ESR is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead site prospecting and land acquisition for both Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects in Japan. This high-impact role drives full lifecycle development of large-scale renewable energy projects — including PV+BESS hybrid configurations — from site identification through land contract execution, permitting, grid interconnection, and financial close.
Key Responsibilities
1. Site Prospecting & Land Acquisition
- Conduct feasibility studies to identify and evaluate candidate sites for BESS and Solar PV development.
- Lead due diligence on shortlisted sites.
- Approach and negotiate with landowners to secure land lease agreements and purchase-and-sale agreements (PSA) for development sites.
- Plan and manage the development pipeline (BESS, PV, and PV+BESS hybrid), tracking progress from site identification through contract execution.
2. Solar PV & BESS Project Development and Project Management
- Lead large-scale renewable energy projects (PV, BESS, and PV+BESS hybrid) from concept stage through financial close.
- Manage technical specifications of project systems.
- Evaluate solar energy yield simulations and reflect findings in financial models.
- Coordinate technical specifications, procurement strategy, and RFP preparation with EPC contractors and equipment vendors.
- Manage grid interconnection applications and other permitting processes.
- Support financial modelling for Investment Committee submissions.
- Execute project management during construction, overseeing quality, safety, schedule, and cost controls.
3. EV Fast-Charging Project Development and Project Management
- Lead EV fast-charging projects from concept stage through financial close.
- Manage technical specifications of project systems.
- Reflect project economics in financial models.
- Coordinate technical specifications, procurement strategy, and RFP preparation with EPC contractors and equipment vendors.
- Support financial modelling for Investment Committee submissions.
- Execute project management during construction, overseeing quality, safety, schedule, and cost controls.
4. Cross-functional & Other Responsibilities
- Collaborate closely with logistics facility development and data centre development teams, given the strong synergies across these workstreams.
- Liaise with the Singapore Infrastructure Development team, Finance, and Legal at each development milestone to ensure seamless handover.
- Proactively drive cross-functional improvements and capability-building initiatives within the team.
Requirements
Essential Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Real Estate, Geography, or a related field.
- Minimum 7 years of experience in renewable energy project development, with demonstrated track record in both large-scale Solar PV and BESS.
- Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience in site prospecting and land acquisition for PV, BESS, and/or PV+BESS hybrid projects.
- Proven track record in negotiating and executing land lease agreements and PSAs with landowners.
- Foundational knowledge of PV and BESS modelling.
- Understanding of grid interconnection processes for both PV and BESS assets.
- Knowledge and experience in EV charger installation.
- Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills — both internally and externally.
Preferred Requirements
- Master's degree (MBA, Engineering, Real Estate, or related field).
- Professional Engineer (Electrical/Electronics) qualification or equivalent domestic credential.
- Experience with BESS-specific contracts (ESA, MSA, LTSA, EPC contracts).
- Track record of building a solar + BESS pipeline of 200 MW or more.
- Experience working with tax equity investors and project finance lenders on PV+BESS transactions.
Benefits
Grow with us – Career growth and learning
We believe our greatest strength lies in the growth and development of our team. From day one, we create an environment that builds confidence and lays the foundation for long-term success. Whether you’re launching your career or stepping into a leadership role, we provide the tools, learning opportunities, and personalised guidance to help you thrive.
More about career growth at ESR
Our values and purpose
Our values are the foundation of everything we do—shaping our performance, culture, and ambition. Our purpose is rooted in the pursuit of excellence across all areas of our business, with a focus on maintaining the highest standards of performance, accountability, and integrity.
When you join us, you commit to three core principles:
- We Do the Right Thing: Integrity is non-negotiable. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accountability, ensuring that every financial decision and business move is ethical and transparent.
- We Win as One Team: Our culture thrives on collective success. We break down functional silos to ensure that our ambitions are met through seamless collaboration and mutual support.
- We Think Beyond the Present: We don’t just manage for the quarter; we build for the years to come. We challenge ourselves to look past immediate gains to secure long-term excellence and sustainable growth.
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