Director, Development - Brownfield BESS - Northeast

Director, Development – Brownfield BESS – Northeast About this position

At Elevate, we deploy reliable energy solutions that power the communities we serve. We’re not just building infrastructure; we’re enabling the future of energy, supporting massive digital and data center expansions and a more resilient, electrified grid. Elevate is where top talent meets real impact. We're a lean, mission‑driven team accelerating the clean energy transition through bold, meaningful projects. Here, you’ll work alongside some of the smartest people in the industry, have a seat at the table from day one, and shape a company that’s building the future of power fast.

• The Director of Brownfields Development will serve as the senior technical leader within Elevate’s brownfield BESS development team. This role complements an existing team of solar and battery storage developers by bringing deep expertise in geotechnical assessment, civil and electrical engineering coordination, complex technical permitting, generator tie‑line development, and preconstruction handoff – the disciplines critical to advancing brownfield projects from feasibility through notice‑to‑proceed.
• This is an execution‑focused leadership role with long‑term organizational importance. The Director will take immediate ownership of an active project portfolio, establish technical development standards, mentor the broader team, and serve as the go‑to expert on site‑level technical complexity. Projects span standalone and co‑located BESS facilities across the Northeast, including sites within New York City, requiring fluency with NYC’s regulatory environment, NYSDEC programs, and the full NYISO interconnection process.

• Establish and continuously refine technical development standards, workflows, and KPIs to drive optimal project execution across the brownfield platform.
• Serve as the team’s subject matter expert on brownfield development, geotechnical assessment, permitting, and gen‑tie matters; mentor developers and elevate overall team capability.
• Represent Elevate in regulatory proceedings, agency meetings, and stakeholder forums.
• Own a portfolio of active brownfield BESS projects simultaneously, maintaining development schedules, budgets, and stage‑gate milestones to project finance standards.
• Coordinate across engineering, interconnection, finance, legal, policy, and construction teams to ensure technical and commercial viability throughout the project lifecycle.

• Lead technical brownfield due diligence, including Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments and coordination with environmental consultants on remediation scoping and execution.
• Manage projects enrolled in state cleanup programs, including NYSDEC Brownfield Cleanup Program – tracking remedial milestones, regulatory correspondence, and certificate‑of‑completion requirements.
• Identify and mitigate environmental constraints affecting site feasibility, project schedule, or financing.

• Lead complex, multi‑agency permitting for brownfield BESS projects, including SEQR/CEQR, NYSDEC, Army Corps of Engineers, local land use approvals, building permits, and FDNY/fire code compliance.
• Develop permitting strategies and schedules; own agency relationships; manage permitting consultants and attorneys.
• Navigate permitting challenges specific to brownfield redevelopment, including remediation overlaps, deed restrictions, institutional controls, and legacy infrastructure constraints.

• Oversee geotechnical investigations for BESS infrastructure, including review of soil and foundation reports and coordination with civil and structural engineers on site design.
• Manage civil, structural, and electrical engineering consultants through site planning, grading, stormwater, and utility coordination work streams.
• Critically evaluate engineering deliverables: geotechnical reports, civil site plans, electrical one‑lines, structural calculations, and drive resolution of technical issues.
• Lead gen‑tie development, including ROW identification and…