Technical Asset Manager - Octopus Australia

Company DescriptionThis is an exciting opportunity to join the Octopus Australia team in our Sydney or Melbourne office. As a valued member of the Assets team, you'd play a pivotal role in achieving our mission to harness capital and expertise to accelerate the energy transition.About Octopus GroupOctopus Group is a group of entrepreneurial companies on a mission to invest in the ideas, industries and people that will change the world. We are entrepreneurs and investors, applying our expertise and our clients’ money to build a brighter world for future generations. Octopus Group is one of the largest owners of renewable energy projects in Europe and Australia, owning some 260 assets, on behalf of wholesale and institutional investors.Octopus Investments AustraliaOctopus Australia is a renewable energy fund manager and developer harnessing capital and expertise to accelerate the energy transition, with an operating and development portfolio of over $11bn across wind, solar and battery storage. Octopus Australia is more than just an investment manager, we take a data and technology driven approach to constructing an energy portfolio designed for Australia's clean energy future.Our team of over 50 highly skilled professionals across Melbourne and Sydney, have a unique blend of skills and expertise covering all facets of the renewable energy industry. This allows us to manage projects across their entire lifecycle and create an integrated portfolio of renewable energy and storage assets.Job DescriptionThe successful candidate will have a strong technical understanding of the operation of Wind, Solar and Storage assets and be responsible for driving operational performance. Whilst ensuring that best practices for contract, governance, and financial management with support from the finance function. This role will report into the Senior Portfolio Manager based in Sydney. This role can be based in either Melbourne or Sydney, with site visits, where required, and occasional travel between offices required.Essential Job FunctionsThe role is focused on Technical Asset management of our renewable assets including solar, wind and storage. The role will at times become ‘hands on’ in solving issues, and at other times require technical and contract oversight of service providers. Applicants must be confident and comfortable in this role and effective at delegating and managing the underlying technical activities carried out by third parties.Key job functions include:

• Compliance: Promote a culture of compliance focused on health, safety, and environment. Oversee all compliance activities at operational assets.
• Community Engagement: Work with the community and stakeholder engagement manager to develop and implement the community engagement strategy and initiatives.
• Technical: Manage all technical aspects of site performance through 3rd party Asset Managers or directly as required.
• Problem solving: Strong problem-solving capabilities to work through operational asset performance issues and bring multiple stakeholders together to resolve with a sense of urgency.
• Relationships: Proactively build strong relationships with external stakeholders, regulatory bodies (i.e. AEMO) and Asset Managers.
• Contract Management: Ensure timely delivery of services under Asset Management, O&M and 3rd party contracts. Work within the Assets team to set-up performance metrics for all contracts.
• Procurement: Prepare and run tender processes for all 3rd party contracts as required.
• Opex Budgets: Support the finance function and 3rd party asset manages to prepare and manage yearly Opex budgets including reporting and insights.
• Develop: Create and implement bespoke Technical Asset performance opportunities to maximise site performance and revenue. Including tracking and reporting with deep insights
• Reporting: Prepare monthly asset and quarterly board reports for the leadership team in conjunction with external Asset Managers and finance function
• Data: Work with all stakeholders to implement a data driven approach to decision making to ensure asset deliver best in class performance.

QualificationsQualifications, skills, and experience required:

• Eligibility to work in Australia – visa sponsorship is not offered.
• Experience. Prior experience working on renewable energy projects with a strong preference for candidates with experience on Australian projects which are connected to the NEM.
• Qualifications. Candidates should have a tertiary qualification in project management, engineering, or a related discipline.
• Contract and project management skills which demonstrate that you are highly organised, diligent, and confident with complex contract environments.
• Understanding of Health, Safety and Environmental practices, legislations, and requirements.
• Knowledge of Compliance requirements across a NEM operating asset.
• Can build strong relationships with key project partners.
• Candidates must demonstrate a commercial mindset, and in particular be able to consider technical challenges in a broader commercial and investment context.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. The ability to communicate effectively and ensure your communication strategy covers the different stakeholders.

Additional InformationWhat we offer

• A competitive salary package including bonus and medical insurance benefits
• ✈️ Extra Annual Leave entitlement
• Flexible working
• Ongoing learning and career development opportunities

Octopus has built an exciting and inclusive high-performance culture where employees feel empowered. We also understand the value of diversity, and we are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace environment. We would welcome people of all backgrounds to apply.Our ValuesAt Octopus we don’t just focus on what we do but also how we do it. Our culture is critical to our success and is built around three principles that underpin how we pursue our goals:

• Be Bold – We like people who make decisions quickly and are OK changing their mind if it turns out there’s a better way of doing things.
• Be Helpful – We like People who behave like it always day one and who remember without our customers there is no business.
• Be Straightforward – We like people who have opinions and express them in a way that’s respectful and easy to understand.

Our Values
At our core, we believe that how a company behaves is just as important as what it does. That’s why we chose to become an accredited B Corp (the equivalent of a Fairtrade coffee stamp but for companies) and to change our Articles of Association so that the interests all our stakeholders – employees, customers, communities, environment and shareholders – are considered in every decision we make.We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive employee experience for all. We promote equal opportunities for growth and development regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or socio-economic background. We believe strongly that teams are at their best when every member of the team feels safe to bring their whole self to work.