Manager, Environmental Approvals

About the Company

Our client is an established renewable energy developer with a growing portfolio of utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects across Canada.

The organization develops, finances, constructs, and operates renewable energy infrastructure and is expanding its team to support a significant pipeline of projects at various stages of development and construction.

They are seeking experienced professionals who want to play a meaningful role in advancing clean energy infrastructure across Canada.

About the Role

We are seeking a Manager, Environmental Approvals to build and lead the organization’s in-house environmental permitting capability.

This is a Toronto-based role with potential travel to project sites throughout Ontario, including Northern Ontario.

The company has renewable energy projects at multiple stages of the environmental approval process, including projects progressing through Ontario’s Renewable Energy Approval (REA) process, projects undergoing seasonal environmental field studies, and additional developments that will require approvals in the coming years.

This is an opportunity to build a function rather than simply join an established one. You will have a defined portfolio of projects and the opportunity to personally advance renewable energy developments through the environmental permitting process.

You will work closely with development, engineering, legal, and other internal teams while managing external consultants and regulatory relationships.

The environment is well suited to someone who is hands-on, adaptable, technically strong, and motivated by creating structure, rigor, and accountability.

Position Summary

You will lead the environmental approvals program across a portfolio of Canadian renewable energy projects.

A primary focus will be managing Ontario’s Renewable Energy Approval process under O. Reg. 359/09 from initial screening through submission, regulator review, comment response, and final approval.

You will also oversee supporting technical studies, regulator engagement, consultant scopes, schedules, and budgets.

Success in this role means efficiently securing the approvals projects require while maintaining a standard of work capable of withstanding regulatory review, lender diligence, and independent engineering review.

Key Responsibilities

Renewable Energy Approval Delivery

• Lead the REA process for assigned projects from initial screening and pre-consultation through submission, regulatory comment response, and approval issuance.
• Prepare or direct preparation of core REA documentation, including:
• Project Description Reports
• Construction Plan Reports
• Design and Operations Reports
• Decommissioning Plan Reports
• Consultation Reports
• Project summaries and supporting materials for Indigenous communities
• Manage natural heritage and water body assessments, including seasonal environmental field survey programs.
• Ensure seasonal survey requirements and environmental constraints are identified early and incorporated into project development schedules.
• Participate meaningfully in engagement with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and manage regulatory comments through resolution and approval.

Technical Program & Consultant Management

• Help determine which environmental and permitting capabilities should be maintained internally versus outsourced to external consultants.
• Manage and support consultants across disciplines such as:
• Ecology and natural heritage
• Geotechnical studies
• Archaeology
• Cultural heritage
• Environmental engineering
• Supporting technical studies
• Manage consultant scopes, task orders, fees, schedules, and deliverables.
• Identify environmental and regulatory constraints early enough to influence project design and layout rather than delay development.
• Evaluate issues related to species at risk, wetlands, watercourses, cultural heritage, and other environmental sensitivities.

Permitting Beyond the REA

• Manage additional environmental and land-use approvals as required.
• Coordinate municipal approvals and conservation authority permitting.
• Support matters involving Ontario’s endangered species requirements and applicable federal fisheries regulations.
• Support environmental permitting strategy for renewable energy projects in other Canadian provinces, including British Columbia.
• Identify jurisdiction-specific regulatory requirements and help develop practical permitting strategies for new projects.

Budget, Schedule & Reporting

• Manage environmental permitting budgets across the project portfolio.
• Track and report spending against approved budgets.
• Own environmental permitting schedules and identify potential schedule risks early.
• Work closely with senior project development leadership to support project economics and overall development strategy.
• Provide regular updates to executive leadership regarding permitting progress, risks, schedule, budget, and key decisions.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Experience in environmental permitting or environmental consulting in Ontario, including at least 3 years leading projects rather than solely contributing to them.
• Strong understanding of Ontario’s Renewable Energy Approval process under O. Reg. 359/09, including experience advancing approvals through issuance.
• Strong background in natural heritage assessment, ecology, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Experience preparing and delivering public consultation programs associated with environmental permitting.
• Demonstrated experience responding to regulatory comments and working directly with government agencies.
• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, ecology, biology, environmental engineering, or a related field.
• Renewable energy development experience is strongly preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent technical writing skills with the ability to prepare documentation that withstands regulatory scrutiny, lender diligence, and independent engineering review.
• Strong commercial judgment related to consultant scope, fees, and project priorities.
• Ability to manage multiple approval processes simultaneously across projects at different stages of development.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills with the ability to work against fixed development and construction milestones.
• Ability to establish productive and transparent working relationships with regulators, consultants, communities, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify environmental and permitting risks early and communicate them clearly.
• Willingness to travel to project sites throughout Ontario, including Northern Ontario, particularly during environmental field survey seasons.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with GIS tools such as QGIS or ArcGIS is considered an asset.

Compensation

A competitive salary will be offered based on experience, together with participation in an annual bonus program and a comprehensive benefits package.

How to Apply

If you have experience advancing Renewable Energy Approvals through issuance and are interested in taking ownership of an environmental permitting portfolio within a growing renewable energy organization, we would like to hear from you.

Please submit your resume outlining your qualifications and relevant experience.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. The organization is committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and accommodations are available upon request at any stage of the hiring process.