Permitting Manager (TotalEnergies Renewables)

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 (or equivalent position) during the Risk Mitigation and BESS IPP Procurement Programmes.
• Experience as permitting manager (or equivalent position) 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.

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 (e.g., bird and bat pre-construction monitoring, riverine rabbit monitoring, etc.).
• 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 to ensure the methodology and reports meet the requirements of the guidelines/protocols.
• Keep the broader development team informed of any project risks identified during any stage of development and any monitoring programmes.
• Lead environmental authorisation and other permitting processes for renewable energy facilities and all associated infrastructure (Basic Assessments/Environmental Impact Assessments/Amendments/EMPR finalisations, WUL/GAs, biodiversity permits) for assigned projects.
• Management of external service providers, including environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs) to ensure deliverables meet the terms of reference and legislative requirements and are delivered within time and budget.
• Critically review and manage specialist assessments to ensure they meet the relevant protocols and all applicable legislative requirements to reduce risk and overall impact to the project.
• Assist with any appeal resolutions by working with external environmental lawyers to formulate responding statements/appeals as required.
• Lead associated permitting applications and approvals and consents which could include but are not limited to water use applications, floral permits, letters of no objections, rezoning and other ad hoc permit/consent applications to ensure projects meet the internal ESG, legislative and lender requirements.
• Engage with relevant stakeholders and manage land use rights procurement, including site control, servitudes and wayleaves.
• Develop and maintain permitting registers.
• Project technologies and specifications could change over time and as Permitting Manager, you must assess the implications on existing licences and permits in terms of NEMA and other legislation as required to inform the rest of the development team and stay abreast of any changes to the manner in which any license and permit application process should be undertaken (i.e., online submission portals, registration processes vs full BA assessment).
• Engagement and liaison with a wide variety of project stakeholders (both internally and externally), including without limitation development partners, environmental working groups, environmental conservation agencies, local municipalities and provincial/national government officials and presenting and answering questions at online or public meetings if required.
• Manage the permitting work stream during bid preparation and transaction closing and provide input as required.
• Set up and chair weekly and/or monthly department and project update meetings to accurately track the permitting procurement process, report on tasks allocated and inform the rest of the internal and external project development team.

At the end of 2023, TotalEnergies’ gross renewable electricity generation installed capacity was 22 GW. TotalEnergies will continue to expand this business to reach 35 GW in 2025 and more than 100 TWh of net electricity production by 2030TotalEnergies’swas22 GWwill continue to expand this business to reach more than 100 TWh of net electricity production.

About TotalEnergies Renewables Southern Africa:

• TERSA operates in a strong growth and highly competitive environment.
• TERSA maintains a high growth rate

These stakes require permanent coordination with business entities, the Branch and Company.