Business Development Manager at Solarcentury

Job description

Job details:

To proactively develop Solarcentury’s PV business in East Africa providing short and long term EPC revenue and market share growth. This is a new role within Solarcentury and is a fundamental part of the company’s international expansion strategy. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated self-starter with a proven track record in international sales. This position will be based in East Africa, ideally in Kenya. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop Solarcentury’s international business, directly impacting the company’s commercial growth and profitability and strategic direction. This position will require extensive international travel outside of Africa both to Solarcentury HQ in London and also to other East-African countries.

Budgetary Responsibility: responsible for helping to define the annual international sales budget

People Responsibility: none

Technical Responsibility: qualifying opportunities from technical and commercial perspective and finding solutions that utilise existing and local supply chains

Commercial (I) Responsibility: delivering on annual revenue and margin targets

Key activities and responsibilities:

• Finding technically and commercially attractive PV opportunities in East Africa and the broader African continent
• Developing and qualifying network of installers, and equipment suppliers and supporting negotiations with them
• Identifying and qualifying direct or indirect sales commercial customers in target countries and negotiating and closing contracts with them
• Identifying development and investor partners
• Working closely with and supporting Solarcentury development and investor partners in East Africa
• Supporting international marketing events
• Identifying new East African markets and developing strategies to enter these markets
• Creating commercial and technical proposals for direct customers and investors
• Regularly reporting on project pipeline, competition, market developments
• Learning, reporting and recording on policy and legislation developments
• Understanding country requirements re: local content, tax and other barriers to entry. Finding solutions to overcome these barriers.
• Managing travel budget
• Negotiating EPC contracts with investor partners
• Delivering the annual revenue and margin budget
• Extensive international travel

Skills (including Specialist Skills)/ Experience / Attributes

• Good understanding of PV technologies and competing technologies.
• Fluent in at least two languages (English and French)
• Proven track record in high value international sales with ability to sell at exec/board level, ideally in the PV or other renewable markets
• Highly self-motivated
• Strong initiative and creative thinking
• Ability to work individually and as a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Managing travel and sales budgets
• Proven track record of delivering/exceeding revenue and margin targets
• Strong networking capability
• Existing relationships with international investors, project developers, supply chain
• Experience in developing sales projects from scratch
• Understanding of PV and competing technologies
• Understanding of financial modelling
• Willingness to travel extensively abroad
• Understanding FiT’s and other legislative support policies