Land Rights Developer

Overview

Land Rights Developer Jobs in City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa at G7 Renewable Energies (Pty) Ltd

Title: Land Rights Developer

Company: G7 Renewable Energies (Pty) Ltd

Location: City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Leaders in Renewable Energy Development G7 Renewable Energies is a South African renewable energy developer and Independent Power Producer (IPP) focused on the development, financing, construction and operation of utility-scale wind, solar PV and battery energy storage (BESS) projects.

Since 2008, G7 has built a proven track record of originating, developing and delivering renewable energy projects across South Africa. The company has successfully developed and realised more than 1 GW of renewable energy capacity that has either reached construction or commercial operation and is currently advancing a development pipeline exceeding 7 GW.

With expertise spanning project origination, permitting, grid connection, financing, construction and operations, G7 has established itself as a trusted partner in South Africa’s energy transition, delivering utility-scale projects that support a more sustainable, secure and resilient energy future.

Your Opportunity

The Land Rights Developer is responsible for supporting the Head of Land and team to facilitate the development of renewable energy projects by securing access to the land and rights necessary for their successful development, construction, and operation of projects. The incumbent works on the front end of G7’s renewable energy projects, focusing on identifying and securing access to suitable land for development.

The role combines project development, property rights, commercial negotiation and stakeholder management, and supports each project from initial land identification through construction and into long term operation.

The primary purpose of the role is to ensure that the company holds the land rights, legal agreements, consents and registrations it needs, that landowner relationships are well managed, and that land documentation remains accurate, complete and bankable throughout the project lifecycle.

Role-Specific Responsibilities

Strategy:

• Provide input into the project land rights strategy.
• Provide input to land scoring criteria in alignment with G7 strategy.
• Provide input and subject matter information to the G7 team especially engineering, environment, and finance.

Land Identification and Due Diligence:

• Scout and identify suitable land and landowners for development.
• Review title deeds and cadastral information and interpret existing servitudes, restrictions and encumbrances.
• Identify land related risks early and provide practical input into layout, access, grid infrastructure and other development decisions.
• Use GIS, Windeed and related property tools to support scouting, verification and risk assessment.

Landowner Engagement and Negotiation:

• Act as the primary point of contact with landowners (project and surrounding) and build and maintain long-term working relationships while protecting the company’s commercial position.
• Introduce projects, explain the development process and the associated agreements, and manage landowner expectations.
• Negotiate commercial and contractual terms, including project flexibility, compensation arrangements and the rights required across the project lifecycle.
• Manage sensitive or difficult conversations and work to resolve issues before they affect project timelines.

Securing and Progressing Land Rights:

• Progress leases, servitudes, options, amendments, cessions, direct agreements and other land related documentation through to signature and registration where required.
• Protect project and final layout flexibility and secure the rights needed for development, construction, operation, maintenance, repowering and decommissioning.
• Understand and explain land agreements and identify when legal or project team input is required.

Agreement Administration and Registration:

• Coordinate title deed requirements, mortgagee and bondholder consents, third party consents, notarial registrations and Deeds Office requirements.
• Manage the documentation required by conveyancers, notaries and attorneys and support external registration processes through to completion.
• Maintain accurate and up to date trackers of agreements, signatures, outstanding documents, consents, registrations, obligations and deadlines.
• Ensure land documentation is well controlled and remains suitable for funder and due diligence requirements.

Cross Functional Support and Project Management:

• Represent the land rights position within the wider project team and work closely with Engineering, Environmental, Legal, Finance and Project Development.
• Provide realistic timelines, highlight risks and constraints early and support project and funder due diligence.
• Advise on how proposed project changes may affect existing rights or require new agreements, consents or compensation.
• Provide input into land related budgets, commitments and forecasts, without being expected to perform a project finance function.
• Fulfil a project management role for land related workstreams as required on each project.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks related to land rights and project development.
• Identify and explore potential opportunities for optimizing development and execution of projects.

Engagement:

• Report to the CPO and HODs on regular intervals on project progress, challenges, and opportunities.
• Consult and liaise with landowners, community groups and other parties.
• Liaise with local municipalities and provincial/national government officials where relevant.
• Develop and maintain a strong network of industry contacts, including landowners, industry bodies, and government officials.
• Undertake on-going market research and trends relating to project development and key focus areas of renewable energy development.
• Ensure adequate stakeholder engagement at various levels internally and externally, including seller-facing regarding project acquisition.
• Engagement with industry players and networking.

Financial Management:

• Provide input into early budgets and simplified financial models to support the projects business case.
• Manage project budgets and financial performance to ensure cost-effective delivery of land rights-related activities.
• Ensure accurate and timeous reporting.

Admin, Research and Reporting:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of land ownership, rights, and agreements.
• Attend relevant project meetings to manage, support, and advise on progress, issues etc.
• Conduct research to determine land ownership and rights, as well as any legal or regulatory constraints that may impact the development of renewable energy projects.
• Conduct ongoing research and analysis of trends and developments in land rights and renewable energy industries and use this information to inform project development and strategy.
• Develop and maintain a database of key role players in the market and understand their business case to understand the product needs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as Environmental Science, Real Estate, Spatial Planning, Law, or Business.
• 3 to 5+ years’ relevant experience in land rights development, land acquisition, renewable energy development, property development, spatial planning, agricultural land engagement or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating directly with landowners and/or their representatives is a key requirement.
• Experience with title deeds, cadastral information, leases, servitudes, options, land use approvals, consents, deeds office processes or notarial registration processes will be advantageous.
• Preferred Industry: Renewables / Construction / Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Role-Specific Skills & Knowledge

• Please note that fluency in Afrikaans is a mandatory requirement. Candidates must be able to speak, read, and understand Afrikaans proficiently.
• Securing land rights from initial land identification through landowner contact, negotiation, agreement execution, registrations, consents and ongoing management
• Property due diligence, title deed review, cadastral research, deeds office processes, servitudes, leases, notarial registration and third-party consent processes
• Demonstrated landowner negotiation, stakeholder engagement, conflict management and relationship management skills
• Working knowledge of GIS, cadastral information, Windeed, deeds office searches and mapping tools
• Understanding of land use, subdivision, permitting interfaces and regulatory considerations relevant to renewable energy projects
• Commercial and financial awareness, including understanding how land terms affect project economics and development risk
• Strong project administration, tracker management, document control, deadline management and attention to detail
• Resilience, emotional intelligence and the ability to manage difficult conversations calmly and professionally
• Critical reasoning, sound judgement, discretion and clear communication

“We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”