Project Finance Manager - Offshore Wind

Overview
We are working with a leading renewable energy developer focused on the development of large-scale offshore wind projects across international markets. The organisation has a significant offshore wind development portfolio spanning both floating and fixed-bottom projects and is entering an important phase of growth as projects progress towards construction and Financial Close.

The business is seeking a Project Finance Manager to lead the project finance workstream for a major offshore wind project currently progressing through financing structuring towards Financial Close. The successful candidate will work closely with senior project leadership, sponsors, lenders, financial and tax advisers, legal counsel and other key stakeholders to develop and deliver a bankable financing structure.

This is a senior project finance position with significant ownership across financial structuring, bankability, lender engagement, due diligence and Financial Close. The role will also provide exposure to ECA-backed financing and Japanese lenders and sponsors.

The Role
We are seeking a Project Finance Manager to lead the project finance and financing strategy workstream for a major offshore wind project progressing towards Financial Close.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing the financing strategy, assessing bankability, coordinating lender and adviser due diligence, managing the financial adviser and supporting negotiations across financing documentation.

This is a highly stakeholder-facing role requiring strong project finance expertise, financial modelling literacy and the ability to manage complex, multi-party financing processes through to Financial Close and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Project Finance Strategy & Financial Close

• Lead the project finance strategy and financial structuring workstream, coordinating sponsors, lenders, advisers and internal project teams

• Lead the assessment of project bankability, identifying and resolving issues relating to the financial model, contracting strategy, security package and risk allocation

• Support Final Investment Decision and Financial Close through robust financing, cost and risk analysis

• Manage the Financial Adviser and coordinate workstreams against the critical path to Financial Close

• Evaluate and compare financing structures, including ECA-backed debt, commercial bank debt and bond financing

• Recommend optimal debt and equity structures based on project requirements, market conditions and risk allocation

• Oversee the project financial model and sensitivity analysis, working closely with internal finance and commercial teams and external advisers

• Stress-test the capital structure across market, foreign exchange and inflation scenarios

• Support the negotiation of financing documentation, including term sheets, Common Terms Agreements, facility agreements and security documentation

• Coordinate lender due diligence across technical, legal, insurance and financial workstreams

• Manage financing requirements following Financial Close, including lender reporting and reserve account requirements

• Lead refinancing processes following construction where required

Lender, ECA & Investor Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with commercial and institutional lenders relevant to the project financing

• Engage with Export Credit Agencies and assess their suitability within the overall financing structure

• Apply knowledge of Japanese ECAs and commercial banks to support financing strategy and lender engagement

• Support engagement with potential investors and financing partners alongside senior leadership

• Coordinate lender and sponsor information requirements throughout the financing process

Governance, Risk & Reporting

• Maintain the financing workstream risk register and ensure alignment with wider project risk management

• Provide regular financing updates to senior project leadership, sponsors and relevant governance bodies

• Track and report against the Financial Close critical path, decision calendar and key financing milestones

• Identify risks, dependencies and potential delays that could impact Financial Close

• Ensure financing activities comply with relevant governance, approval and risk management requirements

• Support appropriate HSE and stakeholder risk management across project activities

Experience and Background

Essential

• Demonstrable experience leading project finance workstreams through to Financial Close on at least two recent projects

• Strong experience within offshore wind or large-scale renewable energy infrastructure

• Previous experience in offshore wind project development

• Strong knowledge of project finance structures, including debt and equity structuring, security packages and lender due diligence

• Proven experience managing Financial Advisers and coordinating complex, multi-party due diligence processes

• Strong understanding of financial models, including the ability to critically assess financial model outputs, sensitivities and scenario analysis

• Experience across financing negotiations and transaction execution

• Strong stakeholder management experience across sponsors, lenders, advisers and senior leadership

• Degree qualified in Finance, Economics, Business, Engineering or a related discipline

Desirable

• Experience with ECA financing structures and processes

• Knowledge of Japanese ECAs, including JBIC and NEXI, and Japanese commercial banking markets

• Experience working with Japanese sponsors, lenders or other financing stakeholders

• Professional qualification such as CFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent

• Experience working within a joint venture or multi-sponsor project structure

• Experience across floating offshore wind or other emerging renewable technologies

Personal Attributes

• Strong strategic and commercial judgement with the ability to assess complex financing structures

• Highly analytical with strong financial and project finance capability

• Confident managing lenders, advisers, sponsors and senior stakeholders

• Strong negotiation, communication and influencing skills

• Comfortable managing multiple complex workstreams against demanding deadlines

• Proactive and solutions-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership

• Able to identify and resolve issues that may impact project bankability or Financial Close

• Comfortable operating within complex, international and multi-stakeholder project environments

• Highly organised, rigorous and detail-oriented

• Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced project development environment

Please note: you must already have the right to work in the country where this role is based to be considered for it.