Permitting Manager (TotalEnergies Renewables)

TotalEnergies is seeking a Permitting Manager in Cape Town to oversee the procurement of environmental authorisations and permits for renewable energy projects. Responsibilities include managing permitting processes, conducting assessments, coordinating with specialists, and engaging stakeholders. Candidates should have a post-graduate degree in Environmental Sciences, 5+ years of relevant experience, and strong communication and leadership skills. This is a full-time position.
This is a skilled position responsible for planning, organising, and managing the procurement of all environmental authorisations, permits, licences, land use rights and consents required for the development and implementation of renewable energy projects in South Africa, as well ensuring that it complies with TotalEnergies' internal ESG requirements, South African legislation and lender requirements.
• *Key responsibilities:

- Managing the overall permitting workstream during inception, bid preparation, transaction closing, construction and operations.
- Early phase development screening/red flag assessments and due diligence investigations.
- Lead biodiversity monitoring programmes required by industry best practice guidelines and protocols.
- Managing specialists and landowner/access coordination to ensure monitoring is undertaken according to agreed timelines and budgets.
- Critically review all data and reports received from specialists.
- Keep the broader development team informed of any project risks identified.
- Lead environmental authorisation and other permitting processes for renewable energy facilities and associated infrastructure.
- Management of external service providers, including environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs).
- Critically review and manage specialist assessments.
- Assist with appeal resolutions.
- Lead associated permitting applications and approvals.
- Engage with relevant stakeholders and manage land use rights procurement.
- Develop and maintain permitting registers.
- Assess implications of project changes on existing licences and permits.
- Engagement and liaison with project stakeholders.
- Manage the permitting work stream during bid preparation and transaction closing.
- Set up and chair department and project update meetings.
• *Minimum requirements:**

- Post-graduate degree in Environmental Sciences or a related field. B.Sc (Hons) degree and/or MSc is an advantage.
- SACNASP and/or EAPASA registration / candidate is an advantage.
- 5+ Years' professional expertise in an EAP consulting role with project management experience.
- Experience as permitting manager during the Risk Mitigation and BESS IPP Procurement Programmes.
- Experience as permitting manager during the transaction closing of projects.
- Fluent in Afrikaans and English.
• *Key Skills:

- Strong communication skills.
- Strong leadership skills.
- High degree of flexibility and adaptability to a changing environment.
- Ability to handle multiple tasks, set priorities and negotiate successful solutions.
- Ability to work in a matrix organization.
- Resilience under stressful conditions.
- Autonomy as worker and team player.