Country Manager – Energy Operations

About the role

AVA is seeking an experienced Country Manager to lead its independent power producer (IPP) operations in Costa Rica. The role combines operational oversight, financial stewardship, stakeholder management and business development to ensure the power plants reach commercial operation on schedule and within budget.

Key responsibilities

• Direct all in‑country business activities to meet corporate objectives and ensure power plants achieve commercial operation on time, on budget and to specification.
• Oversee operations and maintenance performance against KPIs, contract compliance, safety and environmental standards, and manage major maintenance and CAPEX programmes.
• Own the country budget, control costs, report variances, forecast financial performance and ensure compliance with local laws and operating permits.
• Act as the primary interface with customers, government bodies and the company, leading commercial negotiations, resolving billing or outage issues and building the local team.
• Drive market research, business development and new project origination in line with group strategy, and report on regulatory and pricing trends.

Required profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in the energy or power generation sector, preferably within an IPP environment.
• Strong track record of delivering large‑scale projects on time and within budget.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, financial reporting and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience negotiating with governments and commercial partners.
• Fluent in English; Spanish proficiency is highly desirable.

Required skills

• Project delivery and O&M management.
• Financial budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Regulatory compliance and permitting.
• Commercial negotiation and contract management.