M&A Director

newleafenergy

Chicago, Illinois, United States · Chicago · United States

Posted May 4, 2026

Other
Hybrid
Project Finance

Job description

New Leaf Energy is an experienced clean energy developer that partners with landowners, policymakers, and other stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a world powered by renewable energy. We identify high-value sites, work with landowners and local communities to develop them, and partner with long-term asset owners to bring the most impactful clean energy projects to life.

New Leaf Energy is seeking a M&A Director to join our team! The M&A Director will lead the marketing, negotiation and sale of clean energy projects developed by New Leaf Energy. You will have an in-depth understanding of renewable energy markets, project development and project financing considerations. That understanding will enable you to help drive strategy and value optimization across the portfolios and projects that you market and sell. You will also have strong project management and negotiation skills and an appreciation for the details that drive project valuations.

This position may be filled out of our Boston, MA, Lowell, MA, Oakland, CA, Troy, NY or Chicago, IL offices. We value in-person collaboration and offer a hybrid work environment. Hybrid employees work in the office at least two out of every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and are free to work from the office or home on other days.

Position responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Lead cross-functional teams to market and sell projects in accordance with forecasted milestone dates;
Lead the negotiation of membership interest purchase agreements (MIPAs) for the sale of renewable energy projects to sophisticated third-party owners;
Run professional and organized competitive marketing processes using project management best practices;
Collaborate with the Sales and regional teams to design and implement strategies to market portfolios of renewable energy projects;
Assist in the structuring of transactions based on regulatory guidelines, risk management techniques, and the needs of the investment community;
Strengthen customer relationships by upholding cultural pillars throughout marketing and sales process;
Develop and maintain domain expertise in the market verticals of one or more regional teams and manage internal requests from project developers in such regions regarding the latest trends in project finance and transactions;
Build and sustain strong cross-functional relationships with the legal, finance and accounting, engineering, real estate and policy departments to drive alignment and shared success;
Perform due diligence on projects and problem-solve with internal and external stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues;
Manage the building of data rooms and portfolio marketing materials and navigate intensive external diligence processes with various third-party consultants and counsel;
Direct staff both within the M&A department and in other departments; and
Proactively identify and lead the creation and improvement of New Leaf Energy policies and procedures.

Desired Qualifications

While no individual will possess them all, the successful candidate will bring many of the following experiences, skills, and attributes. If you’re unsure whether you meet enough of the qualifications below but believe that your experience and skill set is a good match for this position, we invite you to apply!

6+ years of experience working in the renewable energy industry with a focus on project development, mergers and acquisitions or finance experience;
Demonstrated understanding of tax and key real estate processes;
Strong leadership, negotiation and project management skills;
Solid understanding of project financial structures, terminology, tax implications, and investor decision-making processes;
Expert knowledge with respect to the key deal points in mergers and acquisitions transactions, specifically in MIPAs;
Experience negotiating purchase and sale agreements for renewable energy projects;
Familiarity with development activities such as interconnection, permitting, and real estate;
Strong knowledge of electricity system market structure, rules and regulations, and economics, with some proficiency in the engineering and physics of the system;
Bachelor’s Degree in Finance/Business or a related field, with an MBA preferred;
Bias toward action in decision-making;
Refined business acumen, exceptional judgment, and the ability to identify and implement practical solutions to complex business problems;
Hardworking, responsive, and adaptable to what the situation dictates, including possessing the ability to advance matters independently, combined with the strong interpersonal skills necessary to work effectively in a team;
Ability to independently handle competing deadlines and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment;
Exceptional communication, organization and time management skills; and
Passion for accelerating the adoption of renewable energy.

Compensation

New Leaf Energy compensates all employees in three ways: market-competitive base salary, plus above-market variable compensation, plus an equity-like program such that all employees experience the benefits of ownership. We use a data-driven and transparent methodology to calibrate compensation that is externally competitive and internally equitable, guided by the New Leaf Energy compensation manual, which is available to all employees.

Under our compensation framework, the likely base salary range for this position in the Chicago location is $132,615-$179,421. Your actual salary may be above, in, or below this range, depending on your location and experience. Total compensation for this position, however, is driven heavily by our generous incentive plan, which is paid quarterly and about which we can go into detail in the interview process.

Benefits and Culture

New Leaf Energy’s success is driven by our collaborative, long-term relationships based on trust and transparency. We offer a flexible work environment that places significant responsibility in independent teams and creates opportunities for innovation and personal growth. New Leaf Energy’s benefits are designed to appropriately recognize our employees’ contributions and enable a reasonable work/life balance. Our benefits include:

Competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental and vision;
A 401k plan with immediate vesting and a company match (100% of the first three percent of your pay; 50% for the next two percent you contribute);
An open and self-managed paid time-off policy;
A hybrid work location policy that supports working from home for part of the week;
A parental leave policy for both birthing and non-birthing parents, available immediately upon hire;
Professional development and education assistance.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

New Leaf Energy values the diverse perspectives, skills, experiences, and contributions of all employees. We want all our employees to feel like they belong and are empowered to be their most authentic selves at work. We’re actively committed to fostering diversity and creating an inclusive environment not only within our own organization but also within the clean energy industry.

We seek a diverse candidate pool in this–and every–search. New Leaf Energy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state, federal and local laws. In addition to federal law requirements, New Leaf Energy complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. EEO M/F/D/V.

A Note to Third-Party Recruiters

New Leaf Energy’s People + Culture team coordinates all recruiting and hiring at our company. New Leaf Energy does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, staffing firms, or related agencies. Resumes are only accepted from third-party recruiters, staffing firms, or related agencies if a signed agreement is in place AND if external recruiting assistance is authorized by the People + Culture team for a specific position. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of New Leaf Energy. New Leaf Energy is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.