Tax Credit Compliance Manager

About Fervo Energy

Fervo Energy (NASDAQ: FRVO) is a modern power company developing next-generation geothermal resources to meet the growing demand for affordable, reliable, 24/7 carbon-free energy. Our mission is to transform geothermal into America’s most dependable and affordable source of clean, around-the-clock power. By combining innovations in horizontal drilling, fiber-optic sensing, and advanced reservoir engineering, Fervo has developed a repeatable approach to building utility-scale enhanced geothermal systems. Our flagship Cape Station development in Utah is planned to deliver 500 MW of firm, carbon-free power, and we are advancing a development pipeline of more than 50 GW. Join us and work alongside world-class engineers, geoscientists, operators, project builders, and business leaders working to make geothermal a cornerstone of a more reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy future.

Position Description

The Tax Credit Compliance Lead own’s Fervo’s tax credit and government funding compliance program, protecting project economics tied to Sections 48E and 45Y clean electricity credits, prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA), and domestic content. Help contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers meet federal requirements and ensure Fervo can demonstrate compliance.

This role suits an energy tax attorney, tax-credit advisor, or compliance professional seeking ownership of practical controls, project decisions, and documented results. Translate strategy into pre-award requirements, timely records, early gap resolution, and evidence for credit buyers, tax equity investors, lenders, and auditors.

Partner with Engineering and Procurement (specifications and sourcing), Construction and Operations (contractors and scopes), Logistics (shipping), Legal (contract terms and interpretation), Tax (eligibility and requirements), Project Finance (financial impact), and site HSE teams. These functions retain their responsibilities; the Lead owns overall tracking, guidance, documentation, and coordination, supports questions and exceptions, and routes issues promptly to accountable owners.

This hands-on individual contributor reports to the Head of Compliance & Regulatory Programs. Daily vendor, contractor, and project-team engagement is central.

Responsibilities

Own tracking and guidance

• Maintain project-wide 45Y/48E, PWA, domestic content, and prohibited foreign entity records, with each in-scope supplier’s and contractor’s status, owners, and open items.

• Update tax credit and federal guidance for legal, IRS, funding, and scope changes; communicate material updates and field internal questions.

Embed compliance in project plans

• Work with Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Operations, and Logistics to build and execute requirements in schedules, scopes, and sourcing.

Run pre-award checks

• Review onboarding, RFPs, and scopes for onsite labor, requirements, and contract terms.

• Obtain ownership, sourcing, and certifications before award.

• Coordinate exceptions with Legal, Tax, Project Finance, and responsible teams before award, mobilization, or sourcing/shipping commitments.

Manage daily PWA operations

• Direct the external provider’s detailed payroll and apprenticeship reviews, setting scope, quality, and deadlines.

• Review findings, obtain missing records, resolve discrepancies, coordinate corrections with Construction and Procurement, and verify and document closure.

• Escalate unresolved or material issues to Tax, Legal, or leadership.

• Lead contractor, labor organization, and apprenticeship program outreach; document good-faith efforts; and implement processes for new projects and credit areas with Project Finance, Construction, and Procurement.

Document domestic content

• Validate supplier certifications, manufactured product costs, and steel/iron manufacturing records against Fervo’s sourcing framework.

• Track targets and escalate bonus-threatening constraints or deviations before award.

Support prohibited foreign entity diligence

• Collect ownership, sourcing, and certifications with Procurement, Legal, and Tax; maintain records supporting Tax’s calculations.

Reconcile field activity and onboarding

• Compare Daily Site Reports and other site records with onboarding; close contractor/subcontractor gaps with Procurement and Construction.

Prepare for new requirements

• Research emerging grant, loan, and tax credit obligations and develop implementation plans.

Support financing and audits

• Maintain credit transfer, tax equity, lender, and audit documentation; answer diligence requests with Project Finance and Tax.

Equip teams and vendors

• Be suppliers’ and contractors’ primary compliance contact.

• Develop guidance, checklists, and training for Procurement, Engineering, Construction, and Operations, plus awareness for affected employees.

• Document and improve processes as requirements, guidance, and business needs evolve.

Report and escalate

• Provide regular written updates on status, exceptions, documentation gaps, and credit-value risks to the Head of Compliance & Regulatory Programs and, as needed, Executive Leadership Team.

• Follow Fervo’s escalation strategy, including credit, federal funding, cost, or schedule risks requiring executive resolution.

• Share implementation challenges with Government Affairs to inform advocacy.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s in public policy, business, finance, accounting, construction management, supply chain, or a related field.

• 6+ years in compliance, energy tax law, tax-credit advisory, tax equity/transfer diligence, or related work, including 2+ years advising on, diligencing, or implementing IRA clean energy credit requirements, as amended. Backgrounds may include law/advisory firms, developers, contractors, investors, or corporate functions; PWA, Davis-Bacon/payroll; or supply chain/trade compliance involving supplier certifications or origin.

• Working knowledge of Sections 45Y/48E PWA requirements and ability to implement practical processes.

• Experience building, documenting, and improving compliance processes from inception with diligence- and audit-ready records, and managing external providers and contractors against quality standards and deadlines.

• Construction-stage compliance, contractor diligence, or project implementation of legal/tax requirements; ability and willingness to engage contractors and field teams and communicate with superintendents and tax advisors.

• Judgment to resolve routine questions independently and escalate appropriately to Tax, Legal, or leadership; willingness to travel regularly to project sites.

Preferred

• JD, LLM in Taxation, CPA, or other relevant advanced degree or credential, valued but not required; familiarity with domestic content and prohibited foreign entity requirements.

• Utility-scale renewable, geothermal, oil and gas, or other large industrial construction experience; direct contractor and field-team experience; labor compliance or certified payroll software experience.

• Commitment to clean energy and desire to own a function critical to first-of-a-kind projects.

Location

Fervo Energy has offices in Houston, TX, Golden, CO, Reno, NV, Oakland, CA, and Salt Lake City, UT. This position will be eligible for some hybrid work flexibility, but regular in-office presence in our Houston office with occasional travel to other Fervo locations and supplier facilities.

Benefits & Perks

• Fervo offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and life outside of work. Benefits for eligible employees include:
• Medical, dental, and vision plan options
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and short-term and long-term disability coverage
• A 401(k) plan with up to 6% match
• Flexible paid time off and paid parental leave
• Family-building, fertility, hormonal health, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting support through Carrot
• A dependent care FSA for eligible child and elder care expenses
• An annual Lifestyle Spending Account for eligible wellness expenses, including fitness, financial planning, pet insurance, and pet care
• Employee ownership opportunities through Fervo’s Employee Stock Purchase Program, as well as LTI and bonus opportunities for eligible roles

Benefits and programs are subject to eligibility requirements and may change.

Our Workplace

Fervo Energy highly values having employees work in the office to foster collaboration and strengthen our company culture. This role follows a hybrid schedule, with team members expected to work in the office three days per week. Fervo considers this in-office schedule an essential function of the role. Your recruiter can share more information about the schedule.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Fervo Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, genetic information, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law. Fervo also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that an individual has any of these characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of these characteristics.