Senior Project Development Director (BESS)

About the Opportunity

Our client is a globally recognized renewable energy and clean technology company with a strong presence across Asia, Europe, and North America. As part of its continued expansion in the Japanese market, the company is seeking an experienced Project Development Manager to lead the development of utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects.

This is a strategic position offering the opportunity to play a key role in advancing energy transition initiatives while working alongside an international team of industry experts.

Key Responsibilities

Full-Cycle Project Development

• Lead and manage the end-to-end development of BESS projects in Japan.
• Oversee site identification, land acquisition, stakeholder engagement, commercial negotiations, permitting, and project execution activities.
• Drive projects from origination through to ready-to-build status.

Market Strategy & Business Development

• Analyze market trends, regulatory developments, and commercial opportunities within Japan’s energy storage and renewable energy sectors.
• Support the development and execution of localized business growth strategies.
• Identify new project opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government authorities, landowners, utilities, consultants, investors, and industry associations.
• Represent the company in discussions with external stakeholders and facilitate successful project progression.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with engineering, finance, legal, procurement, and project delivery teams.
• Coordinate internal resources to ensure development milestones, timelines, and commercial objectives are achieved.

Regulatory & Compliance Management

• Monitor local regulations, permitting requirements, and policy developments affecting energy storage projects.
• Ensure projects remain compliant while proactively identifying and mitigating development risks.

Market Intelligence & Strategic Insights

• Track industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to support investment and business decisions.

Team Contribution & Knowledge Sharing

• Support team development and mentoring initiatives.
• Promote best practices, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing across the organization.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Control Engineering, Energy Systems, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of experience within the renewable energy industry.
• Strong understanding of large-scale energy infrastructure development, renewable energy technologies, and project lifecycle management.
• Experience leading complex project development activities, including permitting, stakeholder management, and commercial negotiations.
• Strong network within the Japanese energy sector is highly desirable.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and capable of working effectively in a fast-paced international environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Japanese language proficiency is strongly preferred.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required.