Director Construction Procurement

Luminace is seeking a Director of Construction Procurement in Baltimore, MD. The role involves developing relationships with EPC contractors, leading pre-qualification and RFP processes, negotiating agreements, and ensuring compliance with regulations. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree, 7+ years in EPC services, and expertise in solar energy and procurement. Responsibilities include cost forecasting, managing vendor relationships, and overseeing project transitions.
Key Responsibilities:
• Develop and maintain strong, strategic relationships with EPC contractors nationwide, ensuring the company has access to a reliable and skilled network of partners.
• Lead pre-qualification of new EPC contractors, including performance diligence, safety history, bonding capacity, insurance, onboarding and vendor management, through collaboration with Safety, Procurement, and Legal teams to ensure readiness and on-going compliance.
• Monitor and maintain pricing knowledge for EPC services, considering regional factors, build-type (e.g., ground mount fixed tilt, ground mount single axis tracker, canopy, rooftop), and current market trends.
• Develop and lead the management of EPC RFP processes, from scope development through bid evaluation, ensuring timely responses, competitive proposals and adherence to project requirements.
• Lead in negotiating EPC agreements, ensuring they align with the organization’s strategic goals, contractual standards, and financial objectives.
• Provide expertise in EPC insurance, bonding, and risk management, ensuring that all legal and commercial aspects of EPC projects are carefully managed and contracted.
• Assist in the transition of projects to the implementation team. Actively engage to help facilitate resolution of any conflicts between EPCs and internal teams. Work closely with internal colleagues to ensure smooth coordination throughout the project development lifecycle.
• Perform cost forecasting and manage the processing of purchase orders (POs) and invoices related to EPC services.
• Stay informed of solar industry trends and supply chain challenges, including emerging technologies such as energy storage and electric vehicles.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (PWA) requirements, and local, state, and federal permitting processes.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce the time to Notice to Proceed and implement best practices to enhance project efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Foster a strong feedback loop with Engineering & Construction and Operations & Maintenance teams, ensuring EPC form agreements are updated and improved upon as needed.
• Oversee EPC services for repowering and redevelopment initiatives for existing assets, as well as emerging technologies such as battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure projects.
• Manage third-party consultants as necessary for development activities related to EPC services.

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or a related technical field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in EPC services, particularly in the solar, renewable energy, and construction industries.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in commercial/industrial procurement services; may be concurrent with the EPC service experience.
• Possess a deep understanding of DG solar energy systems and construction processes.
• Strong expertise in negotiating complex EPC agreements, managing risk, and overseeing vendor relationships.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (PWA) required
• Strong understanding of construction KPIs, including scheduling, safety, budgeting and cost forecasting.
• Working knowledge of finance modeling and cost forecasting for renewable energy projects.
• Hands-on field experience with installation and commissioning of solar assets is preferred.
• Experience with MS Office and MS Project required. Experience with AutoCAD and ProCore software a plus.
• Professional with a positive attitude and capable of contributing to a dynamic and team-oriented culture
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet multiple tight deadlines.
• Ability to communicate positively and concisely with personnel at all levels of the corporation.