Commercial Project Developer

Description

The Senior Commercial Project Developer serves as an entrepreneurial market maker, strategic advisor, and growth driver for HOLT Renewables. In this role, you will originate, structure, and advance high-impact distributed energy resource (DER) projects across commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. You will operate at the intersection of energy economics, policy, and engineering, translating complex operational challenges into bankable, resilient clean energy infrastructure.

This role requires a commercial leader with an agile mindset who can seamlessly traverse diverse, high-energy-use industries, such as cold storage, manufacturing, hyperscale data infrastructure, logistics depots, and municipal campuses. You will lead consultative engagements that span solar PV, standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), behind-the-meter (BTM) load-management applications, and resilient microgrids. Armed with an understanding of evolving US wholesale and retail power markets, regulatory frameworks, and incentive landscapes, the Developer evaluates project viability, aligns client objectives with capital structures, and orchestrates internal teams to deliver executable turnkey solutions from origination to close.

• The incumbent in this position is expected to model the following practices on a daily basis: 1) Demonstrate alignment with the company's mission and core business values; 2) Collaborate with key internal/external resources; 3) Participate in ongoing self-development.

Essential Functions

• Origination & Market Expansion: Proactively build, cultivate, and convert a qualified pipeline of high-value renewable, storage, and microgrid opportunities, leveraging consultative sales methodologies to position HOLT’s turnkey EPC capabilities.
• RFP Intake & Proposal Leadership: Lead the end-to-end qualification, intake, and strategic response for Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), and competitive bids. Direct proposal buildouts by defining winning project narratives, scopes of work, and value propositions.
• Technical Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with internal technical teams, including engineering, estimating, pre-construction, and field operations, to evaluate constructability, run sizing iterations, refine balance-of-system cost estimates, and assemble accurate, competitive bid packages
• Cross-Industry Fluency: Rapidly evaluate and adapt to high-load operational environments, identifying key value drivers, such as peak-demand charges, backup power criticality, fleet electrification, and carbon compliance, to configure optimal energy architectures.
• DER Solution Architecture: Lead the conceptualization of solar PV, standalone BESS, microgrid controls, and behind-the-meter assets tailored to energy arbitrage, bill savings, demand curtailment, frequency support, and facility resilience.
• Energy Policy & Market Acumen: Track and apply dynamic regulatory shifts, utility tariffs, RTO/ISO market rules (e.g., ERCOT, PJM, CAISO, MISO), net-metering policies, and federal/state incentives (such as IRA investment tax credits and local clean-peak grants) to maximize project economics.
• Deal Structuring & Economic Modeling: Direct economic feasibility analyses, validate utility savings projections, and structure complex commercial deals (cash purchase, EPC, PPA, Energy-as-a-Service) in partnership with external finance stakeholders.
• Collaborative De-risking: Partner with engineering, estimating, procurement, and operations teams to review site control, interconnection feasibility, and constructability, ensuring smooth handover to construction teams.
• Client Advocacy & Partnership Ecosystem: Act as an indispensable strategic advisor to C-suite and facility executives while maintaining collaborative channel partner and developer networks to uncover new business avenues.
• Core Values & Safety: Exemplify HOLT’s values-based leadership model and maintain commitment to safety policies and ethical business conduct.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Entrepreneurial Ownership: High autonomy, grit, and commercial curiosity to pioneer new target verticals, navigate ambiguous project constraints, and drive business growth.
• DER & Storage Expertise: Technical and commercial fluency in battery energy storage systems (BESS chemistries, duration, augmentation), microgrid architectures, and behind-the-meter integration alongside solar PV.
• Regulatory & Tariff Mastery: Proven ability to navigate complex utility territory structures, retail supply contracts, demand-charge tariffs, and multi-state energy policy frameworks.
• Executive Presence & Negotiation: Outstanding consultative sales, executive briefing, and negotiation skills, capable of bridging technical engineering specifics and executive financial returns.
• Analytical Problem-Solving: Rigorous proficiency in assessing financial pro formas, cash flows, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), and multi-variable technical proposals.

Education and Experience

• Experience: Minimum of 4–6+ years of proven commercial project development, energy services, or structured origination experience in solar PV, BESS, microgrids, or distributed energy infrastructure.
• Preferred Expertise: Demonstrated track record originating and closing BESS, behind-the-meter, or microgrid projects across energy-intensive industrial, logistics, or data-infrastructure clients.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, or related discipline preferred.

Travel:

• Up to 25% travel for prospective site walks, utility meetings, and key stakeholder negotiations.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
None


Travel:

• Up to 20% travel, to include possible overnight stays

Physical Requirements:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job duty and responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform job duties and responsibilities
• This position involves extended periods in a stationary position, standing, and walking; additionally, occasionally kneeling, crouching, and stooping
• This role frequently communicates with others, must be able to exchange accurate

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Experience: Minimum of 4–6+ years of proven commercial project development, energy services, or structured origination experience in solar PV, BESS, microgrids, or distributed energy infrastructure.
• Preferred Expertise: Demonstrated track record originating and closing BESS, behind-the-meter, or microgrid projects across energy-intensive industrial, logistics, or data-infrastructure clients.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, or related discipline preferred.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None

Travel:

Up to 20% travel, to include possible overnight stays

Physical Requirements:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job duty and responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform job duties and responsibilities
• This position involves extended periods in a stationary position, standing, and walking; additionally, occasionally kneeling, crouching, and stooping
• This role frequently communicates with others, must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
• Constant movement and use of limbs; this position requires good manual dexterity, coordination, and stamina
• Occasionally moves materials or equipment weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Routinely reacts to visual, auditory, and other signals, including alarms and instructions, and is required to visually inspect work
• Ascend/descend with gradual or continuous progress by oneself, using both hands and feet and climb up and down ladder

Work Environment:

• This job is generally performed in a professional office environment, in environmentally controlled conditions and outdoor conditions on jobsite
• Occasionally works outdoors and may be exposed to weather extremes conditions that include inclement weather, heat, cold, and humidity
• Frequently works at a fast pace with unscheduled interruptions

Disclaimer:

Please note that the above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not to be interpreted as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the incumbents so classified. All incumbents may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities, as needed.

HOLT Group is a renowned, family-owned company with a legacy spanning nearly a century. As a powerhouse across several industries, including heavy machinery, construction, consulting services, training, and technology, we prioritize people and values. Our commitment to a Values-Based Leadership® approach has led to trusted partnerships and collaborative endeavors. At the heart of our operations is HOLT CAT, the largest Caterpillar dealership in the nation, along with other companies focused on industrial & commercial selling, energy, technology, and training & development. We excel in selling, servicing, leasing, and renting top-of-the-line industrial machinery and are dedicated to powering the construction and industrial spaces with superior equipment. Moreover, we empower construction and development with advanced technology, along with bringing technical skills and Values-Based Leadership® to individuals and companies seeking sustainable growth. If you're seeking a fulfilling career, explore our job opportunities at HOLT Group and join our values-driven team.