Sr. Land Acquisition Manager

RWE Americas, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

Functional area: Project Development
Remuneration: Exempt

The Senior Land Manager in the renewables industry is a regional leadership position responsible for supporting land acquisiton, management, and optimization of land assets for renewable energy projects, such as wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen facilities. This role involves strategic planning, negotiation, and coordination to secure and manage land resources effectively.  The ideal candidate will have a strong background in surface and mineral title, due diligence and curative.

The Senior Land Manager reports to the Director of Land Acquisition. You will be responsible for supporting land acquisition, managing 3rd party brokers/agents as needed to support the RWE company goals in the Central Region of the United States with an emphasis on surface and mineral title, lease prep and curative efforts.  This role will include developing and implementing strategic processes and procedures, to support land, legal and development while ensuring compliance with all relevant standards. 

Role Responsibilities:

• Assist and support a comprehensive land acquisition strategy aligned with the orgnaization’s renewable energy project goals 
• Develop best practices and execute a comprehensive strategy for title tasks
• Manage the LRFprocess and team for title review and document preparation
• Coordinate title curative efforts to ensure all documents are ready for development
• Collaborate with legal teams to structure land agreements that meet legal and regulatory requirements
• Conduct thorough due diligence on potential land acquisitions, including title searches, environmental assessments, and permitting requirements
• Coordinate title curative efforts with legal and development to help prepare  projects for development 
• Build and maintain positive relationships with Land, Development, Legal,landowners, local communities, government authorities, and other stakeholders
• Understand relevant aspects ofrenewable energy projects and can successfully educate consultants and other stakeholders as needed
• Address concerns and provide information about project plans and benefits to Central Region Team
• Execute and follow process for onboarding land agents and/or brokers, creating work orders, tracking purchase orders, approving invoices
• Tracking land title expenses associated with land agents and 3rd party consultants 
• Develop and execute comprehensive strategies aligned with the orgnaization’s renewable energy project goals
• Assist development to identify suitable land parcels for renewable energy development through title support
• Lead negotiations for land acquisition, lease agreements and easements, ensuring favorable terms and conditions
• Collaborate with legal teams to structure land agreements that meet legal and regulatory requirements
• Conduct thorough due diligence on potential land acquisitions, including title searches, environmental assessments, and permitting requirements
• Evaluate landowner’s willingness to participate in renewable energy projects
• Build and maintain positive relationships with landowners, local communities, government authorities, and other stakeholders
• Understand relevant aspects of storage and renewable energy projects and can successfully educate landowners and other stakeholders as needed
• Address concerns and provide information about project plans and benefits to stakeholders
• Travel, as required, to facilitate land acquisition efforts and foster positive relationships with landowners and other stakeholders
• Identify and mitigate potential risks related to land acquisition, land use and project development
• Develop contingency plans for unforeseen challenges related to land assets
• Develop and manage budgets for land acquisition and management activities
• Monitor expenses and optimize land assets for cost-effective project development
• Manage third party land acquisition resources to achieve the land resource objectives through a combination of internal and external resources
• Lead and mentor a team of land acquisition professionals, providing guidance and support in their roles
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance work environment within the Land team and with Development
• Maintain accurate records of land agreements, permits and regulatory compliance
• Provide regular reports to senior management on land acquisition progress and issues
• Perform additional job-related duties as assigned

Job Requirements and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, real estate, environmental science or a related field (Master’s Degree preferred)
• Ten or more years of experience in land acquisition, real estate, land management, or a combination thereof, with a strong background in renewables (solar, wind and battery storage) preferred
• Thorough knowledge of land-use regulations, permitting processes and real estate law
• Exceptional negotiation and contract management skills
• Strong analytical and financial acumen for budgeting and cost optimization
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for stakeholder engagement
• Ability to lead and manage a team effectively
• Proficiency in geographic information systems (GIS) and related land management software
• Strong interpersonal skills, with ability to manage customer relationships 
• Demonstrated desire to learn about the Company and the renewables space 
• Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Teams 
• Strong leadership and communication, and ability to meet deadlines 
• Strong organization skills and ability to coordinate multiple tasks and deliverables 
• Ability to multi-task, while working independently and as part of a team 
• Motivated self-starter, goal-oriented, and strong problem-solving abilities 
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds 
• Responds well to direction, is easy to challenge and develop, and is coachable 
• Is detail-oriented, has strong business acumen, and a sound understanding of business concepts 
• This position is a remote/hybrid role, based out of the Chicago office
• Some travel and visits to other RWEA offices and field locations
• Must be able to sit, walk, or stand for long durations of time

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. RWE Americas is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.

Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois is $130,000 - $175,000. 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 92290. Any questions? Contact HR:  rwe_americas_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.

RWE Americas, a subsidiary of RWE, is a US-based energy company that is helping to meet the growing demand for energy across the United States. Backed by RWE’s 125-year global legacy of managing diverse power assets, RWE Americas operates approximately 13 GW of power projects across 27 states. With a talented workforce of 2,000 employees, RWE Americas develops, constructs and operates wind, solar and battery storage projects that safely deliver affordable, reliable electricity to our customers. Committed to responsible development, RWE Americas invests in local and rural communities, creating jobs and partnering with stakeholders to support and strengthen the places where we live and work. Learn more about how RWE Americas is generating impact at americas.rwe.com.

At RWE Americas, we foster a culture defined by our Essential Behaviors – Have Courage, Create Impact and Actively Collaborate. We encourage bold thinking and continuous learning, and we value ownership, resilience and inclusion in everything we do. When you join us, you become part of a team that supports your development, respects your contributions and celebrates shared success. This is a place where you can grow your career and make a meaningful difference.