection, permitting, real estate and policy. You will be responsible for bringing identified renewable energy transactions to a close while collaborating with internal team members and external partners.  You will have strong project management and negotiation skills and an appreciation for the details that drive project valuations.  This position reports to the Vice President of Project Finance.

Position responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: 

• Take the lead in negotiating membership interest purchase agreements (MIPAs) for the sale of renewable energy projects to sophisticated third-party owners;
• Maintain a focus on customer needs and effectively build and strengthen relationships with our partners;
• Run professional and organized competitive marketing processes using project management tools;
• Maintain models for solar and energy storage projects and perform analysis to understand potential impacts to valuation;
• Assist in the structuring of transactions based on regulatory guidelines, risk management techniques, and the needs of the investment community;
• Manage internal requests from project developers and other deal team members and collaborate effectively with multiple departments including legal, finance and accounting, engineering, real estate and policy;
• Perform due diligence on projects and problem-solve with internal and external stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues;
• Manage the building of data rooms and portfolio marketing materials and navigate intensive external diligence processes with various third-party consultants and counsel.

Desired Qualifications 

While no one individual will possess them all, the successful candidate will bring many of the following experiences, skills, and attributes. If you’re unsure of whether you meet enough of the qualifications below but believe that your experience and skill set is a good match for this position, we invite you to apply!

• 5+ years of relevant finance, project development, or mergers and acquisitions experience;
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance/Business or a related field with an MBA preferred;
• Demonstrated experience in solar, wind and/or energy storage;
• Expert knowledge with respect to the key deal points in mergers and acquisitions transactions, specifically in MIPAs;
• Experience negotiating purchase and sale agreements for renewable energy projects;
• Familiarity with development activities such as interconnection, permitting, and real estate;
• Refined business acumen, exceptional judgment, and the ability to identify and implement practical solutions to complex business problems;
• Hardworking, responsive, and adaptable to what the situation dictates, including possessing the ability to advance matters independently, combined with the strong interpersonal skills necessary to work effectively in a team;
• Ability to independently handle competing deadlines and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment;
• Exceptional communication skills;
• Excellent organizational, time management, and project management skills;
• Passion for accelerating the adoption of renewable energy.

Compensation

New Leaf Energy compensates all employees in three ways: market-competitive base salary, plus above-market variable compensation, plus an equity-like program such that all employees experience the benefits of ownership.  We use a data-driven and transparent methodology to calibrate compensation that is externally competitive and internally equitable, guided by the New Leaf Energy compensation manual, which is available to all employees.

Under our compensation framework, the likely base salary range for this position in the Oakland location is $128,650-$148,400. Your actual salary may be above, in, or below this range, depending on your location and experience. Total compensation for this position, however, is driven heavily by our generous commission plan, which is paid quarterly and about which we can go into detail in the interview process.