JOB TITLE

Senior Manager / Manager, Commercial Development

REPORTING

Reporting into Vice President, Commercial Development

LOCATION

Chicago-area (Naperville, IL)

SALARY

A competitive remuneration package is available, based on quality and range of experience. 

ABOUT ZENOBE

Our goal is to make clean power accessible, to accelerate the shift to zero carbon power and transport.

We’re building and operating the world’s most sophisticated battery systems to enable the uptake of more renewable power and accelerating fleet electrification, de-risking the transition to zero-emission transport at scale. We’ve been consistently innovative since we were founded in 2017, achieving major industry firsts and using proprietary software and data analysis to optimise operational performance for our customers. At the end of their life, we repurpose electric vehicle batteries to provide clean power at depots, on construction sites and film sets.

Today we have 730 MW of grid scale battery storage operational and under construction and are the largest owner and operator of EV buses in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, supporting over 1,000 electric vehicles worldwide. In our first five years we have raised nearly £1.8 billion in funding and have expanded into other markets such as the US. Our rapidly growing company is looking for highly talented and motivated people to join us.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As we expand into the North American markets, we are looking for an experienced leader in the industry to serve a Manager / Senior Manager, Commercial Development. This role in imperative to maximizing Zenobē’s commercial value proposition to fleet customers. The Manager / Senior Manager of Commercial Development will support expansion and growth of Zenobē’s turnkey electrification offering across new verticals and customers. Responsibilities will include supporting commercial functions such as pricing, contracting, strategy, program development, commercial opportunity management and others. This role requires heavy collaboration cross-functionally throughout the organization with the primary objective to support business development efforts and opportunities. It is essential that you are experienced in managing numerous stakeholders (internal and external), that you welcome collaboration and building (teams, processes, etc.), and that you are comfortable representing a growing organization at a high level.

This is a unique opportunity to work in an entrepreneurial environment, building a new business in a fast-growing and rapidly-evolving sector (“start-up within a start-up”). At the same time, you will have the support from a company with over 275 team members that has a wide range of contracting, financing, procurement and operational experience gained to date from over 2,000 contracted e-buses worldwide. Self-starters’ and candidates able to thrive in a dynamic environment are desired as Zenobē intends to leverage its significant capabilities for growth in the North American markets.

A BIT ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY

• Contribute to and lead (parts of) ‘deal team’ (sales / business development, technical solutions, and commercial) by actively overseeing project deal flow including, technical design, commercial pricing, proposals, structuring, and contracting
• Manage, individual and team, commercial diligence support on opportunities for underwriting to comply with business requirements
• Oversee and drive integration of ‘deal team’ efforts into business and operational support systems (i.e. CRM, ERP, etc.)
• Maintain and establish standards of practice and protocols to drive the commercial workflow from sales through contracting which integrates service model, technology, pricing, grants, utilities, supply chain, EPC, and customer onboarding
• Manage staff, including future hiring, training and development opportunities
• Maintain and support existing client relationships to ensure customer loyalty, long-term satisfaction, and promote organic commercial growth
• As needed, support development of internal policies, guidelines, and procedures for activities such as pricing, deal metrics (financial viability through IRR, LIRR, EBITDA, EBIT, NPV, and/or payback), deal approval, customer origination and proposal approach, and channel partner engagement
• Advise management and provide written reports on strategic objectives, policies, and actions
• Interface with Investment Committee partners for structuring calls, deal reviews, and other reporting requirements as necessitated by shareholders and internal management
• Ensure continuous improvement and implementation of best practices within the team and organization
• Other anticipated areas of support and reach for the position include but are not limited to: forecast need and growth ensuring proper asset allocation and budgets, company performance and productivity tracking, asset and capital allocation, setting and tracking KPI’s, market and competitor penetration analysis, and organizational structuring

Health and Safety

• Actively contribute to Zenobe's commitment to health and safety, wellbeing and sustainability by; integrating these principles into daily responsibilities, ensuring a safe and supportive work environment, promoting both the physical and mental health of self and colleagues, and adopting sustainable and energy-efficient practices to minimize environmental impact. By doing so, each employee at Zenobe plays a vital role in fostering a culture that prioritises overall safety, holistic wellbeing, environmental sustainability in our business operations.

YOUR EXPERIENCE

Essential competencies:

• Fluency in English to business-level is mandatory
• A bachelor’s degree is required—ideally with discipline in financing, accounting, business, or engineering (though not mandatory)
• At least three (3) years of in finance, budget, commercial pricing, strategy, and proposal development
• Demonstrated strength in finance and competency in Excel
• Experience managing staff and/or team
• Experience in proposals, ‘pitch’ development, and/or consulting
• Demonstrated strength in stakeholder management—internal and external
• Familiarity with project management, establishing reporting and KPIs
• Background working with CRM products, particularly Salesforce
• Highly organized with a logical and methodical approach
• Ability to multi-task under high pressure, ambiguous situations with a sense of urgency
• Ability to conform to shifting priorities, demands and timelines through analytical and problem-solving

Desirable but not essential skills:

• Experience in project finance, construction, renewables, structuring and/or M&A
• Experience with contracting, procurement, and supplier management
• A master's degree in a related field (finance, accounting, engineering, or business-related)
• Broad understanding of fleet electrification [e.g. charge management, utilities, EVSE, OEMs, grants, etc.]
• Experience in passenger transportation, preferably in school bus, municipal, or commercial sectors
• Experience in energy storage, renewables, and/or EV infrastructure

For Ilinois / NYC Compensation Description (annually):

Please note that the base salary range is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location.

Base pay is one part of the total package that is provided to compensate and recognise employees for their work and any role at Zenobē, regardless of the location, is eligible for additional discretionary bonuses.

Base salary per annum: USD$140,000 - USD$155,000

OUR BENEFITS

We have an open, honest and trusting culture here at Zenobe. Apart from the unparallel opportunity to be at the forefront of the Net Zero revolution we are proud of the culture we have built. Here is what we can offer when you join the Zenobe community;

• At Zenobe we all work hard and go the extra mile so it’s important to rest and regenerate with 20 days holiday which increases after 5 years’ service
• 401k Scheme – Up to 4% matching
• Excellent opportunities for personal growth and responsibility plus a training budget
• Up to 33% performance related bonus
• Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance/ Reimbursement Plan
• Refer a friend bonus scheme

OUR APPROACH TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Zenobe is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment which is as representative as possible of our society. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership pregnancy /maternity, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, political beliefs and sexual orientation. Our culture values meritocracy, openness, fairness, and transparency.