Senior Commercial Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

DESRI Project Management Services, L.L.C. New York, New York, United States

About DESRI

DESRI (formerly D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments) is a market-leading owner and operator of renewable energy projects throughout the United States. We have acquired or developed approximately 13 gigawatts of contracted capacity across a portfolio of over 85 renewable energy projects in 24 states.

About the role

The Senior Manager or Director, EPC Commercial & Delivery position is a senior commercial leadership role responsible for EPC strategy, contracting, and execution oversight across DESRI’s utility-scale solar and battery energy storage (BESS) portfolio. This position provides end-to-end commercial accountability for a subset of projects, beginning approximately 12 months prior to Full Notice to Proceed (FNTP) and continuing through construction completion.

This person will be accountable for EPC contractor engagement, contract negotiation, and commercial risk management during the pre‑FNTP phase, while maintaining continuity of commercial intent into construction execution. Post‑FNTP, this role provides senior commercial oversight through the assigned Project Manager or Project Delivery Lead, supporting change management, claims evaluation, contractual interpretation, and issue resolution throughout execution.

This role partners closely with Development, Engineering, Procurement, Pre‑Construction, Project Management, Construction, Project Delivery, Legal, and Finance (Functional Groups) to ensure alignment of scope, schedule, pricing, and risk assumptions across the full project lifecycle. The Director, EPC serves as DESRI’s senior commercial representative with EPC contractors and plays a critical role in ensuring that projects are contracted, executed, and delivered in accordance with DESRI’s commercial objectives.

What you'll do

This role will meaningfully influence the commercial structure, risk management approach, pricing strategy, execution readiness, and execution of DESRI’s renewable energy projects.

• Alongside legal, accountable for all pre‑FNTP commercial review and judgment for assigned solar and BESS projects, including contract negotiations, EPC scope definition, pricing and schedule development, and risk‑mitigation planning.
• Serve as DESRI’s commercial authority and escalation point with EPC counterparties during the pre‑execution phase, providing oversight and direction while day‑to‑day coordination is executed by the assigned Project Manager or Pre‑Construction Lead.
• Establish and maintain alignment across Functional groups on project design decisions, contracting strategies, and cost and schedule assumptions, resolving cross‑functional commercial conflicts as needed.
• Alongside legal, be accountable for the development, negotiation, and finalization of EPC contracts and related commercial agreements, ensuring clear definition of scope, bridging scope gaps, performance guarantees, change‑order provisions, liquidated damages, warranties, and overall risk allocation.
• Oversee and validate pre‑construction schedules and milestones, ensuring EPC assumptions are commercially sound, feasible, and aligned with DESRI’s execution strategy. Lead the identification, assessment, and mitigation of commercial, technical, and schedule risks, and ensure risk positions are accurately reflected in EPC contracts and execution plans.
• Alongside Pre‑Construction, provide commercial oversight of project pricing efforts, including review of EPC cost benchmarks, bid evaluations, estimate validation, and participation in internal investment and risk review processes.
• Prepare and review materials for internal leadership and investment committee, clearly articulating EPC commercial positions, key risks, and recommended courses of action.
• Ensure a disciplined and coordinated transition at FNTP, partnering with Construction and Project Management teams to preserve commercial intent, risk allocation, and contractual assumptions into execution. Participate in transition memo on key points.
• Represent DESRI in senior‑level external negotiations with EPC providers, equipment suppliers, consultants, and other commercial partners.
• Apply consistent EPC commercial strategies and governance across both solar and BESS projects, ensuring integrated and disciplined commercial management across technologies.
• Maintain ongoing engagement with the EPC contractor following FNTP, supporting the Project Manager and Construction teams to ensure alignment with contracted scope, schedule, pricing, and execution expectations through final completion.
• Participate in the resolution of execution‑phase commercial and contractual issues, serving as an escalation step for the Project Delivery Lead on complex scope, schedule, cost, or claims‑related matters.
• Provide commercial oversight of execution‑phase changes, including review and guidance on change orders and associated schedule or cost impacts, in coordination with Project Delivery, Construction, and Legal.
• Support successful project closeout and turnover, partnering with Project Delivery, Construction, and Asset Management to help ensure delivery of a high‑quality, contract‑compliant asset.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field is required; an advanced degree or PMP is preferred but not required.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience; 15 years strongly preferred, including commercial contracting, scheduling, and pricing responsibilities within an EPC organization or as a developer.
• Experience that includes progression through EPC project management roles, ideally reaching Director‑level responsibilities; exposure to EPC construction execution is highly desirable.
• Deep familiarity with EPC contract structures, negotiations, risk allocation, pricing methodologies, schedule management, and renewable energy project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience leading negotiations for utility‑scale solar and/or BESS projects.
• Strong analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills, with an ability to drive alignment and action across multidisciplinary internal teams and external partners.
• Ability to manage multiple complex commercial workstreams simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong understanding of renewable energy market dynamics, EPC contractor landscape, and U.S. project development processes.
• The expected annual base salary for the role is $200,000 – $250,000, depending on demonstrated fit, experience and skills. Compensation and benefit package includes variable compensation in the form of an annual guaranteed bonus, guaranteed in the first year of hire, as well as standard benefits including medical and prescription drug coverage, 401(k) contribution matching, paid time off, wellness reimbursement, family‑building benefits, and a charitable gift match program.