Manager M&A

Leeward Energy•Chicago, IL

22h•$134,000 - $186,000

About The Position

LRE (Leeward Renewable Energy) is a high-growth renewable energy company forging a sustainable future through integrity, innovation, and positive impact. We own and operate 30 large wind, solar, and energy storage projects across the United States, totaling over 3 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity. LRE has an ambitious goal of 10GW of operating assets by 2028 and are developing and contracting an increasing pipeline of new projects every year. We take a full-lifecycle approach to our projects, built on a long-term ownership model and a company culture dedicated to our community partners and protecting the environment. Job Summary: The M&A Manager / Deal Lead is a key driver of the Commercial Team’s and LRE’s overall success. The Manager is responsible for identifying project acquisition and divestiture opportunities that are aligned with LRE’s corporate strategy. The Manager will lead the entire diligence process including coordinating with internal groups, providing guidance to supporting associates and overall deal coordination with external stakeholders. The Manager will leverage their deep knowledge of renewable energy projects and track record in renewable energy transactions to lead the valuation and structuring of proposals that maximize value to LRE and take into consideration all major risks. The Manager will present proposals to senior leadership for internal approvals and lead the completion of diligence and negotiation of transaction documentation with counterparts through final execution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required, Masters degree preferred
Minimum 6 years previous experience in energy project finance, origination, and/or M&A required – preferably in solar, wind, BESS, or natural gas electricity generation projects (less experience may be considered with acceptable with MBA/JD/relevant graduate program).
Track record of leading entire transaction processes in renewable energy from inception to execution
Proficient in all areas of the transaction cycle: due diligence process, transaction valuation, structuring proposals, negotiating transaction documents, preparing materials and presenting for internal approvals
Highly knowledgeable about renewable energy deal and market structures, drivers, trends, and competitors
Holistic understanding of renewable energy project development and M&A process, risks, and opportunities
Excellent project management skills
Concise and clear communicator
Applicants must have current authorization to work for any employer in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for an employment visa now or in the future
Employer visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Responsibilities

Leads full execution of small to mid sized transactions and co-lead larger deals
Leads the entire project and transaction due diligence process including process letters, letters of intent, data room preparation and management, Q&A logs, and related matters
Coordinates transaction valuation process among internal functional groups including origination, project development, project finance, EPC, operations, and legal, among others
Compiles complete bid/offer proposals including, in addition to price, key provisions and factors that enhance value and mitigate risk, including merchant exposure, transmission constraints, tax equity and financing concerns.
Independently leads negotiation of membership interest purchase and sale agreements in conjunction with counsel and relevant subject matter experts; only escalating complex risk or governance issues.
Prepares materials for internal approvals and presents to senior leadership including, as appropriate, the board of directors
Formulates and implements internal strategy for acquisition and divestiture opportunities, identifying regions and projects of focus and making recommendations for relevant bidders and timing of sale. Candidate capable of understanding implications of portfolio integration and returns
Responsible for successful alignment and tracking of project timelines and assignments to overall corporate objectives
Proactively and effectively interacts and partners with leaders across multiple departments - Is sought out by leaders for opinions on matters of departmental significance
Consistently formulates and implements creative and actionable solutions to problems and leads multiple M&A initiatives and coordinates cross-functional teams - Leads continues improvement of existing processes based on lessons learned from transactions
Independently establishes rapport with existing and prospective customers/counterparts and bankers/advisors in order to identify transaction opportunities
Mentors and positively influences the learning curves of associates and collaborates on guiding associates through accountabilities and deliverables without formal supervisory role – Embraces an active role in the professional and personal development of team members and talent retention