Head of Investment

Company Description

The successful applicant will be able to join the Octopus Australia team on their mission to accelerate Australia's transition to a future powered by renewable energy.

We are seeking a Head of Investment to lead and grow the Investment team at Octopus Australia. This is a senior leadership role, reporting to the Co-Managing Director of Renewables at Octopus Australia, and will play a critical part in shaping the future of our renewable energy portfolio. This role is based in Melbourne or Sydney.

As Head of Investment, you will be accountable not only for originating, executing, and managing renewable energy investments across technologies and jurisdictions, but also for leading and developing a high-performing investment team. You will bring strong people leadership skills, with a proven ability to manage, mentor and inspire a highly capable group of investment professionals.

You will play a key role in setting and driving the overall investment strategy in collaboration with the broader Renewables Leadership team. This includes oversight of M&A, acquisition, commercial due diligence, deal structuring, project finance and partnership negotiations, ensuring alignment with our long-term acquisition and deployment goals.

We are looking for someone who combines deep renewables investment and M&A experience with a strong track record of team leadership and demonstrated ability to execute against a strategy. You will be forward-thinking, inquisitive, and capable of balancing detail-oriented execution with high-level portfolio strategy. Your ability to communicate clearly and influence across teams and stakeholders - both internal and external, building trusted relationships in a fast paced environment - will be critical to your success.

This role sits within a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment, so you'll need to thrive in ambiguity, be open to change, and have the mindset to continuously improve and innovate. Just as important as what you achieve in this role is how you go about it - we value collaboration, curiosity, bold thinking, and a helpful attitude.

Octopus Investments Australia

Established in 2018, Octopus Australia is a dynamic multi-disciplinary team of over 55 highly skilled people which spans the expertise required to realise and operate a renewable energy and storage portfolio.

With an existing multi-GW portfolio of operating and development assets, including solar, wind and battery storage across the country. We are continuing to grow to create a long-term business that is building the renewables portfolio of the future, that can deliver a firmed energy product to meet the evolving needs of Australia's energy future.

Job Description

• End-to-End Deal Execution: A strong track record in originating, structuring, negotiating, and closing complex transactions across both development and operating assets. Ability to manage deal teams, maintain momentum under pressure, and drive successful commercial outcomes.
• Commercial & Risk Acumen: Strong understanding of key investment risks, with the ability to assess probability and severity and develop appropriate mitigation strategies and support negotiations to implement the mitigations. Confident in applying sound commercial judgment in ambiguous or evolving scenarios.
• Debt Financing Expertise: Deep understanding of project finance structures and processes. Ability to work with lenders and advisers to ensure transaction bankability and optimise capital structures.
• Leadership Presence & Communication: Excellent communication and presentation skills, with experience engaging at Investment Committee and Board levels. Able to articulate complex investment strategies and decisions clearly and persuasively to senior stakeholders.
• Strategic Industry Insight: Deep understanding of the Australian renewable energy landscape, including regulatory frameworks, energy markets, and the evolving policy environment. Ability to identify emerging opportunities and inform investment strategy accordingly.
• Team Leadership & Development: Proven experience leading and growing a high-performing investment team. A hands-on people leader who actively mentors and develops team members, fosters collaboration, and aligns the team to strategic objectives.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Network: Extensive network within the Australian renewable energy sector, including developers, advisors, financiers, and policy stakeholders. Ability to leverage relationships to unlock new opportunities and strengthen Octopus Australia's market position.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Effective at working across teams—including development, operations, legal and finance—to drive alignment and integrated decision-making throughout the investment lifecycle.

Qualifications

Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum 15+ years of relevant experience in Australia in infrastructure or energy investment, ideally gained across utilities, IPPs/developers, investment banking, private equity, or the corporate finance divisions of top-tier professional services firms.
• Demonstrated track record of leading complex, high-value renewable energy transactions across origination, structuring, execution, and asset management.
• Significant experience in leading teams, setting strategic direction, and influencing at executive and board levels.
• Professional qualifications such as CFA, CA, CPA, or an MBA are highly regarded but not essential.
• Must have the right to work in Australia. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Core Competencies

• Strategic and commercial mindset, with the ability to balance portfolio-level thinking with hands-on execution. Able to take ownership of investment decision-making, while considering broader business impacts and investor outcomes.
• Highly developed financial, commercial, and legal acumen, including strong understanding of project finance, transaction structuring, and risk allocation in renewable energy deals.
• Deep understanding of valuation, financial modelling, and risk analysis, with the ability to challenge assumptions and drive value through negotiations.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and engage a wide range of stakeholders including investment committees, joint venture partners, banks, advisers, developers, and regulatory bodies.
• Proven leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building and developing high-performing teams and fostering collaborative, inclusive cultures.
• Outstanding organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex transactions simultaneously in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong understanding of legal and contractual frameworks relevant to renewable energy projects, including acquisition, construction, offtake, and joint venture agreements.
• Comfortable operating in a entrepreneurial environment, where flexibility, resilience, and hands-on problem-solving are essential.

Leadership Characteristics

• A self-starter mindset with the initiative, drive, and tenacity to deliver exceptional outcomes without constant oversight.
• A growth-oriented leader who actively supports the development of others, shares knowledge, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
• A straightforward communicator who is comfortable giving and receiving feedback, and able to distil complexity into clarity.
• A curious, optimistic and opportunity-driven thinker, who believes in the impact of the energy transition and is motivated to shape the future of investment in the sector.
• A strong sense of accountability to our investors, with a clear focus on delivering both financial performance and long-term value creation.

Additional Information

What 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 Values

At Octopus we don't just focus on what we do but also how we do it. Everyone shares our values of being straightforward, helpful, and bold. 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 is always day one and who remember that 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.