Commercial Account Manager at SparkMeter

The SparkMeter Commercial Account Manager

Come join SparkMeter’s Customer Success team and help increase electricity access in developing countries. As the Commercial Account Manager, you will help facilitate sales by moving SparkMeter’s microgrid customers through their sales pipeline, helping improve their processes and systems, and increasing sales by managing existing accounts to improve customer satisfaction.

SparkMeter pride themselves on a problem-led, solution-based sales philosophy. They understand the challenges facing utilities who are working to increase energy access, and they’re looking to learn from their customers’ challenges. Rather than trying to hard-sell a one-size-fits-all product, they’re talking with interested commercial and technical experts to discuss how their product can help with their specific problems, and what they will need to make the most of it in the context of their business and their objectives.

You will be based in their Nairobi, Kenya office. You can expect occasional travel: about 5-10%, or ~2-5 weeks a year.

Scope of work:

They are looking for an exceptional Commercial Account Manager with a connection to energy and energy access to join their strong and diverse team. Someone who shares in their mission of increasing access to electricity in underserved communities.

The right candidate will ideally be responsible for these 5 general areas of work, briefly outlined below:

• Sales - This is an external-facing role, and you’re excited to speak with utilities about their objectives and challenges and determine whether SparkMeter are the right product fit to help them address their needs.                                                                                           
• Technical assessments of customers - You are eager to learn what makes a customer a strong fit for their product and will work to better understand SparkMeter’s business as a whole to ensure they focus on partnering with customers they can serve well and profitably.                                                                                                                                                                
• Account management - A large proportion of SparkMeter’s sales come from existing customers. You’ll work with existing accounts to understand their needs and how SparkMeter is performing for them. You will work with their Logistics Teams, Customer Operations team and Systems Engineering team to ensure they are delivering on their customers’ needs, whether for new hardware, new features, or additional training. You will help measure customer satisfaction and be a voice for SparkMeter’s customers, ensuring their feedback informs their product development.                                                      
• Compliance - Regulations vary from country to country, and their customers turn to them to make sure that their solution will help them grow and be compliant with local regulations and codes. You will build on knowledge from SparkMeter’s customers and markets to help guide their compliance team’s priorities and make sure that their customers’ needs are heard and understood.                                                                                            
• Improving their commercial operations processes - You’ll help manage their CRM (Salesforce) to ensure they are fully leveraging the tool for automation of processes and for reporting.

 Desired Candidate Profile

The right applicant would have the following skill set:

• 3-10 years of experience in strategic account management and owning account outcomes.
• Significant experience working with customers in account management, technical sales, or customer support.
• Comfort with technology. While you don’t have to be an engineer to do well in this role, you should be comfortable with computers, science and engineering concepts. You are excited to learn more about the technical concepts behind SparkMeter’s product.
• Industry experience. Background in energy, or having worked for a microgrid developer or in rural electrification is highly desirable  
• Demonstrated experience using Salesforce or any other CRM is preferred.
• Computer proficient
• A strong passion & motivation - someone who understands and is motivated by the SparkMeter mission, and is looking to make a lasting impact on the energy sector for underserved communities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Great relationship management skills - highly empathetic
• Does this sound like you?
• You are passionate about building, testing, and validating systems to improve customer satisfaction.
• Love working with a diverse and multicultural team
• Disciplined self-starter. You love devising new systems and getting all things in their right place. SparkMeter is a startup, which means they are building systems as they grow and require leadership from everyone in their company for that.
• Always bring your ‘A’ game to the office!
• Uncommonly organized problem-solver. You’re not intimidated by a challenge! You’ll use your knack for gathering information and collaborating with colleagues to create solutions to their customers’ unique challenges.
• Very detail oriented and highly organised
• Possess high levels of integrity and ethics
• Are proactive and results-oriented
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment - willing to work hard, you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty to get work done.
• Okay with occasional work travel to countries in Africa, North America, Europe e.t.c. (about 5-10%, or ~2-5 weeks a year.)