Director, Project Finance

Director, Project Finance

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Salary Range:  $210,000 - $235,000 plus bonus and incentive stock options

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

About The Company:

NineDot's name derives from the classic mathematical puzzle for sparking out-of-the-box solutions. As a leading community-scale, clean energy developer with a growing portfolio of projects across a range of technologies, NineDot Energy is creating innovative energy solutions that support a more resilient electric grid, deliver economic savings, address environmental justice, and reduce carbon emissions. We plan to develop, build and operate more than 400 MW of clean energy systems by 2026 that will strengthen the local power grid infrastructure and provide clean, reliable and resilient power to tens of thousands of New York households and businesses. This is all in support of New York State’s mission to achieve 100% clean energy by 2040.

With the backing of Manulife Investment Management and Carlyle Group - two of the world’s leading infrastructure investors - NineDot is continuing to expand its core battery energy storage pipeline, deliver enhanced products and services, explore new regions and consider potential acquisitions all to advance the decarbonization of New York’s grid. This is an exciting opportunity to build a platform from the ground-up with a world-class team of developers and innovators. NineDot is committed to building a company that exemplifies diversity, equity and inclusion values in its team culture, as well as business practices and community engagement.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Director, Project Finance will lead our Project Finance team and work directly with all levels of management throughout the organization to raise various forms of capital to support the development of NineDot project portfolio, including project finance debt, equipment financing, land financing, and tax equity. In addition, the Director of Project Finance will lead the underwriting and monitoring of project profitability and support the analysis of their viability and earnings.

Roles and responsibilities

• Manage, lead, and develop a high-performing Project Finance team.
• Coordinate with banks, financial institutions and other capital providers, as well as consultants to structure and raise funds from various financial institutions/banks/lease finance companies.
• Assess NineDot capital needs and design the most efficient way to finance them.
• Coordinate due diligence, term sheet, negotiations, and documentation with finance providers.
• Build complex “project finance” economic models from concept to future cash flows.
• Screen new projects, define project description and scope, and conduct feasibility studies to determine the financial viability of new ventures projecting cash flow and growth opportunities.
• Work closely with the project development team to identify, analyze and execute the most optimum financing solution for projects which include debt and tax/project equity.
• Prepare, monitor, and ensure cash flows, fund flows, profitability statements, IRRs, Payback periods, DSCRs, projected profitability, and other financial parameters/reports to analyze inflow/outflow of funds and profits/surplus resulting thereof.
• Recommend necessary corrective actions, and conduct financial research of similar companies and/or projects for benchmarking ratios and performance tracking.
• Undertake all the necessary activities, i.e., collecting the information, preparing the projection model, finalizing the design, etc. to evaluate capital investment, proposals and calculate project/dividend IRRs, DSCRs, sensitivity analysis, etc.
• Conduct a financial analysis of similar companies and/or projects for benchmarking ratios and performance tracking.
• Coordinate debt facilities’ drawdown/repayment formalities and monitor compliance with financing conditions and obligations.
• Provide consultative assistance and follow-up services on closed transactions as necessary.

Competencies for Success

• Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; conducts excellent and honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answer.
• Interpersonal Savvy - Able to relate well to all individuals within and beyond the organization; builds appropriate rapport along with constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact.
• Perseverance - Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
• Dealing With Ambiguity - Can effectively cope with change and shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture.
• Creativity - Capable of coming up with new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions.
• Technical Learning - Picks up on technical things quickly, capable of learning new skills and knowledge, good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge.
• Intellectual Horsepower - Demonstrated ability to deal with concepts and complexity comfortably; described as intellectually sharp, capable, and agile.
• Developing Direct Reports and Others - Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; cooperates with the developmental system in the organization; is a people builder.
• Building Effective Teams - Creates strong morale and spirit in his/her/their team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.
• Innovation Management -  Is good at bringing the creative ideas of others to market; has good judgment about which creative ideas and suggestions will work; has a sense about managing the creative process of others; can project how potential ideas may play out in the real world.
• Planning - Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects; sets objectives and goals; breaks down work into the process steps; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks; measures performance against goals; evaluates results.
• Drive for Results - Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Strategic Agility - Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future-oriented; can articulate and paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
• Managing Through Systems - Can design practices, processes, and procedures that allow managing from a distance; is comfortable letting things manage themselves without intervening; can make things work through others without being there; can impact people and results remotely.
• Managing Vision and Purpose - Communicates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose; talks beyond today; talks about possibilities; is optimistic; creates mileposts and symbols to rally support behind the vision; makes the vision shareable by everyone; can inspire and motivate entire units or organizations.

Required education and experience

• Ten years of professional experience in project finance.
• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related fields.
• Certified Financial Analyst (CFA).
• Experience and knowledge in areas of project proposals, project finance management, and all the financial accountabilities related to multiple projects.
• Experience in the energy, real estate, tax credit structuring, and prior project finance roles strongly preferred.
• Strong financial modeling, presentation and computer skills.
• Experience in equity and debt fundraising and optimizing capital structure.
• Experience working with advisory firms leading multi-disciplinary teams and complex financial transactions.
• Knowledge of project finance documentation and experience handling financial closing work either as a project developer or a financier.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.  

Affirmative Action/EEO statement

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and committed to leveraging the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experience of our workforce to create opportunities for our colleagues and our business. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender expression, gender identity, sex, age, ancestry, marital status, protected veteran and military status, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status of an individual or that individual’s associates or relatives that is protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Covid 19 Protocol

NineDot continues to monitor local COVID-19 protocols mandated by state and federal governments. For those who will be joining events in person, you may be required to test before meetings.