Senior Manager- Business Development USA

First Solar (US)•Phoenix, AZ

17h•$161,000 - $200,000

About The Position

This position is a cross-functional role that focuses on sales and integrates several independent teams and functions while seeking to recognize cross functional synergies between them. The position requires a strategic development perspective, a markets origination focus to drive the organization’s performance across markets. This role is key to coordinating customer activity within and across those markets, while navigating strategic allocation to enable projects. The Sr. Manager is responsible for driving the development of growth and customer relationships across First Solar’s markets. The Manager will drive implementation through preparation and opening of assigned new market segments, and evolving this network via new sales, account management and other business development activities as required. He/she will define go to market strategy, including identification of market entry points, key anchor customers/opportunities. Candidate will be responsible for developing and sustaining market value proposition, pricing, balancing corporate and customer needs for success. The Sr. Manager will also help drive strategic allocation for the team, including strategies to unlock value across customers. This position requires analyzing challenging situations and driving clarity while maintaining complex alignment across the approval process. Key aspects of this role will center on sales, strategic allocation, customer development, account management, commercial contract execution, managing cross functional relationships and the ability to obtain executive management support and approvals.

Requirements

An undergraduate degree is required; MBA or Masters of Engineering (or equivalent) a plus.
10+ years of work experience in business development, sales, engineering, project management or other relevant business / technical experience
Minimum of 7+ years of experience in the energy, alternative energy and/or utility sectors.
Prior experience in utility-scale solar energy industry is required.
Ability to travel to multiple geographies is required
Demonstrated experience navigating complex situations across C-suite audiences in a fast changing internal and external environment
Expertise in identifying, implementing, originating, negotiating and executing commercial contracts.
Proven ability to provide best in class account management to various key customer stake-holders
Proven experience leading cross-regional and/or cross-functional high performing teams, with demonstrated results
Demonstrated strengths in the core product management analytics:
Market/Customer Segment Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Positioning Analysis
Economic Value Analysis
Business Case Analysis
Understanding of global power and utility markets structures and decision making. Analytical skills to assess the impacts of regulatory changes.
Detail oriented and productive when leading cross functional project time-lines, including sales contracting, project delivery administration.
Demonstrated expertise in engaging targeted customers to:.
Acquire and validate key success factors and solution needs
Identify market hypothesis/gaps/opportunities for success
Establish long-term commercial partnerships
Negotiate and close commercial agreements
Navigate issues and their potential impacts to revenue, legal rep
Excellent written, oral, and executive level communication skills
Demonstrated excellence in defining/aligning organizational priorities with multiple internal stakeholders
Demonstrated excellence in communication of status to objectives; up, down, laterally and diagonally across the organization.

Nice To Haves

MBA or Masters of Engineering (or equivalent) a plus.

Responsibilities

Act as a trusted advisor to the regional Sr. Director for the development, market segmentation, origination strategies and collaboration with executive leadership.
Functional responsibility to drive development and alignment of the global business plan and strategy for identified market segments or channels
Structure and implement a multi-year, multi-segment Market Strategy that includes an integrated segmentation strategy and product application/solution roadmap.
Quarterback the annual planning process, provide updates in regular review meetings, and document/manage approvals for the plan
Host recurring meetings with key stake holders to align strategies, identify constraints, and implement action plans
Drive customer intimacy grow deep relationships across multiple levels and customer accounts by ensuring:
Close collaboration between all sub-regional managers, key-account managers and subject matter experts engaging with the customer
Responsibility for Ecosystem enablement, supplier qualification and development/maintenance of overarching framework agreements
Provides cross-functional and executive reporting of key business metrics and corrective action plans to achieve key performance metrics
Other duties as assigned.