If you would like to be considered for this role, please provide a full CV and covering letter, of no more than 200 words, covering the following:
- Why you are interested in the role
- What relevant skills you would bring to the role
- The length of your notice period with your current employer
Job Description
Job Title: Business Development Manager
Job details:
To proactively develop Solarcentury’s PV business in Ghana and Ecowas 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 Ghana. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in the development of 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 African countries.
This is a role which will require flexibility in a changing environment and an appetitie to play a part in growing a new business in Ghana and the wider Ecowas area.
Key responsibilities:
- Technical Responsibility: qualifying opportunities from technical perspective and finding solutions that utilise existing and local supply chains
- Commercial Responsibility: delivering on annual revenue and gross margin targets
- Local representation with existing clients – working in close collaboration with the West Africa Hybrid Business Development Manager
- Developing and implementing a Sales Plan; target clients and client groups, sales proposition and engagement. This could include wider regional opportunities.
- Supporting the Director of Operations in identifying local contractors and suppliers. To include providers of professional services, installation contractors and suppliers of system components.
- Liaison with GIPC and EC in pursuit of licences and providing guidance to Solarcentury on the requirements and options where the regulations are being developed – working with existing legal advisors JLD
- Development of a recruitment plan and working with Solarcentury HR team to identify and select Ghana based team players as required.
- Identifying a suitable office location and establishing a physical and media presence in Ghana/West Africa
Key activities and responsibilities:
- Finding technically and commercially attractive PV opportunities in West Africa and the broader African continent. This will include hybrid PV systems and commercial roof and utility scale PV plants.
- Identifying and qualifying development/co-development opportunities for utility scale projects and working closely with the project development team in London to bring these opportunities to fruition.
- 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 West Africa
- Supporting international marketing events
- Identifying new West African markets and developing strategies to enter these markets
- Creating commercial and technical proposals for direct customers and investors
- Periodically 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.
- Negotiating EPC contracts with investor partners
- In conjunction with the Africa General Manager delivering the annual revenue and margin budget
- Extensive international travel
Skills (including Specialist Skills)/ Experience / Attributes
- Proven track record in high value high tech international sales, preferably in PV
- Experience in PR project development (ideal but not essential)
- Highly self-motivated
- Strong initiative and creative thinking
- Fluent in English and French
- 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 of the regulatory environment for grid tied solar and the wider energy industry in West Africa