Corporate Development Analyst

At Cleco, we're not just powering lives—we're powering a cleaner, smarter future for Louisiana. With bold investments in innovative energy solutions, we’re transforming how we power our communities: smarter, cleaner, and more sustainable. This is a long-term commitment to our people and our communities because our future—and the future of generations to come—depends on it. If you're ready to make an impact where it matters most, join us at Cleco—where we're Energizing Your Tomorrow.

The Corporate Development Analyst II is a career-level professional who supports enterprise growth initiatives through strategic, operational, and financial analysis related to large-load customer recruitment, economic development, site development, land acquisition, and emerging infrastructure opportunities, including data centers, advanced manufacturing, energy storage, renewable energy, and other utility-scale projects. The role evaluates opportunities, conducts due diligence and feasibility analyses, develops business cases, and provides insights that support key business decisions and long-term growth objectives. The successful candidate possesses strong business acumen, strategic and critical thinking skills, and the ability to identify improvements, develop practical solutions, and effectively support the advancement of the department's and Company's growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the planning, scheduling, execution, and monitoring of commercial opportunities and ensure the completion of milestones that meet/exceed expectations
• Assist in managing and supporting the coordination and facilitation of the development of identified short and long term strategic and commercial opportunities from conceptual stages through execution.
• Engage and collaborate with various internal and external stakeholders on both short- and long-term strategic and commercial initiatives to ensure business objectives are achieved, while maintaining efficient processes and effective communication.
• Develop and maintain business cases for both short-term and long-term strategic and commercial opportunities, ensuring that each case is underpinned by complex financial models to evaluate potential transactions, strategic investments, and other corporate finance activities. (examples include: strategic partnerships, generation acquisition, energy storage, distributed energy) Make recommendations to leadership based on thorough research and financial analysis.  
• Maintain strong internal relationships with business partners, team members, and senior management to effectively contribute to strategic decisions that require coordination across multiple business functions
• Provide support in managing third-party technical and outsourcing partnerships, as needed, to achieve project goals and operational objectives.
• Responsible for self-development and continuous learning, to deliver successful project outcomes with a customer-centric approach
• Prepare and deliver presentations that clearly communicate findings and recommendations to both internal and external stakeholders, including senior management.
• Gather quantitative and qualitative input and perform research tasks necessary to identify commercial opportunities that support Cleco’s growth initiatives
• Conduct in-depth market research, analyzing industry trends and assessing competitive landscapes in the utility industry and analyze applicability to Cleco
• Support the Corporate Development Director with the development and implementation of appropriate metrics, processes to improve decision making, efficiency improvements, and drive continuous improvement of project/tasks; consider future implications beyond an immediate problem
• Support site selection, land strategy, and development activities for data centers, industrial customers, and other strategic growth initiatives, including evaluation of site readiness, infrastructure requirements, permitting considerations, and project feasibility.
• Support the evaluation and advancement of large-load growth opportunities including data centers, industrial facilities, advanced manufacturing projects, and other strategic economic development initiatives.
• Support with land acquisition, land option agreements, site control strategies, and real estate due diligence activities. Evaluate development constraints, zoning considerations, utility infrastructure requirements, and highest-and-best-use considerations for potential development sites.
• Support coordination with economic development organizations, site consultants, engineering firms, local governments, permitting agencies, and internal business units to support development projects and strategic initiatives.     
• Champion a corporate culture that emphasizes transparency, integrity, safety, environmental responsibility, employee development, diversity and inclusion, customer service, and operational excellence

Qualifications

Required  Education, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field, Master’s degree preferred
• 3-5+ years of utility or related experience in Strategic Initiatives, Project Management, or Finance
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely
• Ability to work in a team environment supporting all members
• Strong understanding of the company’s industry and competitive landscape
• Experience with Microsoft tools and applications required
• Experience with financial systems (e.g., SAP) preferred
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, planning, and project management skills
• Strong organization skills and delivery of assignments in a timely manner
• Strong interpersonal, communications, negotiation, writing, speaking, listening and corporate storytelling skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks/assignments and deliver high-quality outcome
• Willingness and ability to learn and champion new technologies on the job
• Ability to exercise judgment with little direction/guidance but also knows when to escalate to the Corporate Development Director
• Proficient at functioning effectively within a team environment, present ideas, and opinions in a respective and collegial manner

Licenses and Certifications

• CPA, CFA, PMP, or related certification in the Finance, Accounting, and Engineering field preferred
• Experience supporting economic development, land development, site selection, utility infrastructure planning, commercial real estate, civil engineering design, project development, or large-scale infrastructure projects preferred.

Key Competencies

BEHAVIORAL

• Building Organizational Talent*
• Building Partnerships
• Leading Teams
• Business Acumen
• Communication
• Courage
• Building Self-Insight
• Building Talent*
• Driving for Results
• Energizing the Organization
• Driving Execution
• Building Trusting Relationships
• Driving Innovation
• Planning and Organizing
• Safety
• Establishing Strategic Direction

TECHNICAL

• Analytical skills
• Compliance

May perform other duties as assigned.

Salary dependent on experience, skills, education, and training.