Career Overview
Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.
Also Known As
- Business Development Director
- Business Development Manager
- Development Director
- Development Manager
Alternate Job Titles
- Business Development Director
- Business Development Manager
- Development Director
- Development Manager
- Energy Director
- Energy Project Director
- Environmental Projects Advisor
- Project Development Leader
- Renewable Energy Civil Foreman
- Renewable Energy Field Coordinator
- Renewable Energy Project Handler
- Renewable Energy Project Manager
- Renewable Power Director
- Renewable Project Management and Construction Director
- Wind Development Director
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Coordinate or direct development, energy assessment, engineering, or construction activities to ensure that wind project needs and objectives are met.
- Manage wind project costs to stay within budget limits.
- Lead or support negotiations involving tax agreements or abatements, power purchase agreements, land use, or interconnection agreements.
- Create wind energy project plans, including project scope, goals, tasks, resources, schedules, costs, contingencies, or other project information.
- Supervise the work of subcontractors or consultants to ensure quality and conformance to specifications or budgets.
- Develop scope of work for wind project functions, such as design, site assessment, environmental studies, surveying, or field support services.
- Provide verbal or written project status reports to project teams, management, subcontractors, customers, or owners.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Building and Construction
- Engineering and Technology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Barometric pressure sensors
- Cup anemometers
- Dataloggers
- Desktop computers
- Digital still cameras
- Digital video cameras
- Electronic temperature sensors
- Handheld global positioning system GPS units
- Laptop computers
- Personal computers
- Portable meteorological stations
- Propeller anemometers
- Pyranometers
- Recording anemometers
- Soil samplers
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Managers, All Other occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Wind Energy Development Managers.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $68,860 |
| Median | $136,550 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $227,590 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 630,980
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Wind Energy Operations Managers
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $136,550
Wind Energy Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $117,750
Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $117,750
Solar Energy Systems Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $117,750
Hydroelectric Production Managers
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $121,440
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.