Director of Renewable Energy Development

Impact: Clean energy deployment at scale and the energy transition through strategic development leadership

Set and execute the overall renewable energy development strategy for an organisation, overseeing a portfolio of wind, solar, and storage projects from origination through financial close and construction handover. Lead development teams, manage executive and investor relationships, and ensure the pipeline delivers against corporate growth and clean energy targets.

What the day looks like

People interaction
Extensive
Team vs solo
75% Team / 25% Solo
Client facing
Frequent
Impact visibility
Very High
Travel
20-30% for executive and regulatory engagements
Schedule flexibility
Moderate
Remote work
Hybrid
Typical work hours
50-60 hours/week
Stress level
High

At a glance

Median salary
$210,000
Entry-level
$150,000 - $185,000
Senior
$280,000+
Growth by 2033
30% (much faster than average)
Demand
Growing Fast
Freelance potential
Low
Salary growth potential
High to 55-70% growth from entry to senior
Typical student debt
$20,000 - $50,000

Skills you'll use

Hard skills

  • Renewable Energy Development Strategy
  • Multi-Technology Portfolio Management (Solar / Wind / Storage)
  • Project Finance & M&A
  • Regulatory & Policy Affairs
  • Executive Stakeholder Management
  • Pipeline Reporting & KPI Design

Soft skills

  • Strategic Leadership
  • Executive Communication
  • Talent Development
  • Negotiation
  • Vision Setting

Technical complexity: High

How to get there

Minimum education
Bachelor's Degree
Licensing
No
Years to mid-career
10-14 years
Years to senior
15-22 years
Career switching
Hard

Where this career leads

How people arrive here

    Where you can go from here

      Typical progression

      1. Project Developer
      2. Development Manager
      3. Director of Development
      4. Director of Renewable Energy Development
      5. VP / Chief Development Officer

      Future outlook

      Automation probability
      8% to executive leadership and strategic direction are highly resistant to automation
      AI disruption risk
      Very Low
      Demand trend
      Growing Fast

      How people feel about it

      Overall satisfaction
      4/10
      Meaning
      4.2/10
      Work-life balance
      3/10
      Prestige
      8.2/10
      Social perception
      High

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