Senior Manager of Environmental Affairs & Permitting - Scout Clean Energy

Scout’s Senior Manager of Environmental Affairs and Permitting will be responsible for advancing environmental evaluations for a 22+ GW portfolio of renewable energy projects. You will leverage your expertise in environmental and permitting issues to support Scout’s efforts in all phases of project development, construction, operations, and repowering/decommissioning in all regions of the country. Your previous experience with environmental and permitting issues at the federal and state levels related to renewable energy will enable you to develop, gain support for, and implement creative solutions that capitalize on business opportunities. 

You will be responsible for the creation, delivery, and support of successful approaches to environmental and permitting issues that align with Scout’s philosophy of developing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects in ways that are sustainable environmentally, economically, and socially. 

The Environmental Affairs and Permitting team serve as Scout’s in-house experts on project siting regulation, wildlife and natural resources evaluation, and programmatic habitat conservation plans governing federally listed species, wetlands, and cultural resources on both the state and national levels. The team is responsible for securing and administering all federal and state permits while coordinating closely with project developers on local permits, including the following responsibilities: 

• Procure environmental impact assessments, field surveys, protocol-level species surveys, and other environmental matters to evaluate for development constraints. 
•  Conduct site visits, production of documents and summary reports (including natural resource management plans), and quality control throughout design, construction, and operations. 
• Cultivate strategic relationships with regulatory agencies, industry groups, the public, and other key stakeholders to develop and implement permitting, management, and operational compliance plans. 
• Establish and implement processes to streamline and enhance the effectiveness of environmental and permitting-related activities across our entire portfolio of projects. 
• Advise on whether to pursue greenfield development sites and acquisition projects based on environmental and permitting considerations 
• Provide regular progress reports to project managers on the status of environmental and permitting matters for projects on which they are directly engaged. 
• Create strategic relationships, negotiate contracts, and direct the work of multidisciplinary teams of third-party contractors. 
• Stay apprised of and participate in (as needed) initiatives related to trends, regulations, and market shifts in environmental and permitting issues affecting the renewable energy industry. 
   

The Environmental and Permitting team will partner with development project managers to devise and execute an environmental and permitting strategy for each project. A key function of our team will be to help junior developers acquire and/or refine the awareness, skills, and knowledge to effectively assess and derisk environmental and permitting issues.  

Collaborating with internal departments will be a key to your individual and our collective success. Through that collaboration, you will align the Environmental and Permitting team’s operations to: 

• Establish strong relationships with and engage the East Region Development, West Region Development, New Projects, BESS, and Power-to-X teams to prioritize and develop environmental and permitting study and negotiation strategies.  
• Coordinate with the Construction and Asset Management teams to ensure the long-term success of our compliance with environmental and permitting agreements. 
• Integrate the feedback of Scout team members into your project approach to achieve superior results. 
• Establish team and project goals and objectives in line with the overall business plans and objectives. 
• Implement long-term company strategy and initiatives as related to the development of renewable energy projects. 

Requirements

Work Experience and Skillset 

• Bachelors degree in environmental science, environmental studies, or a related field. 
• 6+ years of progressive experience with federal, state, and local environmental and permitting of renewable energy projects located in multiple regions in the U.S. with a focus on WECC, MISO, SPP, and PJM. 
• Demonstrated track record of success with federal NEPA processes that include EA and EIS, state-level permits in multiple states (with a focus on CEQA, EFSEC, and MNPUC), and other state-level environmental review processes. 
• Considerable experience effectively negotiating with governmental agencies for the acquisition of necessary environmentally related permits for construction, operation, and maintenance of existing and new facilities. 
• Demonstrated ability to perform internal and external due diligence to ensure accuracy and completeness of environmentally related permits or to identify and bring forward deficiencies requiring correction. 
• Proven track record of leading complex negotiations that involve commercial, legal, regulatory, and practical considerations. 
• Experience navigating project financing, construction lender, and other due diligence processes. 

• Strong understanding of the relationships within a project schedule in order to prioritize teams’ resource allocation. 
• Working knowledge and understanding of key value drivers for renewable power projects. 
• Exceptional verbal, written, and visual communication skills 
• Willing to travel as determined by the needs of the position. 

Organizational Fit 

• Demonstrated ability to work in a flat organization, successfully leveraging the expertise of multiple colleagues in different lines of reporting. 
• Strong communication, project management and team-building skills experience working with cross-functional internal and external technical advisors and stakeholders. 
• Ability to multi-task and arbitrate between conflicting priorities with clear target setting and follow- through capability in a fast-paced work environment. 
• Authorized to work in the United States. 

Timeline and Location 

We will review resumes for this role on an ongoing basis with a start date likely in late Q2 or early Q3 2024. 

Our ideal candidate will be willing to work from our Boulder, Colorado, office at least three days per week. Remote work arrangements are not preferred for this position due to the substantial role you will play in mentoring our development teams on environmental and permitting issues. 

Scout’s Values 

• Mission-Orientation. High achievers who want to make a difference in this world and contribute to Scout’s stated mission. 
• Teamwork. Respectful and appreciative colleagues with strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to fostering positive relationships across organizational boundaries to deliver on shared team goals. 
• Safety. Uncompromising advocates for the health and safety of fellow employees, contractors, customers, and community members. 
• Integrity. Ethical professionals who do the right thing even when it is difficult. 
• Initiative. Resourceful self-motivators who thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment because of their exceptional leadership, work ethic, and organizational skills. 
• Intelligence. Problem-solving learners who can make informed decisions quickly and create innovative and pragmatic solutions to challenging problems. 

Benefits

Target base salary: $135,000 - $150,000. Negotiable for the right candidate. 
Attractive bonus potential. 
 
Scout offers a full range of benefits, including medical/dental/vision insurance with attractive premiums, 401(k) match, short-term disability (STD), long-term disability (LTD), an Employee Assistance Program, and a range of optional supplemental insurance coverage.