Director, Preconstruction Permitting & Crossings

RWE Clean Energy, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

Functional area: Project Management
Remuneration: Exempt

The Director of Preconstruction Permitting and Crossings will lead the strategic planning, process development, reporting and execution of all construction permitting and third-party crossing activities during the preconstruction phase. This role is critical to ensuring project readiness and compliance with regulatory, environmental, and land use requirements. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in permitting processes, utility and pipeline crossing agreements, and stakeholder engagement.

Role Responsibilities:

• Permitting Strategy & Execution
  • Lead the development and implementation of permitting strategies for wind, solar, and BESS projects across multiple jurisdictions
  • Develop, implement and manage standardized permit tracking processes and reporting
  • Coordinate with internal teams (development, engineering, legal, environmental) to ensure permitting timelines align with project schedules
  • Monitor regulatory changes and proactively adjust permitting strategies to maintain compliance
• Crossings Management
  • Develop a process to manage crossings across all projects, optimizing for project schedule and cost
  • Direct the coordination of third-party crossing agreements (e.g., pipelines, railroads, utilities, roads) on all projects
  • Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders including survey companies, EORs, pipeline, utility, telecom, etc.
  • Collaborate with engineering and construction teams to integrate crossing requirements into project design and ensure all crossing designs and documentation meet technical and regulatory standards
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Build and lead a high-performing team of internal and external permitting and crossings professionals
  • Provide mentorship, training, and performance management to support team growth and effectiveness
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement

Job Requirements and Experiences:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
• Minimum 10 years of experience in engineering or project management for capital projects; Minimum 5 years' experience in negotiating and managing crossing agreements preferred
• Excellent prioritization, organization, communication, and project management skills
• Experience leading teams and managing 3rd party contractors and consultants
• Ability to travel as needed to project sites and stakeholder meetings

Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois is $160,000 - $240,000. The listed salary range represents our good faith estimate for this position and represents the range for new hire salaries across all U.S locations. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. RWE considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s education & work experience, training & certifications, and key skills as well as market and business considerations at the time of the offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short-term incentives, in addition to salary.

Apply with just a few clicks: ad code 90210.  Any questions? Contact HR:  rwece_recruiting@rwe.com

We look forward to meeting you. Of course, you can find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Xing, too.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

Through its subsidiary RWE Clean Energy, RWE is the third largest renewable energy company in the United States, with a presence in most U.S. states from coast to coast. RWE’s team of about 2,000 employees in the U.S. stands ready to help meet the nation’s growing energy needs. With its homegrown and fastest-to-market product, RWE supports the goal of American Energy dominance and independence. To that end, RWE Clean Energy is committed to increasing its already strong asset base of over 10 gigawatts of operating wind, solar and battery projects, focusing on providing high-quality jobs. RWE invests in local and rural communities while strengthening domestic manufacturing supporting the renaissance of American industry. This is complemented by RWE’s energy trading business. RWE is also a major offtaker of American liquified natural gas (LNG).

As an energy company with a successful history spanning more than 125 years, RWE has an extensive knowledge of the energy markets and an excellent expertise in all major power generation and storage technologies, from nuclear, coal and gas to hydro, batteries, wind and solar.