Project Lead

Responsible for leading the execution and delivery of utility-scale renewable energy projects (100MW+), driving performance across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, grid compliance to achieve timely, on-budget, and high-quality outcomes.

Position of the job in the organisation:

The Project Lead will report directly to the Project Management Officer.

Principal responsibilities:

Project Management

• Own the end-to-end execution of utility-scale renewable energy projects (100MW+), ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Define and maintain the Project Execution Plan, integrating engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and grid compliance milestones.
• Develop and maintain detailed master schedules, resource plans, and budgets.
• Oversee the full construction life cycle (over multiple disciplines including electrical PV array, civil and structural works, OHL, OPGW, and MTS self-build).
• Coordinate and align commissioning and grid integration activities to meet Eskom energisation requirements, including type tests, FAT/SAT, and grid code compliance documentation.
• Ensure integration of SCADA, protection systems, and telemetry as per Eskom and operational standards.
• Lead the development of project-level QA/QC plans, construction method statements, and testing protocols in alignment with performance guarantees.
• Support the CDO and PMO in implementing project best practices, lessons learnt, and standardised processes.
• Provide support to the Project Development team during the Pre-Financial Close and Pre-Construction Phases of projects.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for external stakeholders, including Eskom, municipalities, landowners, consultants, suppliers, and local communities.
• Oversee Eskom and regulatory engagements, ensuring smooth navigation of processes such as Budget Quote acceptance, TPA, BOSA, EIA, NERSA licensing, and SSEG requirements.
• Manage interface with OEMs, EPCs, and specialist contractors, ensuring roles, responsibilities, and deliverables are clear and adhered to.
• Represent the project in investor and lender engagements, ensuring transparency on risk, cost, and timeline exposures.
• Ensure obligations from the EIA and Social Impact Management Plans are fulfilled.

Communication and Reporting

• Lead project communication strategy across all stakeholders, ensuring accurate, consistent, and timely flow of information.
• Deliver project reports, including progress updates, milestone tracking, risk registers, budget status, key KPIs, and HSE performance metrics.
• Report material issues or delays to executive leadership, with proposed mitigations and impacts to NPV, IRR, COD, or EPC timelines.
• Facilitate interface meetings with EPCs, Eskom, and O&M teams to ensure alignment, surface blockers early, and keep parallel workstreams coordinated.
• Present and defend schedule recovery plans, capital expenditure revisions, and contract amendments at executive and board level reviews.

Contract and Contractor Management

• During the Pre-Financial Close phase, the Project Lead will support the Project Development team with EPC contracting activities. Responsibilities include oversight of the Employers Requirement development, tender documentation compilation and support, tender adjudication and preferred bidder negotiations up to EPC Contract award
• Own the full contractual performance management of EPCs, subcontractors, and consultants from execution through final completion and handover.
• Ensure Employer's Requirements are embedded and enforced throughout execution, with traceable evidence of compliance.
• Oversee variation order reviews, claims management, and commercial dispute resolution, ensuring alignment with FIDIC/NEC or similar contractual frameworks through the team.
• Coordinate contract change control, ensuring alignment with project budget, funding structures, and internal delegation of authority (DOA).
• Lead interface with Legal and the O&M Manager to ensure EPC and O&M contract terms are commercially sound, executable, and enforceable.
• Ensure contractor HSE files, insurance documentation, performance bonds, guarantees, and warranties are submitted, valid, and traceable.
• Manage handover obligations, ensuring all contract close-out requirements are met, final signoffs, punch list completion, as-built drawings, training, spares, and O&M readiness.

Lead, Manage, and Hold Accountable (LMA) the Project Team

• Build and lead a cross-functional project team (engineering, commercial, HSE, site, and support), setting a high-performance culture rooted in accountability and trust.
• Delegate roles and responsibilities clearly using tools like RACI matrices, ensuring no duplication or ambiguity in execution.
• Support team growth through structured feedback, mentoring, and capacity development — especially in high-pressure scenarios.
• Lead by example in upholding the company's core values.
• Set and maintain a zero-harm safety culture across all contractors and internal teams.
• Uphold the EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System) methodology of management that SolarAfrica uses, including huddles, L10s, 1:1s, and reviews.
• Any other job duties associated with this role.

Experience & Skills

• 10+ years as a proven project management professional within renewable energy projects.
• 10+ years of team management.
• Strong knowledge of construction contracts (FIDIC, NEC, or similar), quality assurance, and HSE standards.
• Strong knowledge of Eskom , DFFE, and other regulatory bodies.
• Valid driver's license and willing to travel -The role requires site visits to the construction location for approximately one week per month.

Specific attributes:

• PMP or SACPCMP qualification

Desirable attributes:

• Engineering Qualification

What Does Success Look Like?

By month 3: 

• I will be familiar with our project management software and finance processes, including budgeting and timeline management.
• I would be familiar with the current Utility scale projects, will have conducted a site visit, and have had discussions with all team members.
• I will know the contracted OEMs and EPCs, their respective contracts and plans.
• I will be familiar with & using EOS (Enterprise Operating System) as a management and governance framework

By month 6: 

• I have mastered the project execution plan, including all aspects of budgeting and timeline coordination.
• I will be accountable for overseeing and guiding the project team on health and safety, environmental, social, time, quality, and cost aspects during construction.
• I can confidently negotiate EPC and O&M contracts, and manage contractor performance.

By month 12: 

• I can manage the project team and execute all project management tasks.
• As aligned to project schedules, I have achieved the successful closeout of at least one project, ensuring smooth handover from construction to O&M.
• I have established a strong understanding of the overall project brief (both commercial and technical), leading the team effectively through all phases.
• I have executed all other related duties as required, contributing to the project team's ongoing success.

Core Values:

We hire, reward, and recognise our team against these values. It is imperative that you believe in these values and demonstrate them consistently.

• We are passionate and proud of what we do.
• We communicate candidly, especially when it is difficult.
• We take the initiative, share our mistakes, and grow together.
• We are dependable and take accountability.
• No one person is bigger than the solution - no egos.