Acquisitions Manager
Job description
Location: Stroud
Salary Details: Depending on Experience
About The Role
The Development Team is responsible for securing the necessary permissions to enable the construction of renewable energy projects, including but not limited to onshore wind, solar, energy storage and anaerobic digestion (green gas). This involves four main stages:
Identifying suitable sites for renewables in the UK;
Signing an option to lease with the landowner;
Securing a commercially viable grid connection;
Securing an implementable planning permission and discharging planning conditions.
The overall purpose of this role is to manage the site acquisition process and to ensure options and leases provide commercially viable and developable sites for Ecotricity.
The role will be responsible for:
- The management of the Acquisition Team, ensuring the objectives of both the team and the individuals within it are met.
- Management of and responsibility for ensuring that there is a sufficient through put of sites within the acquisition pipeline to be able to meet acquisition targets over the next 5 years.
- Working with the Development Departments GIS experts and the Head of Development, prepare and implement a site identification strategy to identify new suitable sites. In addition, the management of a portfolio of existing sites at various stages of negotiation.
- The implementation and management of the Acquisition Teams negotiation parameters and template documents needed for the agreement of Heads of Terms and completion of Option & Lease Agreements. To be reviewed and updated as necessary and in consultation with the Head of Development and Legal team as required.
- The management of the Acquisition Teams budget as set by the Head of Development, on both a site by site basis and the control of all acquisition related expenditure.
- The compilation of progress reports detailing key acquisition information on a regular basis and as required by the Head of Development. Ensure the departments’ database is updated accordingly for every project.
- The procurement of Heads of terms followed by Option to Lease Agreements with landowners for the development of renewable energy projects throughout the UK.
- Negotiation with landowners, land agents and solicitors to secure favourable commercial terms for the company on all progressable projects. This will necessitate developing an in depth understanding of the complexities of the projects finances and the assessment of the commercial performance of each project to ensure satisfactory performance against internal financial targets. Liaison with the financial modelling team will be required.
- Risks to a project are to be identified and in consultation with other members of the Development Team, negotiations and studies will be commissioned to assess/resolve the issues. All projects must pass a stringent gate check procedure before options are signed.
About You
- Ideally the candidate would have 5+ years' experience in the land acquisition process from site identification to option and lease negotiation on industrial and agricultural land.
- Experience in renewable land development, and ideally knowledge of the renewable energy industry (predominantly Wind, Solar, Battery Storage and ideally Anaerobic Digestion).
- They will have Knowledge of all aspects of land purchase, including sales, commercials, technical, design, and legal aspects.
- Experienced in working with and managing external consultants, developing new and positive relationships with third parties such as landowners and land agents.
- Ideally degree qualified, preferably within a relevant study such as quantity surveying.
- Professional accreditation is an advantage.
- Possess a full driving license and be willing to travel across the UK to meet with landowners and their agents as required.
About Us
What's in it for you...
Healthcare plan, life assurance and generous pension contribution
Volunteering day
Hybrid working
Various company discounts (including shops, days out and events)
Holiday of 25 days (plus bank holidays) & ability to buy/sell days
Cycle to work scheme, car pooling and onsite parking available
As a valued member of the team you will be supporting the Group Environmental policy and its associated targets to make the Green Britain Group net carbon neutral by 2025
Flexibility statement
The fast moving nature of the company's business means that from time to time you may be asked to perform duties or tasks outside of your original job description on an ad hoc basis. This allows the company to use it's people in the best possible way at all times and helps the employees to make make their contribution in a changing environment.
Ecotricity is Britain's greenest energy company. When we started back in 1995, we were the first company in the world to provide a new kind of electricity- the green kind.
Our mission was, and remains, to change the way energy is made and used in Britain- by replacing fossil fuels with clean, renewable energy.
We don't just supply green energy, we use the money from our customers' bills to make it ourselves too- we build windmills and sun parks in Britain. We call this 'bills in to mills'. In 2021, we started work on building two new solar parks, and now, in 2023, we're bringing geothermal energy to our customers' fuel mix, a first in the UK. We're also developing green gas mills which will generate 100% green gas from a source that we will never run out of- grass.
We don't just focus on energy though- we built Electric Highways, Britain's leading network of electric vehicle charging points, we helped Forest Green Rovers become the greenest football club in the world, and, in partnership with RSPB, we launched Britain's greenest mobile phone service, Ecotalk + RSPB.
Ecotricity is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to providing equality for all.
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Store discount
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Gloucestershire: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: One location
Reference ID: 1467
