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Head of Development - On-Shore Wind

Evolve Energy

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Manchester, UK

Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Help us make a big green dent in the universe. We're on a mission to drive the global renewable energy revolution, and we need loads more people to help us make our vision a reality.

Octopus Energy Generation exists to transform the world of renewable generation. We’re making a big green dent in the universe and we’re looking for great people to help us make our vision a reality.

We’re already working hard to change the future of energy across the world - from large solar and wind energy projects which harness the abundant natural resources we have both on land and at sea; to more localised people-led renewable generation in the form of the Octopus Fan Club and the Collective - we’re committed to driving the green energy revolution faster than ever before.

We are moving to a world that is increasingly electric, in more ways than one. We know the future’s green; and we need cleaner, connected, sustainable energy generation to power our modern lifestyles. The heat in our homes and the energy in our cars will all come from electricity. But there is one fundamental problem. The current system for enabling new renewable generation does not match the timescales in which we need it. Wind farms can take anywhere from 7 to 10 years to be built, hamstrung by the inefficiencies in the system and an outdated approach to development.

The Innovation Development Team:

We are on the cusp of a global energy transition. With the energy crisis driving sky-high wholesale energy prices, customers are bearing the brunt of the inefficiencies in the energy system. It’s never been more critical that we dramatically overhaul where our energy comes from. Renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy generation, has the ability to be the quickest deployed, can play a central role in energy security and will be the key component in ambitions to reach net zero.

Using a tech-led approach, we’ve identified a huge opportunity to develop new ‘people driven’ onshore wind projects. Our Fan Club proposition - where customers living locally to a Fan (wind turbine) can access cheaper energy when the wind is blowing - has been pivotal in showcasing the benefits that local generation can bring to nearby communities. In response, we've had over 20,000 communities reach out wanting a Fan in their area. Our data-dating platform Winder (Tinder for Wind!) has also identified land with the potential for over 2.3GW of new British onshore wind, all with strong local support.

We’re looking for curious and tenacious individuals who aren’t afraid to question the status-quo as we build a new model focused purely on delivering the cheapest energy possible for customers. Your role will be part of a team that is tasked to deliver onshore wind projects in this new landscape and work on overhauling systemic inefficiencies at all stages of development.

What you'll do

Head up our development activities in the North of England and Scotland, with a focus on onshore wind in England to begin with
Own the full development journey for these projects, working with various stakeholders both within Octopus and externally to rapidly progress these sites
Spot new ways in which we can fund these projects, working closely with Project Finance to execute on this
Work with the wider development team, initiating new ideas which can be fostered and grown into opportunity pools
Explore ways in which technology and data can drive success for onshore wind, throughout the development journey
Flourish with 'boots on the ground' engagement, harnessing existing relationships and creating new ones at all levels e.g. local authorities, communities, planning officers etc.
Be the voice of disruption, constantly feeding back to the wider team better ways in which we can accelerate renewables across the north of the UK - thinking specifically around planning and grid barriers
Feed into Octopus's wider political and industry engagements when it comes to renewables
Take a people-driven approach to developing onshore wind - importantly we don't want a typical developer mindset who will identify the 'why' as opposed to the 'why not'
Use technology and data to identify and lead new ways of developing, alongside the wider development team

What you'll need

Strong experience within development, specifically onshore wind, but across other renewables too - Ideally, we are looking for someone with 8+ years of experience.
A proven track record in working throughout the development lifecycle for renewables, ideally from origination through to commissioning
The ability to spot opportunities and originate better ways in which we should be doing things - Octopus champions this mentality
A tenacious attitude towards your work, you enjoy a challenge
Proactive attitude and to enjoy the freedom that being empowered gives you
Fantastic relationship management - we are looking for someone who is confident in their ability and will have the full backing of the Octopus brand when we engage externally

Why else you'll love it here

Wondering what the salary for this role is? Just ask us! On a call with one of our recruiters it's something we always cover as we genuinely want to match your experience with the correct salary. The reason why we don't advertise is because we honestly have a degree of flexibility and would never want salary to be a reason why someone doesn't apply to Octopus - what's more important to us is finding the right octofit!
Octopus Energy is a unique culture. An organisation where people learn, decide, and build quicker. Where people work with autonomy, alongside a wide range of amazing co-owners, on projects that break new ground. We want your hard work to be rewarded with perks you actually care about! We won best company to work for in 2022, on Glassdoor we were voted 50 best places to work in 2022 and our Group CEO, Greg has recorded a podcast about our culture and how we empower our people. We’ve also been placed in the top 10 companies for senior leadership
Visit our UK perks hub - Octopus Employee Benefits

If this sounds like you then we'd love to hear from you.

Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. Across Octopus, we're looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone.