Phillip Riley is delighted to have been retained by Capella Capital to help build a brand new, best‐class renewable energy project development team in Australia.
The mandate is to build a mid‐to‐large scale Independent Power Producer (IPP) in Australia, with a diversified portfolio of wind, solar and storage.
Capella Capital is one of Australia's most active infrastructure and energy platforms, known for delivering complex, market‐shaping projects across transport and clean energy. The team has originated over A$34bn worth of projects in Australia, including supporting ACE REZ on the Central‐West Orana REZ transmission program in NSW. Now backed by Sojitz Corporation,
Capella combines start‐up momentum with institutional firepower – real capital, real projects, and real scale behind the energy transition.
Land Acquisition Director, Energy
Location: Melbourne or Sydney
Short Description
Capella Energy is a newly formed energy development platform backed by global trading and investment group Sojitz. Phillip Riley has been retained to help identify top talent in order to build a brand new renewable energy project development team. A critical early hire is the Land Acquisition Director, Energy, who will lead the strategy, negotiation and execution of land access and acquisition across Capella Energy's Australian development pipeline from day one. All applications will be directed through Anna Spain of Phillip Riley.
Why This Role Matters
* Join a start‐up energy platform with institutional backing
* Own the land acquisition strategy for a national renewable energy pipeline
* Play a foundational role in building a new development platform, strategy and team
* High‐autonomy leadership role with direct exposure to investment decisions
* Reporting directly to the Head of Energy, with regular exposure to the CEO and Investment Committee.
Full Job Description
Capella Energy was established following Sojitz's investment in Capella Capital, creating a renewable energy development platform with strong balance sheet support and a mandate to build a scalable, diversified IPP in Australia across utility scale wind, solar and storage.
Capella Energy intends to develop and retain a significant ownership position in a diversified portfolio of renewable generation and storage assets, supported by long‐term institutional capital through Sojitz. The platform is being established with a long‐term owner‐operator mindset rather than a pure develop‐to‐sell model.
This is a rare opportunity to join at true platform‐formation stage. As Land Acquisition Director, Energy, you will play a foundational role in shaping Capella Energy's land strategy, governance frameworks, stakeholder relationships and acquisition pipeline. The role blends start‐up agility with institutional capital, offering both autonomy and long‐term platform‐building exposure.
You will lead the strategic identification, negotiation and acquisition of land required for large‐scale renewable generation, storage and transmission projects. Working closely with development, grid, planning, commercial and executive stakeholders, you will ensure high‐quality, commercially viable land positions underpin Capella Energy's development pipeline and investment outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Land Acquisition Leadership
* Develop and implement Capella Energy's land acquisition strategy to support a scalable development pipeline
* Identify priority geographies and land opportunities aligned with grid, planning, environmental and commercial criteria
* Lead portfolio‐level site screening, constraints analysis and land suitability assessments
Landowner & Stakeholder Engagement
* Build trusted, long‐term relationships with landowners, agents, communities and regional stakeholders
* Lead high‐level negotiations to secure options, leases, easements and purchase agreements
* Represent Capella Energy at community forums and local government engagement
Commercial Negotiation & Contracts
* Lead land negotiation strategies and commercial structuring
* Oversee preparation and execution of land agreements with legal and commercial teams
* Ensure consistency, quality and governance across all land documentation
* Establish governance frameworks for land acquisition, due diligence and approvals
* Identify and mitigate land‐related risks, including tenure, title, environmental and community constraints
* Lead or support development approvals and planning processes in partnership with project teams
* Track land acquisition progress, priority sites and negotiation status
* Monitor land market dynamics, policy changes and regional development trends
* Prepare executive‐level reporting, insights and recommendations
About You
* Tertiary qualifications in Property, Law, Business, Planning, Surveying or related discipline
* 10+ years' experience in land acquisition, property development or major infrastructure negotiations
* Proven track record securing land access for renewable energy, transmission or large infrastructure projects
* Strong understanding of planning and land‐use legislation and rural/regional stakeholder environments
* Commercially minded with exceptional relationship‐building and negotiation capability
* Comfortable operating in greenfield team / platform build environments
* Full working rights in Australia
What's in It for You?
* Rare chance to build the land acquisition function from day one
* High‐impact leadership role shaping a national renewable energy platform
* Backed by a global balance sheet via Sojitz
* Long‐term career runway as Capella Energy scale
How to Apply
For a confidential conversation, please contact Anna Spain of Phillip Riley.
Note: Any applications sent directly to Capella Energy will be rerouted to Phillip Riley. Apply with a CV and a concise cover note outlining your land acquisition and stakeholder negotiation engagement experience.
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