Director, Subcontracts & Trade Partnerships

About Us   Solar Landscape is the leading commercial rooftop solar developer in the U.S. Only 4% of commercial rooftops host solar today — we’re changing that, fast. Commercial rooftop solar is the fastest, smartest way to build new clean power — delivering megawatts of generation in months, not years, and powering America’s energy and future right where it’s needed most. By turning rooftops into local power plants, we’re reshaping how — and how fast — energy gets built in the U.S. Recognized as the #1 Distributed Generation Developer by New Project Media, the #1 National Commercial Rooftop Solar Developer by Solar Power World, and winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grand Prize for Clean Energy, Solar Landscape is defining the future of energy generation in America. Headquartered in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Solar Landscape has offices in Chicago, Baltimore, and New York City and operates in over a dozen states nationwide. We move fast, solve hard problems, and take our work seriously — but never ourselves. We value clear thinking, accountability, and execution. At the same time, we’re collaborative by default, and believe the best work happens when people enjoy working together. Our team is made up of smart, grounded people who show up for each other — whether that’s troubleshooting a system design or catching up over lunch. If you’re looking to do meaningful work in a high-performance environment — and be part of the team reshaping how energy gets built in the U.S. — we’d love to meet you. About The Role The Director, Subcontracts & Trade Partnerships is a senior leader responsible for building, sustaining, and scaling long-term subcontractor partnerships that enable the company’s commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop solar development and EPC growth strategy. This role owns the subcontractor market strategy across electrical, roofing, structural, civil, and specialty trades, with a core mandate to ensure the company is a preferred partner of choice in competitive labor markets. Success in this role is measured not only by cost, schedule, and quality outcomes, but by the strength, durability, and capacity of subcontractor relationships over time. The Director will balance relationship leadership and commercial rigor, developing partnership models, commercial frameworks, and governance structures that protect the company while enabling trust, transparency, and long-term alignment. This leader works closely with Development, Construction, Engineering, Legal, Finance, Safety, and Supply Chain to support growth across multiple regions and multi-site programs. Key Responsibilities

Subcontractor Partnership Strategy & Market Development

Develop and execute a national and regional subcontractor partnership strategy aligned with long-term company growth, market expansion, and project pipeline visibility

Serve as the senior relationship owner for key strategic subcontractor partners, maintaining executive-level relationships and acting as the primary escalation and alignment point

Proactively engage subcontractors ahead of project awards to understand capacity constraints, market dynamics, and growth opportunities

Build and maintain a high-performing network of subcontractors across all required trades, with an emphasis on repeat work, mutual commitment, and long-term collaboration

Position the company as a preferred client by promoting transparency, fair dealing, predictable work pipelines, and collaborative problem-solving

Capacity Planning & Long-Term Alignment

Ensure adequate subcontractor capacity to support near-term execution and future pipeline demand, including markets where projects are not yet fully allocated

Develop approaches to secure and influence subcontractor capacity 6–12 months in advance of construction mobilization through early engagement, framework agreements, and strategic commitments

Partner with Development and Construction leadership to align subcontractor strategies with geographic expansion, phasing plans, and programmatic rollouts

Support subcontractor growth by aligning forecasted demand, onboarding plans, and performance expectations in advance of peak execution periods

Commercial Structuring & Contracting

Lead negotiation of subcontract agreements, MSAs, pricing frameworks, and scopes of work that balance risk management with long-term partnership objectives

Partner closely with Legal to ensure contracts meet company standards while remaining commercially practical and relationship-oriented

Design standardized yet flexible subcontracting models that accommodate regional market conditions and trade-specific realities

Establish clear, fair, and predictable change management and payment structures that reinforce trust and reduce friction

Support project teams with subcontractor selection strategies, bid evaluations, and award recommendations grounded in both performance history and partnership value

Performance Management, Quality & Continuous Improvement

Establish performance frameworks and scorecards to measure subcontractor outcomes related to safety, quality, schedule, cost, and responsiveness

Lead regular performance reviews with strategic partners focused on continuous improvement, forward planning, and lessons learned

Address underperformance through collaborative corrective action plans, balancing accountability with relationship preservation

Drive improvements in installation quality, productivity, and rework reduction by partnering with subcontractors on root-cause analysis and best practices

Safety, Compliance & Risk Stewardship

Ensure subcontractors meet all safety, insurance, licensing, and compliance requirements

Partner with Safety leadership to promote a strong safety culture across the subcontractor ecosystem

Reinforce safety and compliance expectations through leadership presence, communication, and partnership—not solely enforcement

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Internal Alignment

Work closely with Construction, Engineering, and Project Management to align subcontractor strategies with project designs, sequencing, and execution plans

Coordinate with Supply Chain and Procurement to align labor and material strategies where appropriate

Support Development and Estimating teams with market intelligence, subcontractor availability insights, and labor pricing trends

Partner with Corporate Finance to forecast subcontractor cash flow requirements, payment schedules, and working capital impacts

Ensure subcontracting strategies, payment terms, and milestone structures align with company financial objectives while maintaining strong, trust-based subcontractor relationships

Team Leadership & Scalable Infrastructure

Build, lead, and mentor a subcontracting and trade partnerships team as the organization scales

Design and implement scalable processes, tools, and systems that support subcontractor relationship management, performance tracking, and governance

Drive consistency across regions while allowing flexibility for local labor markets and subcontractor dynamics

Qualifications

Required

7+ years of experience in construction subcontracting, procurement, or trade partnership management, with at least 3 years in a leadership role

Significant experience in C&I rooftop solar, electrical contracting, or related commercial construction sectors

Proven success building and managing long-term subcontractor relationships across multiple markets

Strong commercial judgment with the ability to negotiate agreements that support both risk management and partnership longevity

Solid understanding of construction sequencing, means and methods, and labor productivity

Experience managing safety, quality, and performance at scale

Preferred

EPC or self-perform construction background

Experience supporting distributed generation portfolios or multi-site programs

Familiarity with union and non-union labor environments

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)

Core Competencies

Relationship-first leadership mindset with strong external presence

Strategic thinking paired with practical, execution-oriented judgment

Ability to influence outcomes without reliance on formal authority

Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills

Comfort operating in a fast-growing, evolving organization

Ability to balance commercial discipline with long-term partnership value