Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wind Farm Program Director

🎯 Role Definition

The Wind Farm Program Director is an executive-level program leader responsible for end-to-end delivery and lifecycle performance of one or more wind farm projects or an entire portfolio. This role sets program strategy and governance, owns cost and schedule performance, leads multidisciplinary teams across development, procurement, construction, commissioning and operations, and acts as the primary interface with investors, utilities, regulators, local communities and major contractors (EPCs, turbine OEMs, balance-of-plant suppliers). The director ensures HSE, environmental and permitting compliance, drives continuous improvement in reliability and revenue performance, and mitigates commercial and technical risks across the program.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Project Manager / Program Manager (Large-scale Renewables)
Head of Construction / Delivery in Renewables or EPC
Development Manager or Head of Asset Management (Wind & Power)

Advancement To:

Director / VP of Renewables Program Delivery
Head of Global Wind Portfolio / Chief Operating Officer (Renewables)
Chief Development Officer or Executive in Renewable Infrastructure Investment

Lateral Moves:

Portfolio Manager (Renewable Assets)
Head of Operations & Maintenance (O&M)
Commercial Director (Power & Renewables)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Own end-to-end program delivery for multiple wind farm projects (development, procurement, construction, commissioning and initial operations), ensuring projects meet scope, quality, schedule and budget targets while aligning to corporate strategy and investor expectations.
Define and implement program governance, decision-making frameworks, KPIs and reporting cadence for cost control, schedule performance, HSE and technical quality across the portfolio.
Lead development and execution of comprehensive program schedules, resource plans and critical-path analysis using Primavera P6 / MS Project to drive on-time delivery and efficient resource allocation.
Establish and maintain an integrated project controls system (cost control, change management, forecasting, earned value), delivering timely monthly forecasts, CAPEX/ OPEX reporting and variance analysis to executive leadership and investors.
Direct procurement and contracting strategies for turbines, balance-of-plant, electrical infrastructure, marine logistics and other major packages — including RFP development, bid evaluation, commercial negotiation and contract award (EPC, O&M, supply agreements).
Negotiate and manage major contracts with OEMs, EPC contractors, subcontractors and service providers, including scope definition, performance guarantees, warranties, liquidated damages, and claims resolution.
Oversee technical design reviews, QA/QC processes and engineering deliverables across civil, electrical, structural and turbine interfaces to ensure constructability, code compliance and long-term reliability.
Own grid connection delivery including interconnection agreements, substation design, HV cabling, protective relaying, compliance testing and coordination with TSOs and local utilities.
Lead permitting, consenting and environmental compliance strategy; manage relationships with regulators, local authorities and environmental consultants to secure permits and mitigate constraints (birds, bats, protected habitats, noise, visual).
Provide HSE leadership and ensure the program adheres to corporate and statutory HSE standards (NEBOSH, ISO 45001), contractor HSE management and safe mobilization for onshore and offshore works.
Manage marine logistics and offshore operations (if applicable) including vessel charters, port logistics, seabed surveys, foundation and turbine installation sequencing, and weather/risk windows.
Champion commissioning, testing and performance acceptance protocols including mechanical, electrical and SCADA integration, final testing and handover criteria to Asset Management/O&M.
Build and maintain a comprehensive program risk register, lead risk workshops, execute mitigation plans and report material risks and opportunities to the executive committee and board-level stakeholders.
Drive commercial monitoring and revenue assurance activities: support offtake/PPA execution, production forecasting (P50/P90), availability and performance monitoring, and revenue leakage controls.
Coordinate asset management and O&M strategy input early in the project life cycle to optimize lifecycle costs, availability, long-term service agreements and spare parts strategy.
Lead cross-functional teams (development, engineering, procurement, construction, health & safety, legal, commercial, finance) and external advisors to ensure single-program accountability and effective decision-making.
Serve as primary liaison to investors, lenders, insurers and joint-venture partners — produce investment-grade reporting, compliance certificates, drawdown approvals and act as sponsor representative during due diligence and audits.
Manage program-level budgeting and forecasting, secure capital approvals, and present financial commitments, project profitability analysis and change-order impacts to the executive leadership team.
Drive innovation and digital enablement across the program by integrating performance analytics, SCADA data, asset management systems and predictive maintenance strategies to maximize energy production and reduce O&M costs.
Lead claims and dispute resolution processes related to schedule delays, commercial claims, warranty performance and supplier non-conformance, coordinating legal and commercial responses.
Ensure stakeholder and community engagement strategies are actively managed, including local content plans, community benefits, permitting consultations and communications during construction and commissioning.
Recruit, mentor and develop high-performing project teams and key leaders; define role accountabilities, succession plans and performance objectives to build long-term delivery capability.
Oversee commissioning and early life operations transitions, ensuring knowledge transfer, spares provisioning and contract handover to O&M providers with clear SLA/performance KPIs.
Align procurement and logistics plans with global supply chain constraints and long-lead item strategies (turbine blades, nacelles, transformers), proactively mitigating supplier risk and schedule impacts.
Monitor and optimize lifecycle cost models and asset valuation inputs; support M&A activities, refinancing and portfolio rebalancing with due-diligence input and operational readiness assessments.
Ensure compliance with international standards and industry best practices (IEC for turbines, ISO for quality and environment, local grid codes) and implement lessons learned across successive projects.
Represent the program externally at industry forums, regulatory consultations and with media where required; communicate program progress and strategic direction to broad stakeholder groups.
Implement change control procedures for technical, commercial and contractual scope changes and maintain transparent audit trails for all approvals and decisions across program governance.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives (lean construction, constructability, productivity, cost-down programmes) and identify opportunities for replication and standardization across the portfolio.

Secondary Functions

Provide subject-matter expertise and leadership support for business development, bids and proposals to secure future wind farm opportunities and expand the portfolio.
Support internal audits, lender and insurer reviews and certification audits by preparing documentation, facilitating site visits and implementing corrective action plans.
Contribute to corporate strategy and annual planning exercises by providing program-level insights on market trends, permitting timelines, supply chain constraints and capital requirements.
Mentor junior leaders and contribute to talent development programs, internal leadership training and cross-functional rotations to build pipeline capability.
Maintain and update a central project knowledge repository (lessons learned, technical reports, commissioning records, vendor documentation) to support rapid onboarding of new projects.
Coordinate with finance and tax teams on asset capitalization, tax incentives, grants and project accounting treatments as they relate to project delivery and commissioning milestones.
Participate in emergency response planning and business continuity exercises affecting construction and operations activities.
Lead periodic performance reviews and post-commissioning reviews to capture key metrics and feedback for continuous program improvement.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program and portfolio management for large-scale wind energy projects (onshore and offshore).
Project controls: cost management, forecasting, earned value management, and change control.
Contract strategy, negotiation and management for EPC, OEM supply agreements, O&M and services.
Technical knowledge of wind turbine technology, nacelle, blades, towers, foundations and turbine interfaces.
Electrical infrastructure and grid connection expertise (substation design, HV/LV cabling, protection & control).
Permitting and environmental consenting experience including habitat/avian assessments and mitigation measures.
HSE leadership and standards implementation (NEBOSH, ISO 45001, HSE regulatory compliance).
Scheduling and critical-path management using Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project.
Commercial skills including PPA support, revenue forecasting (P50/P90), and commercial claims management.
Procurement and supply chain management, including long-lead procurement and supplier due diligence.
Marine operations and logistics for offshore projects (vessel logistics, installation windows, port operations).
Commissioning, performance testing and SCADA integration knowledge.
Financial acumen: budgeting, CAPEX/OPEX modeling, investment approvals and financial reporting to lenders/investors.
Risk management and mitigation planning, including contingency planning and insurance program coordination.
Familiarity with industry standards (IEC, ISO) and local grid codes/technical requirements.
Experience with project management and collaboration tools (SAP, Oracle/Primavera EPP, MS Teams, SharePoint).
Experience overseeing warranty regimes, service level agreements (SLAs) and technical guarantees.
Ability to support technical due diligence for M&A and refinancing transactions.

Soft Skills

Strategic leadership with ability to translate corporate strategy into executable program plans.
Executive stakeholder management and investor relations — confident presenting to boards and lenders.
Strong negotiation and influencing skills with contractors, OEMs, regulators and communities.
Excellent written and verbal communication — clear, concise reporting and stakeholder updates.
Decisive problem-solving under pressure and in complex multi-stakeholder environments.
Collaborative cross-functional leadership and team-building skills.
Cultural sensitivity and political acumen when working with local governments, communities and international partners.
Change management and continuous improvement mindset.
High personal integrity, accountability and resilience in fast-moving project environments.
Coaching and talent development capability to grow high-performing teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), Renewable Energy, Construction Management, or related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree (MSc) in Renewable Energy, Engineering Management, MBA or equivalent advanced degree.
Professional certifications such as PMP, Prince2 Practitioner, NEBOSH, or relevant industry certifications are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Mechanical, Electrical or Civil Engineering
Renewable Energy Engineering or Environmental Science
Project/Construction Management
Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on energy/finance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 10–20+ years of progressive experience in wind energy or large-scale power infrastructure.

Preferred:

15+ years leading multi-site wind farm programs or equivalent energy infrastructure portfolios with direct experience in development, procurement, construction and operations.
Demonstrated offshore wind experience where applicable (foundations, marine logistics, turbine installation), or deep onshore portfolio delivery expertise for large-scale projects.
Proven track record of managing multi-hundred-million to multi-billion-dollar projects, interfacing with lenders, insurers and JV partners.
Prior experience managing EPC contracts, OEM agreements and O&M handovers, and supporting PPA/commercial structuring and grid connection negotiations.
Experience using Primavera P6, MS Project, SAP/Oracle EPP and project controls systems, and with modern digital asset management/SCADA integration practices.