Job Purpose:

The Regional Head - Land Acquisition will be responsible for acquiring land for upcoming renewable energy projects and ensuring that land acquisition activities support the overall business vision, project timelines, and development targets.

The role will involve developing and executing land acquisition strategies in coordination with the Head Land Acquisition and other functional leaders such as CPO, CFO, Engineering Head, and relevant project teams.

The candidate will lead the process of obtaining required permissions, approvals, and statutory clearances for Solar, Wind, Floating Solar, Hybrid, and BESS projects.

The position will have end-to-end accountability for land acquisition and related clearances at the regional/local level throughout the project life cycle.

Key Responsibilities:

Land Acquisition Strategy:

- Identify suitable land acquisition opportunities for upcoming and existing renewable energy projects.

- Develop land acquisition plans and strategies aligned with overall business objectives and project requirements.

- Identify and evaluate land availability for Solar, Wind, Floating Solar, Hybrid, and BESS projects.

- Build and maintain networks with relevant stakeholders to identify potential land opportunities.

- Conduct site visits, land surveys, and preliminary assessments of potential locations.

- Coordinate with internal teams to ensure land availability is aligned with project planning and commissioning timelines.

Permits & Approvals:

- Liaise with government authorities, corporators, land aggregators, villagers, and other relevant stakeholders to obtain required permits and approvals.

- Lead the process of securing permissions and clearances required for land acquisition and project development.

- Coordinate with departments including Revenue, Environment, Pollution Control Board, Ground Water, Industry, Finance, Mines, Railways, and Change of Land Use authorities.

- Ensure all statutory permissions and clearances are obtained within defined timelines.

- Engage and manage consultants required for conducting studies and obtaining project-related approvals.

Project Feasibility:

- Evaluate land opportunities from commercial, operational, legal, and project feasibility perspectives.

- Prepare financial analyses, market analyses, feasibility assessments, and project reports for land and project opportunities under consideration.

- Assess land suitability and availability in coordination with engineering and other functional teams.

- Identify potential risks and challenges associated with land acquisition and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.

Land Acquisition & Negotiation:

- Lead negotiations with landowners, land aggregators, agents, and other relevant parties.

- Review land-related purchase agreements, documentation, and transaction requirements.

- Ensure proper due diligence and documentation throughout the land acquisition process.

- Coordinate with legal and internal teams to ensure land transactions comply with applicable requirements.

- Track acquisition progress and resolve issues that may impact project timelines.

Community Development:

- Engage with local communities and stakeholders to create support and buy-in for land acquisition.

- Develop positive relationships with local villages, landowners, and community representatives.

- Coordinate community-related initiatives and considerations such as employment opportunities and CSR activities.

- Manage rehabilitation and resettlement activities where applicable.

- Address local concerns and stakeholder issues to ensure peaceful and uninterrupted project execution.

Budget & Timeline Management:

- Ensure adequate budgetary provisions are made for land acquisition activities.

- Define land acquisition timelines in alignment with project planning and commissioning schedules.

- Monitor land acquisition expenditure against approved budgets.

- Review deviations from agreed budgets and timelines on a periodic basis.

- Take corrective actions to ensure land acquisition activities remain within approved financial and project timelines.

Policies & Consultants:

- Develop and review land acquisition policies and processes at a pan-India level.

- Establish standardized approaches and best practices for land acquisition across projects and regions.

- Identify, appoint, manage, and review land acquisition consultants.

- Monitor consultant performance and ensure timely delivery of assigned activities.

- Build effective processes for land identification, acquisition, documentation, approvals, and compliance.

Renewable Energy Project Approvals:

- Lead permissions and approvals for new Solar, Wind, Floating Solar, Hybrid, and BESS projects.

- Coordinate with relevant authorities for approvals related to Mines, Industry, Environment, Pollution Control Board, Railways, Ground Water, and Change of Land Use.

- Ensure project-specific studies and assessments are completed through qualified consultants.

- Track approval status and proactively address delays or regulatory issues.

- Coordinate with project, engineering, legal, finance, and other teams to ensure smooth project development.

Key Skills:

- Land Acquisition

- Renewable Energy Projects

- Site Visit & Land Survey

- Landowner Negotiation

- Land Aggregation

- Legal Compliance

- Statutory Approvals & Clearances

- Government Liaisoning

- Land Due Diligence

- Community & Stakeholder Management

- Rehabilitation & Resettlement

- Budget Management

- Project Feasibility

- Consultant Management

- Regulatory Compliance

- Solar / Wind / Hybrid / BESS Projects

Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in land acquisition and statutory compliance, preferably within the renewable energy sector.

The candidate should be capable of independently managing land identification, site visits and surveys, negotiations, documentation, government liaisoning, approvals, community engagement, and local-level legal compliance.

Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, communication, problem-solving, and project coordination skills are essential for successfully managing land acquisition activities and ensuring uninterrupted execution of renewable energy projects.