Interconnection Project Manager - New Leaf Energy, Inc.

New Leaf Energy is seeking an Interconnection Project Manager (DG) to join our team. Reporting to the Interconnection Program Manager, you will play an integral role in the performance of our DG interconnection portfolio.

This position may be filled out of our Lowell, MA, Boston, MA 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 from home on other days.

About the Role

In this role you should have exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to effectively coordinate interconnection-related efforts between Sales, Engineering, Project Finance, Accounting, and Operations. Beyond administrative skills, this individual will possess a technical skill set that enables accurate interpretation of utility feedback and an understanding of the implications on development, engineering, and construction efforts.  You will have the ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in these markets, while also being able to maintain a strategic perspective on the holistic interconnection environment on a regional basis.

Position responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: 

• Represent New Leaf as the primary point of contact for all utility communications. Leadership of all utility interactions and meetings, including conflict resolutions;
• Lead interconnection due diligence and research for new market entry (Process implementation, dynamic entrepreneurial problem solving, and relationship building);
• Create and maintain utility/region-specific project management infrastructure, trackers, reports, and other project management tools to assist in the development strategy; 
• Ownership of the full interconnection lifecycle. Strong ability to interpret and organize utility requirements and feedback; synthesize and communicate risks to the cross-functional members of the development team;
• Proactively monitor utility performance to identify risks to critical path, autonomously escalate issues, and negotiate positive outcomes;
• Serve as the interconnection process subject matter expert (utility behavior/Tariff guidelines) for the development team, and act as an internal consultant to assist with strategic decision-making; 
• Handle project-level disputes and successfully negotiate positive outcomes with utilities;
• Identify opportunities for improvement, and lead the implementation of countermeasures; 
• Ownership of interconnection application submittal packages, coordinating with internal cross-functional teams, and external consultants;
• Strong understanding of financial accounting, cost-benefit analysis, and utility payment policies. Ownership of cash flow forecasting (payment amounts, target/due dates, and required form of payment);
• Understanding and application of continuous improvement tools, value stream mapping, and change management;
• Ability to evaluate, onboard, and manage 3rd party consultants;
• Excellent organizational abilities. Development and maintenance of a consistent record as each project navigates the interconnection process lifecycle;
• Coordination of signatures, approvals, payments for applications, impact studies, and interconnection agreements.

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!

• 4+ years of relevant experience with preference given to those with energy and direct electric utility experience;
• Bachelor's degree required (Engineering, Policy, Finance, Business, Environmental Science, Project Management preferred);
• Strong project management, reporting, and technical skills, preferably in Salesforce and Smartsheet/Microsoft Project;
• Excitement about growing along with a fast-paced, dynamic company; comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to build, experiment, and iterate when the path forward is undefined;
• A passion for renewable energy, addressing the climate crisis, and accelerating the clean energy transformation.

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 Lowell location is $111,940 - $130,090. The on-target annual cash bonus associated with this position is an additional 20% percent of base salary. Your actual salary may be above, in, or below this range, depending on your location and experience.

We value transparency and can share more during the interview process.